History, MA

Required Core (6 credit hours)
HST 640 Historical Methods (3)

Pick one from the following:
HST 502 Public History Methodology (3)
HST 641 North American History (3)
HST 643 Global History (3)

Electives (12 credit hours)

Other Requirements (6 or 9 credit hours)
HST 500 Research Methods (3) and
HST 598 Special Topics (3) or
HST 500 Research Methods (3) and
HST 591 Seminar (3) and
HST 598 Special Topics (3)

Culminating Experience (3 or 6 credit hours)
HST 593 Applied Project (3) or
HST 597 Capstone (3) or
HST 599 Thesis (6)

Additional Curriculum Information
There are two options for the master's degree program in history: the thesis option (for in-person students only) and the nonthesis option. The thesis option requires 30 total credit hours of coursework, including six credit hours of HST 599 Thesis, three credit hours of HST 500 Research Methods, three credit hours of HST 598 Special Topics and 18 credit hours of coursework. The nonthesis option requires 30 total credit hours, including three credit hours of HST 593 Applied Project or HST 597 Capstone, three credit hours of HST 500 Research Methods, three credit hours of HST 591 Seminar, three credit hours of HST 598 Special Topics and an additional 18 credit hours of coursework.

For elective coursework, students should refer to the unit for a list of approved courses.

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in any field from a regionally accredited institution.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program. The most competitive applicants have a GPA of 3.30 or higher.

All applicants must submit:

1. graduate admission application and application fee
2. official transcripts
3. statement of purpose
4. resume or curriculum vitae
5. writing sample
6. two letters of recommendation
7. proof of English proficiency

Additional Application Information
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency. The history program requires a TOEFL iBT score of at least 90.

All applications are reviewed by multiple ASU faculty members and assessed holistically to determine if they demonstrate the capacity to succeed in a rigorous and writing-intensive graduate program. This decision is made on the basis of prior coursework in history and other social sciences, the quality of the writing sample, the statement of purpose and the letters of recommendation. Prior coursework in history is not a requirement, but in such cases, applicants should have a strong writing sample that demonstrates their ability to engage in historical analysis. In cases where applicants do not have a suitable writing sample or demonstration of past success in historical coursework, they are encouraged to take one or two classes as a nondegree-seeking student and then apply.

Applicants are required to provide a minimum of two professional letters of recommendation, but a maximum of three letters of recommendation may be included. Recommenders should be faculty members familiar with the applicant's academic abilities but may also be work supervisors who are able to speak to the applicant's ability to succeed in a graduate program.

The statement of purpose, about 500 words in length, should be addressed to the history admission committee and should explain the applicant's scholarly background and training, career goals, the primary field the applicant wishes to pursue, and why the applicant wants to pursue graduate study at ASU. It is not necessary to specify a research topic, but if an applicant has one in mind, they should include it in the statement of purpose.

The writing sample may be an article (published or unpublished), a research paper or any other extended sample of expository writing no longer than 35 pages in length. Longer writing samples should not be submitted without first consulting the graduate director. Documents and files should not be password protected. Acceptable file types are .rtf, .pdf and .doc.