Master of Arts

Program Coordinator
Michelle Jolly 
Email: jolly@sonoma.edu

The History MA program provides a broad context for understanding the human experience in the past, and the curriculum is designed for the student to gain mastery over historical methodology in pursuit of their own areas of inquiry and goals. Furthermore, the program stresses the ability to apply the skills learned to allow students to study in a manner that may be largely self-directed and autonomous. This is especially important since MA graduates pursue a wide range of professional careers and personal goals.

The course of study requires 30 units, at least half of which must be taken at the 500 level in courses dedicated to graduate students only. The remainder can be at the 300/400 level. Students take core courses in historiography, research methods, and historical writing and presentation. In addition, they choose from a range of chronological, thematic, and methodological courses, including courses in public history, college teaching, oral history, and digital humanities. Interested students may take electives in other departments including Women and Gender Studies, Art History (museum studies), and modern languages. Within the History Department, students may choose concentrations in areas such as Colonial and Revolutionary America, Nineteenth Century U.S., Twentieth Century U.S., Recent U.S., U.S. Women’s History, Ancient Rome, Medieval Europe, Early Modern Europe, Atlantic World, Modern Europe, British History, Imperial Spain, Modern Russia, Latin America and the Borderlands.

Students have the option of writing a thesis or taking comprehensive exams (in two areas) as their culminating experience. See the History department Graduate Handbook for more information about the types of culminating projects available.

Students are strongly encouraged to explore different aspects of historical work during your time in the graduate program. You may undertake internships or research assistantships, work in special collections, serve as an embedded tutor in a classroom, work with a faculty mentor to explore college-level teaching, lead the History Society, publish in or edit the History Journal, and present you work in a variety of venues throughout the course of their graduate career. Because SSU students come from a variety of backgrounds – from recent graduates to mid-career professionals to high school teachers to retirees who finally have an opportunity to explore a passion – you may learn as much from peers as from the faculty who lead your classes.

Deadlines for Applications and Scholarships
Admission for Fall 2025 semester - Initial deadline: 12/31/2024 - applications in by this deadline will be considered in January 2025. Second deadline: 3/3/2025 - a second round of applications will be considered in early March 2025. If space remains in the program, the deadline will be extended to May 1, 2025.
SSU Scholarships - Scholarship application is open through February 1, 2025
FAFSA deadline - FAFSA has a priority filing deadline (January 31, 2025) but can continue to receive FAFSA applications beyond this date. All students are advised to fill out the FAFSA because some merit and equity scholarships require a completed FAFSA form.
 

Requirements for Admission

1. BA degree from an accredited institution. Students with undergraduate majors in fields other than history must complete prerequisite courses in history before entering the program. (Contact departmental Graduate Coordinator for more information.)
    
2. Grade point average of 3.00 or better in the all undergraduate history courses (and in previous graduate courses attempted) as evidenced by official transcripts.
    
3. Two letters of recommendation, completion of program application and a statement of purpose, and a writing sample. (See SSU graduate application for specific guidelines).
    
4. Completion and acceptance of online application for admission to the University through CalState Apply (https://admissions.sonoma.edu/apply ), and
    
5. Favorable recommendation for admission by the departmental Graduate Committee after review of the complete file. This confers advancement to classified standing as a graduate student.
   For more information, please refer to Graduate Degrees in the Degree Requirements section of this catalog (being updated for Fall 2024). 
    

Requirements for the MA Degree

Advancement to candidacy form (GS01 - MA in History) signed and submitted to the Graduate Studies Office prior to engaging in the culminating experience.

1. Grade point average of 3.00 or better for all work attempted in graduate status and in all work approved as part of the specific pattern of study. With the approval of the departmental Graduate Coordinator, a maximum of 9 units of post-graduate transfer or extension credit (or any combination of the two) may be included as part of the student’s specific pattern of study. All courses are to be taken for letter grade.
2. All requirements for the MA degree in history, including any language and conditional requirements stipulated at the time of admission to candidacy, must be satisfactorily completed within seven years from the time the first course is completed, and the culminating project must be completed and submitted within four semesters from first enrolling in the culminating experience course. Completion of Requirements form (GS02 - MA in History) must be signed and submitted to the Graduate Studies Office. 
3. With the approval of the student’s committee chair and the departmental Graduate Coordinator, the satisfactory completion of one of the following two options:
    

Master’s Thesis Option
(Chosen in consultation with committee chair – see departmental graduate handbook for more information):

Comprehensive Examination Option
(Chosen in consultation with departmental Graduate Coordinator and examining professors)

Learning Objectives (History MA)

Useful Resource Links:

Graduate Studies Office

Application for Graduate Admissions