Master's degree in history

The Master's degree in history offers students graduate work that serves a variety of needs and purposes. A master's program can be an end in itself for students whose personal and/or professional goal is an M.A. degree. The M.A. can also be a preparatory graduate degree en route to the doctorate; however, acceptance into the M.A. program does not constitute admission into the Ph.D. program in the Department of History. Students who decide they want to pursue a Ph.D. may later apply for admission to the doctoral program.

The M.A. in History requires the completion of 32 points of course work, of which at least 24 must be within the Department of History. No more than 8 points may be transferred from other graduate schools. Students must take the M.A. Proseminar, HIST-GA 2022, which provides them with an introduction to the professional study of history. Students must also write an M.A. thesis (normally determined by the end of the first semester). Students select a faculty advisor to direct the thesis and complete the M.A. Thesis Course (HIST-GA 3019) with the advisor in the final semester (4 points). All students enrolled full-time are expected to complete their course work after three semesters. Part-time students are allowed to stretch the program out over a maximum of six semesters.