Online Master of Arts in History
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Which degree are you most interested in?
ASU’s online master of arts degree in history offers dynamic content along with valuable skills. The degree deepens your knowledge of history while developing core skills applicable in a variety of settings. Students graduate from the program with an enhanced ability in finding and analyzing information, planning and organizing projects, and writing and speaking effectively.
The program covers a range of historical and cultural periods taught by ASU’s award-winning faculty and is ideal for working professionals, K12 teachers, and life-long learners seeking to advance their skill set and knowledge base.
In addition to working as professional historians, people with advanced degrees in history often work in education, the military, law, journalism, museum and archival settings, and public service. They share a passion for history and commitment to a rigorous and thorough examination of our past as a way to understand our present and shape our future.
The largest and most diverse unit at Arizona State University:
- Top 5 for best qualified graduates, according to Wall Street Journal
- Top 20 for humanities research, according to the National Science Foundation
- 20,000 enrolled students, 89 undergraduate majors, 134 graduate degrees and 22 interdisciplinary schools and departments
- $115 million in research expenditures
- #1 university in the nation for innovation
Featured Courses
- Historical Methods
- North American History
- Global History
- Early American History
- Civil War Era
- The Sixties
- Comparative Colonialism
- Global Environmental History
- Global Cold War
- Oral History
- Genealogy
Faculty
From Royal Society and American Academy fellows to Marshall and Barry Goldwater Scholarship recipients, The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is home to prestigious students and faculty members including:
- 306 Endowments
- 12 Named Chairs
- 14 Named Professorships
- 1 Pulitzer Prize Winner
- 1 MacArthur Fellow
- 3 Nobel Laureates
Related Careers
Graduates with an MA in History will develop advanced historical thinking skills, as well as skills employers consistently identify as highly valuable, including effective oral and written communication and critical thinking and problem solving. Opportunities for historians include, but are not limited to, careers in the following fields:Requirements
Admission to the History MA program is selective. The most competitive applicants will meet the following academic criteria:
- A strong record of relevant coursework (18 hours of previous coursework in history and/or other humanities or social science disciplines)
- a GPA of 3.3
- a strong writing sample
- academic letters of recommendation
- a minimum TOEFL score, for international students, of 90 for the iBT, or 600 for the PBT.
Any applicant who submits all of the required elements will be considered for admission. However, if an applicant’s GPA or relevant coursework do not meet the above criteria, it is strongly recommended that the student provide an explanation in the Statement of Purpose.
APPLICATION DEADLINES:
July 15 and September 15 (Fall admission); December 1 and February 1 (Spring admission); April 15 (Summer admission)
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:
- Online electronic application: Applicants must submit an online Graduate Admissions application and application fee.
- Transcripts: Should be mailed to Graduate Admissions Services from the issuing institution(s). All transcripts from any institution attended, including graduate work, should be submitted.
- Statement of Purpose: The statement of purpose should be addressed to the history admission committee and should explain the applicant's scholarly background and training (addressing any concerns with the applicant’s academic record), career goals, the primary field the applicant wishes to pursue (North America or Global), and why the applicant wants to pursue graduate study at ASU (about 500 words in length). It is not necessary to specify a historical interest, but the applicant should include it if they have one in mind.
- CV/Resume: Upload into online application.
- Writing sample: A sample of the applicant's written work should be submitted electronically as part of the online application. Compelling writing samples will include a strong thesis, demonstrated use of primary and secondary source evidence, and solid writing foundations (such as proper grammar and logical organization). The writing sample may be an article (published or unpublished), a research paper, or any other extended sample of expository skill no longer than 35 pages in length. Longer writing samples should not be submitted without first consulting the Director of Graduate Studies. Documents and files may not be password protected. Acceptable file types are .rtf, .pdf, and .doc.
- References: Applicants are required to submit a minimum of 3 email addresses from faculty or others qualified to speak of the applicant's suitability for graduate study in history. Academic letters of references will be given the most weight. Applicants should avoid asking friends or family members for references. References will be contacted by the University and asked to upload letters and evaluations online.
- TOEFL: An applicant whose native language is not English (regardless of current residency) must follow Graduate Admission guidelines for demonstrating English language proficiency. The history program requires an iBT TOEFL score of at least 90 or a PBT TOEFL score of 600. TOEFL scores should be sent electronically from ETS (Educational Testing Services) to ASU.
