The courses required for the M.A. degree usually include an introduction to historical thought  and an introductory seminar on research, to be taken in the first year of study; a two-semester reading colloquium or its equivalent in the student's major field; one additional seminar (900-level course); three hours of thesis credit; and four other courses, of which as many as three may be taken in fields other than that in which the student is concentrating or even in other disciplines. M.A. candidates must also pass a reading-knowledge examination in an appropriate foreign language, prepare a thesis based on original research, and pass an oral examination on the thesis.