Are you a high achieving history major?
Are you interested in completing a B.A. and an M.A. in five years of study?
The SF State Scholars program is a special university program for highly motivated and exceptional students who wish to earn a B.A. and an M.A. in five years. In the Department of History, students will begin graduate-level courses in their fourth year when they will be fully integrated into the M.A. program, which prepares students for doctoral study in history or for a variety of careers, including in public history, teaching, publishing and law, among others. Throughout the program, students will benefit from the mentorship of an engaged faculty of teacher-scholars.
The program saves time by reducing the number of years to achieve both degrees from six to five. Six history units can be double-counted for both the B.A. and the M.A.
It saves money as students only pay a single year of graduate tuition.
Students should apply to the program in their third year but are urged to get advising early in the major to complete the eligibility requirements.
Deadlines
Spring admission: November 15
Fall admission: April 15
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Completion of all lower-division GE and history major requirements and at least one upper-division history course.
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Completion (or concurrent enrollment at time of application) of History 300GW.
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Enrollment at SF State for at least one semester before beginning the program.
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Overall GPA of 3.35 and GPA in history courses of 3.5.
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Minimum grade of A- in HIST 300GW.
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Students must apply before completion of 90-105 semester units.
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Students cannot have a double major.
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Students may not be enrolled in or have completed HIST 696 (proseminar) at the time they apply.
To apply, students must submit the following documents:
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An application form is available on the Graduate Studies website.
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A statement of purpose of approximately 300-500 words that explains your past background in history, specific historical interests, and what you hope to achieve in the program.
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A writing sample of 10-12 pages from a history course.
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Two letters of recommendation, one from a history professor.
These documents should be submitted to one of the SF State Scholars program coordinators, Professors Jessica Elkind or Sarah Curtis who can also answer questions about the program.
Deadlines are November 15 to begin in spring semester and April 15 to begin in fall semester.
Students complete all the university requirements for the B.A. degree (120 units), including the 39-unit history major.
Students complete all the requirements for the M.A. degree (30 units). Students may fulfill the professional development requirement through previous or additional coursework or examination on advisement.
Students may count two of their history courses (6 units) in both the B.A. and the M.A. program, reducing the total units to obtain the two degrees from 150 to 144 units.
The SF State Scholars coordinators can provide more information and a “road map” to completing these requirements in five years.
To transition to graduate coursework, students must maintain a 3.35 GPA in history courses and take a minimum of 6 units of history courses each semester.
Students may take longer than five years to complete the SF Scholars program but will pay graduate tuition for additional semesters.