The M. A. may be either a terminal degree or a step toward the doctorate. Those wishing to go on for a Ph.D. at Lehigh or at another institution should apply to pursue Plan I, with the principal requirement being that they must have the agreement of a faculty adviser who will direct the thesis. All students must maintain a 3.3 grade point average on Lehigh's 4.0 scale. Students must submit a Program for Master's Degree as soon as possible after they have completed 15 credits toward their degree.

Plan I requires the successful completion of 27 hours of course work and the preparation of an acceptable thesis for which the student receives three hours credit. The thesis must be written under the direction of a member of the History Department. It must be read by at least one member of the department other than the director and accepted by both.

Plan II requires the successful completion of 30 hours of course work and passing written comprehensive examinations in two fields, to be determined by the student and two faculty advisers. M.A. students who choose Plan II must notify the Program Director and discuss the nature of the exams with the relevant faculty at least one semester before scheduling the exams. One faculty member will administer the examination in each field. If the student fails either or both exams, he or she may retake the failed exam(s) once, after consultation with the faculty member(s) who administered the exam(s).