Online Master of Arts in World War II Studies

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War World II Coast Guard

Built through a unique partnership between ASU and The National WWII Museum (NWWM) in New Orleans, this fully-online, interdisciplinary World War II Studies graduate degree is the first of its kind in the nation.

Resident tuition | Non-resident tuition
ASU Online offers start dates every 7.5 weeks.
Multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year.
Required number of credits to complete this degree.

Through advanced interdisciplinary study of World War II, students explore the global nature of World War II, a conflict that fundamentally reshaped the political and cultural landscape of our planet. Students examine the causes and impact of the war, the evolution of governance and political systems, and human responses to conflict, violence and genocide. Program coursework helps students contextualize current events through study of the war’s historical, political, and cultural legacies. The knowledge and skills students develop in the program are transferable to a variety of contexts, including education, military service, human rights work, public relations, diplomacy, international relations, and law.

The program is 30 credit hours (10 courses) and can be completed in 18-24 months. The courses in this degree program will be taught by a mix of ASU faculty and historians from The National WWII Museum in New Orleans. The program offers students unique access to documents, oral histories, and other archival material from the Museum's collection. Students have the opportunity to learn using the Museum's amazing array of artifacts and archival sources, some not currently visible to the general public.


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  • 20,000 enrolled students, 89 undergraduate majors, 134 graduate degrees and 22 interdisciplinary schools and departments
  • $115 million in research expenditures
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Calendar

Next Start Date:

08/22/19
Most Innovative

Featured Courses

WWS 494 World War II Studies:

3 credits - This course explores the causes, conduct, and consequences of World War II. (REQUIRED)

*WWS 561 World War II Decision Points I:

3 credits - This course is an in-depth analysis of the origins, impact, and controversies over the key decisions related to the beginning and early years of World War II, with an emphasis on the contingent nature of historical events. (REQUIRED)

*WWS 562 World War II Decision Points II:

3 credits - This course is an in-depth analysis of the origin, impact, and controversies over the key decisions related to the later years and the ending of World War II, with an emphasis on the contingent nature of historical events. (REQUIRED)

*WWS 563 The Lived Experience of World War II:

3 credits - This course explores the personal experiences of those who lived through and participated in World War II. The course also introduces students to the complexities of oral history collections and methodologies. (REQUIRED)

WWS 564 The Global War:

3 credits - This course examines the global dimensions of World War II with particular focus on those regions which have been deemphasized in Western historical discourse. (NOTE: Students may take either WWS564 OR HST454: The History of Genocide (an existing course). (REQUIRED)

*WWS 566 World War II Today:

3 credits - This course analyzes the impact and legacy of World War II, with an emphasis on the roots of contemporary problems and issues. (REQUIRED)

WWS 567 World War II in Film:

3 credits--This course will offer students a comprehensive survey of how film has represented the Second World War.

WWS 568 World War II in Literature:

3 credits--This course will explore the topic of World War II across fiction, non-fiction, film and other film genres.

WWS 569 Memory and Monuments:

3 credits--The course focuses on the historical memory of World War II by examining the processes of commemoration, monument building, and memorialization. Through theoretical texts and case studies, students explore how societies remember and forget and how they create collective memory.

WWS 597 Capstone:

3 credits--This course allows students to build a culminating experience that reflects the breadth and depth of their MA experience and to articulate the value of the degree to potential employers or admissions committee members.(REQUIRED)

* Core course

Other elective courses will be developed. Topics to be determined.

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

Program Summary

Total Hours:

30

Related Careers

Graduates with an ASU Online Master of Arts in World War II Studies hone highly transferable skills, including:

  • critical thinking
  • communication
  • collaboration skills
  • time and task management skills
  • interpersonal skills

Students hoping to pursue careers that stress analytical thinking, project management, and effective communication will be well served by the program.

Requirements

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

An applicant must have the minimum of a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) or master’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Students from any field who demonstrate potential will be considered for admission. Applicants’ potential for success is determined by the quality of writing and clarity of thought demonstrated in the letter of intent and responses to the application questions. Letters of recommendation that point to a student’s ability to deliver high-quality academic work and persist to an academic goal will receive priority. An applicant’s GPA and academic performance, particularly in humanities coursework, will also indicate potential.

A minimum of a 3.00 cumulative GPA (scale is 4.00 = “A”) in the last 60 hours of a student’s first bachelor’s degree program is required. A minimum of a 3.00 cumulative GPA (scale is 4.00 = “A”) in an applicable master’s degree program is required.

Applicants are required to submit:

  1. Graduate admission application and application fee
  2. Official transcripts
  3. Proof of English proficiency
  4. Three letters of recommendation
  5. Letter of intent/written statement
  6. Written responses to unit-developed prompts

An applicant whose native language is not English (regardless of current residency) must provide proof of English proficiency.

During the application process, applicants will be prompted to write short written responses to World War II-related questions. These responses will serve to demonstrate to the committee a student's writing ability and potential for thoughtful participation in degree coursework.

Application Deadlines:

April 15, July 15, and September 15 (Fall admission)

December 1 and February 1 (Spring admission)

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