You are here: American University College of Arts & Sciences History MA Admissions & Requirements, MA in History or Public History

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Admissions at a Glance

Deadlines
Fall priority admission: February 1
Spring or Summer admission
No
Required materials
Application form and fee
Statement of purpose*
Transcripts
2 letters of recommendation
GRE scores (Optional)
Resume
Writing sample**
Learn more about additional requirements for international students

How to Apply  Request Info  Tuition & Funding

*If applying to Public History, please indicate on application.
Statement of Purpose: explain how an MA in History will further your career goals. 

**Writing Sample: recent written work of substantial length (senior thesis, research paper, or interpretative essay).

Admissions and Program Requirements

How Admissions Decisions Are Made

In evaluating grades, test scores, recommendations, and other supporting documents, the Department's Graduate Committee primarily seeks evidence of promise in the field of history. No single item either qualifies or disqualifies a student for admission. Someone with high GRE scores but indifferent college grades may have to explain convincingly why he or she is now ready for serious professional work, whereas someone with lower GREs and good grades may present samples demonstrating real research and writing ability.

Provisional admission may be extended in certain cases where students do not meet usual standards. To gain full MA candidate status, the provisional student must demonstrate to the Department's satisfaction an ability to pursue a degree program with reasonable promise of success. On the completion of 6-12 hours of courses taken for letter grade credit, a provisional student must then apply for full standing, using the Graduate Academic Action form.

Although an undergraduate major in history provides a desirable background for more advanced work, majors in other fields will be given full consideration. The Department recognizes that almost any major may provide an adept student with knowledge or methodologies useful in the field of history. Applicants for the Public History concentration typically have some experience, such as an internship, with a public history organization or institution.

Please include a statement of purpose indicating educational and career objectives, areas of interest within history, and relevant academic or practical experience.

History (MA)

Offered by the Department of History, College of Arts and Sciences.

Admission to the Program

Admission is based on academic record, letters of recommendation from two professors with whom work was taken recently, personal statement, writing sample, and favorable judgment by the department graduate committee and chair.

Degree Requirements

  • 30-33 credit hours of approved graduate work:
    • History concentration: 30 credit hours
    • Public History concentration: 33 credit hours
  • Tool of research: Relevant foreign language, quantitative methods, oral history, history and new media, material culture or a methodology approved by the graduate committee of the Department of History
  • Capstone Experience:

Course Requirements

Complete one of the following concentrations: 

History (30 credit hours)

Required (3 credit hours)

Complete 3 credit hours from the following with grade of B or better:

Note: HIST-744 The Historian's Craft (3) is usually taken in the student's first fall semester in the program.

Colloquia (6 credit hours)

Complete 6 credit hours from the following with grades of B or better:

Note: Another approved course may be substituted for one colloquium.

Research Seminar or Thesis (6 credit hours)

Complete 6 credit hours from one of the following options:

Electives (15 credit hours)

Complete 15 credit hours from the following, or other courses approved by advisor:

Public History (33 credit hours)

Required (3 credit hours)

Complete 3 credit hours from the following with grade of B or better:

Note: HIST-744 The Historian's Craft (3) is usually taken in the student's first fall semester in the program.

Colloquia (6 credit hours)

Complete 6 credit hours from the following with grades of B or better:

Note: Another approved course may be substituted for one colloquium.

Research Seminar (3 credit hours)

Complete 3 credit hours from the following with grade of B or better:

Public History (8 credit hours)

Complete 8 credit hours from the following with grades of B or better:

Electives (13 credit hours)

Complete 13 credit hours from the following, or other courses approved by advisor: