History Master's Degree
Master of Arts (MA) in History
The Master of Arts (M.A.) in History accommodates a wide range of student aspirations in the field of History, both professional and personal. History graduate students are taught to think critically, write clearly, listen closely, analyze rigorously, think broadly, read deeply, and speak confidently. Students explore historical topics of interest at great depth while preparing for a Ph.D. program or developing the skills to work in many professional sectors.
Graduate History Program Admission Requirements
Regular Admission:
- Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university
- GPA 3.0 or better in the last 60 credit hours
- Applicants must submit an undergraduate paper demonstrating writing and analytical skills.
- Applicants unable to submit an academic paper will submit:
- A 3-page statement of purpose explaining: motives and goals for choosing to study history at the graduate level, indicate how the UTPB MA program would assist in achieving these objectives: your aptitude/strengths for success in graduate study
- 18 semester credit hours of combined upper and lower-division history courses. Applicants lacking the 18 hours might be required to complete leveling courses.
Conditional Admission:
- Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university
- GPA below a 3.0 but no lower than 2.5 in the last 60 credit hours
- Update Writing Sample Requirement: Applicants must submit an undergraduate paper demonstrating writing and analytical skills. Applicants unable to submit an academic paper will submit:
- Scholarly Book Review should include: the author's basic argument(s); kinds of evidence the author uses, how did the author apply the evidence in support or the argument; what is your overall assessment of the work, what is the general significance of the book.
- 18 semester credit hours of combined upper and lower-division history courses. Applicants lacking the 18 hours might be required to complete leveling courses.
- The program will review applicant performance in upper-level history courses and other comparable upper-level courses that stress writing/analysis/research such as English, Philosophy, and Political Science. Grades of "B" or better reflect potential success in Graduate-level work.
OTHER EVIDENCE:
- Applicant's performance in upper-level history courses and other comparable upper-level courses that stress writing/analysis/research (such as English, philosophy, and political science) will be used to evaluate an applicant's abilities.
- Grades of "B" or better reflect potential success in graduate-level work.
M.A. in History Degree Requirements
Candidates for the Master of Arts degree in History must complete 30 credits of graduate work, of which no more than one course may be at the 4000-level (modified to meet graduate standards). They may choose between the thesis option and the non-thesis option.
Students who elect to write a thesis will complete:
- 24 credit hours in history.
- Six hours upon acceptance of a thesis.
Students who elect the non-thesis option will complete:
- 24 credit hours in history.
- Six additional credits in history or an approved related field.
MA degree candidates who select the non-thesis option must pass an oral and a written examination. MA degree candidates who elect to write a thesis must pass an oral defense of their thesis. There is no general foreign language requirement for the master’s degree in history. However, when mastery of a language is requisite to purposeful study, the demonstration of language skills may be required. For example, candidates writing a thesis on a topic in Latin American history must demonstrate the ability to comprehend written Spanish with reasonable accuracy.
Graduate Catalog
Get a more in-depth look at the degree plan and required courses inside the course catalog.
Graduate Programs of Study
