Master of Arts in History
Advance your history knowledge and career on campus or online
If you’re pursuing a career in teaching history, or just want to further your intellectual and professional development, the M.A. in History at UNA offers an outstanding program, with an affordable price tag. Classes are taught on our historic campus located in an area rich with Civil Rights landmarks, Civil War battlegrounds, and the Trail of Tears route, or you may take classes online from your location.
Designed as a generalist program with an emphasis on U.S. history, UNA’s M.A. in History prepares graduates to teach at the secondary level and beyond, pursue Ph.D. studies, and attain career or salary advancement or further study in fields of education, law, library science, journalism, seminary training, government, and business. Courses are taught by highly qualified professors with numerous publications and a wide variety of research interests. Their expertise offers students a rich but attainable graduate experience.
Student may choose between Thesis and Non-Thesis options for the M.A. in History degree.
“I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to pursue my Master’s Degree in History through the University of North Alabama. Through a variety of online and night classes I was able to continue working while working towards my goals. The professors were always willing to answer any questions that I had and helped me grow so much as a teacher and historian. I would highly suggest applying at UNA.”
Caitlan Daniel
M.A. in History
The M.A. in History prepares students to teach at the secondary level and beyond, pursue Ph.D. studies, and attain career or salary advancement or further study in fields of education, law, library science, journalism, seminary training, government, and business.
Program Requirements
Master of Arts Degree in History requires a minimum of 33 semester hours of credit and includes the following core and options:
Core Courses of Study 15
A study of the writing and philosophy of history, investigative techniques, and the mechanics of historical research and documentation.
Research and writing based seminar on topics in American history through the end of reconstruction with emphasis upon analysis and interpretation. May be repeated for credit as course topics will vary.
Research and writing based seminar on topics in American history since the end of reconstruction with emphasis upon analysis and interpretation. May be repeated for credit as course topics will vary.
Research and writing based seminar on topics in World history to 1815 with emphasis on analysis and interpretation. May be repeated for credit as topics will vary.
Research and writing based seminar on topics in World history since 1815 with emphasis upon analysis and interpretation. May be repeated for credit as topics will vary.
Orientation to and administration of a written comprehensive examination for the MA in History program. A non-credit course required of all candidates for the non-thesis option. The course is to be taken in the last term in which the student is expected to complete all other program requirements. A grade of “S” indicating satisfactory performance or a grade of “U” for unsatisfactory will be recorded on the transcript. A grade of “IP” indicating incomplete in progress can also be assigned. A grade of “S” is required for graduation; the course may be repeated once. Prerequisite: student must have completed all other program requirements or be enrolled in the last course for program completion.
Elective Courses of Study18
Research Skill Requirement: The M.A. in history requires demonstration of a research skill. Students satisfy the research skill requirement by successfully completing graduate coursework inforeign language reading proficiency or by the successful completion of a reading proficiency examination administered through the Department of Foreign Languages. A student may also satisfy the research skill requirement through successful completion of upper-division coursework as approved by the graduate committee of the Department of History.
Total 33
NON-THESIS OPTION: students choosing the Non-Thesis Option must complete six hours of HI 640, Directed Research and Study in addition to the core and 12 additional semester hours of 500-600 level history electives. Comprehensive Examination: students choosing the non-thesis option must enroll in and satisfactorily complete HI 698, Comprehensive Exam.
Requires a major research and writing project in an appropriate subject matter area. May be repeated for credit as course topics will vary.
THESIS OPTION: students choosing the Thesis Option must complete a minimum of six semester hours of HI 695, Thesis, in addition to the core and 12 additional semester hours of 500-600 level history electives. Thesis Defense: students choosing the thesis option must enroll in and satisfactorily complete HI 699, Thesis Defense.
Selection of a research topic, collection and analysis of primary and secondary historical sources, composition of and public defense of a thesis. A grade of “SP” indicating satisfactory progress or a grade of “UP” for unsatisfactory progress will be recorded on the transcript. May be repeated for credit.
Orientation to and administration of a defense for the MA in History program. A noncredit course required of all candidates for the thesis option. The course is to be taken in the last term in which the student is expected to complete all other program requirements. A grade of “S” indicating satisfactory performance or a grade of “U” for unsatisfactory performance will be recorded on the transcript. A grade of “S” is required for graduation; the course may be repeated once. Prerequisite: student must have completed all other program requirements or be enrolled in the last course for program completion.