History (MA)

Master of Arts in History 
Unit: College of Arts and Sciences (GA)
Department: History
Program Website 
Academic Plan Code(s): HISTMA, HISTMA_ACC

Program Information

The Master of Arts program in History offers students a flexible curriculum, access to outstanding faculty, research opportunities, and career preparation through internship placements with a network of local cultural heritage organizations. Students obtain a thorough grounding in historical method and theory, and they leave the program with the knowledge and skills they need pursue further study at the PhD level and/or to meet their career goals in fields ranging from education and cultural heritage management to law and government.

The structure of the program and the varied specialties of our faculty allow our students to acquire a worldwide vision of history. In addition to completing a set of core courses that offer a foundation in historical research methods and public history skills, all students are required to select a Major Field in Americas, World, or Public History. 

Soaring Scholars (Accelerated BA/MA) Program in History

Undergraduate students interested in the program's accelerated option should visit the catalog page for the BA in History for more information.

Admission Requirements

The History Department conducts a holistic review of all credentials presented by the applicant in order to identify each applicant's academic abilities and potential for success in our graduate program; no single factor alone leads to either accepting or excluding an applicant.  

Applicants to the MA program in History should have: 

• A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 point scale (a GPA based on a 3.0 scale will be converted to a 4.0 scale)
• 21 undergraduate credit hours in history, with a minimum GPA of 3.0. 

Students with an undergraduate GPA of between 2.5 and 2.99 may be accepted conditionally into the program at the discretion of the Director of Graduate Studies, provided they meet all other requirements for admission. Conditional admission requires that the student maintain a GPA of 3.0 in the first nine (9) credit hours of graduate coursework. 

Students with fewer than 21 undergraduate credit hours in history will be required to take additional history courses to bring their total undergraduate hours up to the required number. 

Admission Materials

Applicants must submit the following materials to the University of Louisville Graduate School:

• A completed graduate application form and application fee 
• Official transcripts, verifying the receipt of a BA from an accredited institution
• At least two letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with the applicant's academic and/or professional capabilities and potential
• A writing sample of no more than 15 double-spaced pages
• A curriculum vitae highlighting past awards, scholarships, leadership and work experiences, or internships
• A statement of purpose, not to exceed 500 words, outlining in reasonably specific terms, the applicant's academic and career objectives and how they can be advanced through graduate work in our program. The statement should also indicate the applicant's intended area(s) of interest, preparation for this field of study, and, if possible, the departmental faculty with whom the applicant wishes to study.

Deadlines:

Applications for Fall semester: February 20 *

Applications for Spring semester: December 1

* February 20 is the deadline for all students who want to be considered for available fellowships, assistantships, and internships. Students who do not intend to apply for these funding sources may submit their applications until May 15. For a list of the graduate assistantships, scholarships, fellowships, and internships, see louisville.edu/history/graduate-studies/funding 

Program Requirements

All graduate students are required to take the Core Courses (15 credit hours in total) along with approved Major Field courses.

All History M.A. students choose one of the following three Major Fields and take 15 credit hours (if they are working toward the thesis option) or 18 credit hours (if they are working toward the exam option):

• Americas: Five (thesis option) or six (exam option) content courses with at least one course on Latin American/Borderlands history. 
• World: Five (thesis option) or six (exam option) content courses on the history of regions, peoples, and cultures primarily outside of the Western hemisphere. 
• Public History: Two public history methods courses, two (thesis option) or three (exam option) content courses, and HIST 618 Practicum in Public History II. 

MA students in the History Department normally take nine (9) credit hours of coursework per semester (three courses). With the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies, a student may take up to 12 credit hours (four courses) in a semester. Students may take up to six (6) credit hours HIST 601 Directed Study and up to six (6) credit hours of graduate courses outside of the History Department. No pass-fail courses may be applied to an MA in History.

If a student's cumulative GPA falls below 3.0, he or she is subject to academic probation and may be dismissed from the MA program. 

For MA-level work in certain areas, knowledge of foreign languages or knowledge of other specialized research tools may be required.

Students will be allowed to transfer up to six (6) credit hours of appropriate coursework from outside the University of Louisville. Up to nine (9) credit hours of non-degree graduate coursework in History may be transferred into the MA program.

Students may choose to complete the MA by thesis or by exam. 

Thesis Option

Completion of 30 credit hours of coursework, 15 credit hours in the required Core Courses and 15 credit hours in the student's chosen Major Field. The thesis must be in the Major Field. Following an oral defense, it must be approved by a thesis committee consisting of the thesis director and at least two other faculty members, one of whom must come from another department. The committee requires prior approval by the Department Chair and the Academic Unit. 

Examination Option

Completion of 33 credit hours of coursework, 15 credit hours in the required Core Courses and 18 credit hours in the student's chosen Major Field. The exam consists of two written examinations, one covering the competencies addressed in the Core Courses and one in the Major Field, and an oral examination. A committee will evaluate the written and oral examinations on their content and the relevant areas of history. The committee will consist of three faculty members, normally the two faculty members who administer the examinations and a third faculty member who may be in the Department of History. The committee requires approval by the Department Chair and the Academic Unit.