Graduate Admissions

Overview of the requirements, deadlines, and procedures for applying to the M.A. program in History.

Deadlines

December 1, 2023 for admission in Spring 2024

February 25, 2024 for admission in Fall 2024 if you wish to be considered for departmental scholarships and assistantships in the 2024-25 academic year (see Funding for details). Prospective students who do not require financial support may submit their applications through May 15, 2024. 

Application materials

The History Department conducts a holistic review of all credentials presented by a student. No single factor alone leads to either granting or denying admission. Based on the application dossier, the History Department tries to identify each applicant's academic abilities and potential for success in our graduate program. A complete application dossier consists of the following:

  • Graduate application form
  • Application fee ($65)
  • Official transcript verifying the receipt of a BA from an accredited institution; successful applicants will normally have earned at least 21 credit hours in History and an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 
  • Curriculum vitae or professional résumé
  • Statement of purpose of no more than 500 words, which describes in specific terms your academic and career objectives and how they can be advanced through graduate work in our program. The statement should indicate your intended area(s) of interest, your preparation for this field of study, and the faculty member(s) with whom you wish to study. If you are applying for departmental funding, you should also indicate the scholarship(s) and/or assistantship(s) for which you would like to be considered and your qualifications for those awards.
  • Writing sample of no more than 15 double-spaced pages
  • At least two letters of recommendation from individuals who can speak to the applicant's academic and/or professional capabilities and potential; three letters are required if you are applying for departmental funding.
  • Special Note: The GRE is no longer required for admission

Application Process

All credentials are to be submitted online through the Graduate School's application portal. Your dossier will then be forwarded to the History Department for review by the Director of Graduate Studies.

     CLICK HERE TO BEGIN YOUR ONLINE APPLICATION 

    Transfer credits

    Students may apply to transfer up to 6 hours from outside the University. Up to six additional transfer hours may be requested under certain circumstances. All credit transfer requests must be approved and supported by the Director of Graduate Studies and the History Department Chair. For details, see Graduate Catalog. 

    Accelerated BA/MA program

    Current UofL undergraduates in their junior year who are considering continuing on to the MA may wish to apply for the Accelerated BA/MA program, which allows them to take three graduate-level courses (9 credit hours) in their senior year and count those credits towards both the BA and MA degrees, shaving a semester's worth of time and tuition off the MA program. Find out more here. 

    Applicants from the Public History Certificate Program

    Current Public History Certificate students who intend to switch to the M.A. program in History should follow the guidelines below when preparing their application.

      • submit one additional letter of recommendation from a member of the faculty in the Department of History at the University of Louisville
        • submit a writing sample of no more than 15 double-spaced pages
          • submit a statement of purpose, not to exceed 500 words, which explains in reasonably specific terms, the student's academic and career objectives and how they can be advanced through graduate work. This statement should contain a rationale for moving from the Certificate to the M.A. program. The statement should also indicate the student's intended area(s) of interest, preparation for this field of study, and the departmental faculty with whom the student wishes to work
            • all previous material  from the Certificate program application (incl. Letters of Recommendation) will be considered part of the application to the M.A. program. Consideration will be given for performance while in the Certificate program.