Graduate Programs in History

 

The Department of History offers three graduate degrees: The Master of Arts (with both a thesis and non-thesis option), the Doctor of Arts, and the Ph.D. jointly with the Department of History, Philosophy, and Religious Studies at North Dakota State University.

The MA program in the Department of History has two streams, the traditional thesis option and the non-thesis program.

The thesis MA is designed to prepare candidates for more advanced study at the Doctoral level, to provide the intellectual foundations for those planning careers as High School history teachers, Junior College Instructors or as public historians. Because of its focus upon research and the production of a major piece of scholarship, the thesis option MA will also be attractive to those contemplating careers in law, journalism, or in various branches of government service where research and advanced communication skills are essential.

The thesis option MA requires two years worth of academic work, comprised of graduate level readings classes and research seminars as well as the preparation of a thesis. As the capstone to the program the thesis is of fundamental importance. It will demonstrate a sound grasp of the fundamental methods associated with historical research, represent a contribution to the field, and be of a quality suitable for submission to an academic publication.

The non-thesis MA, while not technically a terminal degree, is recommended for those who have no plans on pursuing doctoral level studies. It is particularly well-suited for those pursuing careers as High School history teachers, government workers, or as public historians. The additional course work associated with the non-thesis stream (35 credit hours compared to 30 in the thesis stream, plus a much smaller credit allocation for the capstone project) allows students to develop a truly broad range of historical interests or, conversely, to cultivate detailed specialties in the area of public history and other historical genres.

Like the thesis option, this MA program may be completed in two years, but most students may anticipate a five semester time commitment. The two credit capstone project, which will be an independent scholarly investigation of a topic chosen in consultation with the student’s advisory committee, will allow students to demonstrate their skills as historical researchers while producing projects

For specific information on the M.A. program and information on how to apply, click here for the Master of Arts in History fact sheet or contact our Graduate Director.

 

The D.A. program is designed as an alternative to the Ph.D. Unlike the Ph.D., the D.A. prepares a candidate to teach broadly in the field of history. It is particularly suitable for candidates seeking to teach at 2 or 4 year schools without substantial research commitments, those seeking positions in public history, and those seeking to teach exclusively in an online environment. The D.A. complements graduate courses in history with courses in post-secondary education and structured classroom experience in the department.

Like the Ph.D. the D.A. requires an M.A. in history or a related field and will bring the student to doctoral level competence in the historical method and in a focused research area. The D.A. requires three years of course work. The culmination of the D.A. program will be a scholarly work that combines historical research and practice to make significant contributions to a scholarly debate.

For specific information on the D.A. program and information on how to apply, click here for the Doctor of Arts fact sheet  or contact our Graduate Director.

 

The Ph.D. program is administered jointly by the history faculty at the University of North Dakota and North Dakota State University. For more information on the program click here for the History PhD fact sheet, click here for information from the NDSU webpage, or contact our Graduate Director.