Graduate Studies

History
2024-2025

Please refer to the History graduate program section for information including departmental contact information, list of graduate faculty members, program description, and course descriptions.

Bachelor of Arts in History/Master of Arts in History

Requirements for Enrollment
  • A minimum of a cumulative GPA and a major GPA of 3.25

Integrated Degree Program Description

Students accepted into the program must fulfill requirements for the History Bachelor of Arts Degree (120-127 s.h. for History option, 126 s.h. for Pre-Law option, and 120 s.h. for History-Teacher Education option), as well as graduate requirements for the History Master of Arts degree (30 s.h. for the Thesis option, 31 s.h. for the Applied Project option and 33 s.h. for the Coursework option). Given the additional semester hours required for History-Teacher Education, we cannot guarantee students pursuing this option a completion of the integrated program in five years.

Up to nine hours of the following bridge courses may count in both the undergraduate degree and the Master’s degree in History: HIST 400G/B, HIST 402G/B, HIST 414G/B, HIST 420G/B, HIST 421G/B, HIST 423G/B, HIST 426G/B, HIST 430G/B, HIST 431G/B, HIST 433G/B, HIST 434G/B, HIST 438G/B, HIST 482G/B, HIST 483G/B, HIST 485G/B, HIST 488G/B, HIST 492G/B, HIST 494G/B.

Integrated Degree Requirements

The Master of Arts degree in history may be earned by one of three plans of study.

Plan I. Thesis

The Thesis Option requires 30 semester hours of course work, fulfilling requirements in major and minor areas of study. Students choosing the Thesis Option write a thesis, typically of some 90-100 pages, on a selected topic. Students write the thesis in their major field, which is customarily in United States or World history. Another field is possible with permission of the graduate committee. By their second semester in the MA program, students should develop a thesis topic through consultation with a faculty member, who serves as the thesis director, and two other faculty members. The three faculty members comprise the student’s committee. The committee evaluates the student’s written exam (History 698), which is administered in the student’s penultimate semester. To earn the MA degree, the student must successfully defend the thesis upon its completion before the committee, typically in the student’s last semester.

Students in the thesis plan must enroll in the following:

HIST 500 Historical Theory and Methods (3)
Major field of study (4 courses) (12)
Minor field of study (3 courses) (9)
HIST 600 Thesis Research (3)
HIST 601 Thesis Completion and Defense (3)
HIST 698 Written Exam (0)
HIST 699 Oral Exam (0)

TOTAL PROGRAM: 30 s.h.

Plan II. Applied Project

The Applied Project Option requires 31 hours of course work, fulfilling requirements in major and minor areas of study. These areas customarily are United States or World history; another field is possible with permission of the Department graduate committee. Students choosing the Applied Project Option develop a project in public history (History 599). Typical projects may involve editing a series of primary documents for posting to an open-access website; conducting and transcribing oral history interviews to be archived in a museum or research facility; curating a museum historical exhibit display; or developing a digital history project. Students also conduct an internship (History 494G) and take a public history course (HIST 492G). By their second semester in the MA program, students should develop an applied history project through consultation with a faculty member, who serves as the applied project director, and two other faculty members. The three faculty members comprise the student’s committee. The committee evaluates the student’s written exam (History 698), which is administered in the student’s penultimate semester. To earn the MA degree, the student must successfully defend the applied project (History 699) upon its completion before the committee, typically in the student’s last semester.

Students in the Applied Project plan must enroll in the following:

HIST 500 Historical Theory and Methods (3)
Major field of study (3 courses) (9)
Minor field of study (2 courses) (6)
HIST 492G Capstone in Public History (3)
HIST 494G Internship (3)
Electives (1 course) (3)
HIST 599 Special Problems in History (4)
HIST 698 Written Exam (0)
HIST 699 Oral Exam (0)

TOTAL PROGRAM: 31 s.h.

Plan III. General Coursework

The General Coursework Option requires 33 hours of course work, fulfilling requirements in major and minor areas of study. These areas customarily are United States or World history; another field is possible with permission of the Department graduate committee. By their second semester in the MA program, students should choose a major field of study and consult with three faculty members to serve as the student’s committee. The committee evaluates the student’s written exam (History 698), which is administered in the student’s last semester. To earn the MA degree, the student must defend a portfolio of their work (History 699) before the committee, typically in the student’s last semester.

Students in the General Coursework plan must enroll in the following:

HIST 500 Historical Theory and Methods (3)
Major field of study (5 courses) (15)
Minor field of study (3 courses) (9)
Electives (2 courses) (6)
HIST 698 Written Exam (0)
HIST 699 Oral Exam (0)

TOTAL PROGRAM: 33 s.h.

The pre-approved major fields of study are United States and World History. The pre-approved minor fields of study are United States, European, and Asian history. A student’s major or minor fields may be in another area, but the student should secure permission from the graduate committee. Prospective students should familiarize themselves with the faculty in the history department. Faculty profiles are online at www.wiu.edu/cas/history/faculty.php.