•    6000-level courses are open to both graduate students and advanced undergraduate students (undergraduate register for the course at the 4000 level). These lecture/discussion courses usually survey an entire period. Graduate students will have separate reading and writing assignments. If you have taken a course at the 4000 level (undergraduate) or its equivalent you cannot take the same course again at the 6000 level. Only six credits of 6000-level coursework count toward the M.A.

•    7000 and 8000-level courses are the same in content, meeting times, and requirements; M.A. students register at the 7000 level and Ph.D. students at the 8000 level. These courses are open only to graduate students and are usually limited to 15 or fewer students.

•    7000-level courses designated "Studies in...," "Thematic Studies in...," or "Topics in History" survey important scholarship on a specific period or topic. They are designed to familiarize students with leading scholarly interpretations. Class sessions are devoted to discussions of common readings, written critiques, and student presentations. Course content typically varies from term to term. You may take enroll in the same number course more than once as long as the topic is not repeated.

•    7000-level courses with “historiography” in their title are designed to give broad coverage of the important scholarship in an entire field. All M.A. students must take at least one of these, in a field of their choice. You are encouraged to take more than one historiography course, since they are designed to give broad coverage of the important scholarship in an entire field. Most years we intend to offer historiography courses in all of the fields in which we specialize: U.S history before 1877, U.S history after 1877, African American history, modern European history, Global History, and Egyptian history. Historiography courses in other fields may be available occasionally. You may take a historiography course in a given field only once. This is a prerequisite for History 7070 research seminars.

•    History 7012 is a directed readings course taken individually with a professor. These courses allow students to explore areas of interest not offered as a regular class, to fill in gaps in knowledge, or to investigate possibilities for a thesis topic. Taking this course requires the express agreement of the professor who will direct it; no one has the right to a directed readings course. You must file a directed readings registration form directed readings registration form with the department office prior to enrolling. M.A. candidates may normally enroll for no more than 3 hours of directed readings. You may, however, petition the Director of Graduate Studies for permission to take additional 3 hours of directed readings. It is our policy not to approve readings courses if there is a class available that covers the same or a similar general topic.

•    7070 Research Seminars emphasize research using primary materials. Students will produce original and substantial research papers. All M.A. students must take at least one 7070 seminar. In order to take History 7070 you must already have taken a historiography course, although not necessarily in the same field as the Research Seminar. You can take more than one 7070 seminar.

•   History 7025 (Principles & Practices in History Education) is a rigorous readings course exploring approaches to the teaching of history. Assistants are required to take this course one time; all graduate students are encouraged.

•    History 7991, Independent Readings, is an individualized readings course. It does not count toward degree requirements, and normally only assistants take it. You need to fill out a form to register for this course. Get it at https://www.memphis.edu/history/pdfs/independent_readings_form.pdf (pdf)

•    History 7996 is the course number assigned for thesis credit. You may take as many thesis credits as you want, but only nine count toward the degree. You need to get the approval of a thesis advisor and fill out a form to register for this course. Get it at https://www.memphis.edu/history/pdfs/thesis_form.pdf (pdf). Once you register for thesis credit you must take at least one credit every fall and spring semester until graduation.