东密歇根大学

Students in the Master of Arts in History program learn to explore, analyze, and assess the past. The program emphasizes historical research and writing, enabling students to engage with archival and digital sources to create their own scholarly works. It also teaches historical methodology and historiography, allowing students to participate in the scholarly community. The program offers global coverage, inviting students to understand diverse cultures and peoples, and it offers a broad range of topical focuses from war and society to race and gender. Successful graduates of the program are prepared for entrance to doctoral programs, or employment at public history institutions, community colleges, and in a variety of other fields.

The standard M.A. in History program consists of two classes on research methods and historiography and 25 hours of elective courses on topics in history. Students complete the standard program by writing a comprehensive exam on two topics chosen by the student in consultation with faculty mentors. Students who choose the thesis program replace six hours of electives and the comprehensive exam with researching and writing a thesis. The thesis option is especially recommended for students who intend to pursue a Ph.D. in history. Students in either track may concentrate on particular historical fields, and may include an internship or study abroad in their course of study.

Degree Requirements: 30 hours

The Master of Arts in History program requires successful completion of at least 30 hours of course work. Courses in history are divided into the following areas:

Area 1: United States
Area 2: Europe
Area 3: Other World Areas

Students pursuing the M.A. in History may enroll in one of the two following programs: the Standard Program or the Thesis Program. All students will initially apply to the Standard Program; those wishing to apply to the Thesis Program may do so after having completed 15-18 hours of graduate course work in history.

Standard Program

This program is appealing to teachers at the secondary level and to those who wish to pursue careers teaching at a community college. Graduates of this program can also find jobs in state and federal government or in publishing, or they may combine this degree with graduate work in library and information science, public history or historic preservation. This program calls for 30 hours of course work and a comprehensive examination in each of two areas of concentration.

Thesis Program

Designed for those intending to pursue doctoral studies in history, this program provides students with the opportunity to do extended scholarly research and writing on an historical problem in their chosen field. Students will apply for admission into the thesis track after having completed 15-20 hours of coursework in the standard M.A. program in History. To be admitted into this program, students need a GPA of 3.5 in their graduate coursework in History. Students will also submit a detailed prospectus describing the historical problem they intend to research, along with a review of the current state of scholarship in the field. The narrative will provide the thesis committee with an outline of the thesis, along with a projected timeline for the completion of the work. Neither the GRE nor a foreign language is required for admission into the thesis track of the M.A. in History program. However, students should consult with their thesis director on the advisability of gaining competency in a foreign language in preparation for engaging in advanced research on the doctoral level.