Master of Arts

Program Coordinator  
Michelle Jolly

The Master of Arts in History is designed to provide students with a program of advanced intensive courses leading to specializations in such areas as American, Latin American, European, African, Asian, and local history. Apart from the culminating requirement of either a master’s thesis (and oral defense) or examinations in two fields (written), the master’s program contains sufficient flexibility to meet the varying personal, professional and academic needs of students. The graduate coordinator and supervisors of thesis or field committees provide assistance and direction toward achieving academic objectives.

The MA in history is a 30-unit program. Requirements include at least 15 units of required 500-level coursework. Students must also take 15 units of elective, upper-division work (at the 300, 400, or 500-levels).

Graduate seminars and upper-division classes are generally small, offering individualized attention, guidance, and interaction between faculty and students. Graduate students are expected to recognize various methodologies and perspectives of historical inquiry and interpretation, and to master the techniques of historical writing and research. Opportunities for independent study, research with faculty, and internships are available.

Application deadline for the fall semester has been extended to March 1.

Applicants wishing to apply for SSU scholarships (a February 1 deadline) are encouraged to have their applications complete by January 15, so that the Office of Admissions can provide the necessary log-in credentials.

SSU History Graduate Student Handbook

Learning Objectives

Those who earn the Master of Arts in History will achieve these learning objectives.

1. Base historical knowledge, combining both breadth and depth; familiarity with more than one historiographic tradition; and the ability to synthesize different types of historical knowledge, including comparative and global.
2. Research and presentation skills, evidenced by the completion of a substantial research project; familiarity with the tools of bibliography, the differences between academic and non-academic writing, new technologies for research and presentation, and where appropriate, foreign languages.
3. A solid introduction to historical pedagogy, in the broadest sense of the term: the cognitive processes involved in teaching and learning; how learners attain understandings of history; and how historians present to different audiences.
4. The foundations of a professional identity as a historian, including a familiarity with the historical development of the discipline, ethical standards and practices, and the multiple contexts of professional practice.
5. The ability to think like a historian, meaning a critical and self-conscious approach to the constructed nature of historical knowledge.