Department of History

MA Program

The M.A. program lasts for two years and is for students who wish to obtain a Ph.D. degree but have not yet earned an M.A. in History from another school (since we do not offer a terminal MA, this program is not for students who only want an MA degree).  During the two years in the M.A. program, students receive a graduate-level introduction to history as an academic discipline as well as methodological training in the craft of research and academic writing. Apart from this, they build their expertise in a regional field (Europe, United States, Asia, Latin America)  while at the same exploring transnational/thematic history across regions in our transnational field seminars. The culminating work of the M.A. program is the completion of a journal-article-length work of original research, which should be of potentially publishable quality and significance. All candidates for the M.A. degree must demonstrate competency in a foreign language before sitting for the M.A. examination.

After successful completion of the M.A. students may advance to the Ph.D. program, based on departmental approval. 

For detailed information on the requirements, please see the Graduate Handbook.