TCU History Graduate classes are numbered either as 60000 Graduate Readings, or as 80000 Graduate Seminars. Each type of class fulfills a particular function for graduate study.

The 60000 Graduate Readings are historiographic courses in which the student is introduced to the historiography and interpretations of the period. These classes, in the case of minor fields, can be combined with undergraduate lecture classes (30000 or 40000 in number); any student who is deficient in a given era or area for their major field should attend a undergraduate lecture course, but cannot expect 60000 level credit solely from the undergraduate course.

The 80000 Graduate Seminars are historiographic and research or specifically research seminars. These classes have a research component and are directed at the professor's discretion. Students in these seminars should strive to produce a paper suitable for an academic meeting or for publication. The department believes that Graduate Seminars are the most important part of a graduate education.

Students on the M.A. track have to take courses HIST 70980 and 70990 (Master's Thesis). Each course, (70980 or 70990) MUST be taken in 3-hour blocks. Once six hours of thesis have been completed a student should register for 1 hour of 70990 for the semester in which the thesis is completed. Students will receive incompletes in thesis hours until all work is completed.

Students on the Ph.D. track have to take courses HIST 90980 and 90990 (Dissertation). Each course, (90980 or 90990) MUST be taken in 6-hour blocks. Once having completed twelve hours of dissertation, a student should register for 1 hour of 90990 for the semester in which the dissertation will be completed. Students will receive incompletes in dissertation hours until completion and approval by his/her dissertation committee.