History (M.A.)
https://cola.unh.edu/history/program/ma/history
Our Master of Arts degree programs are highly flexible, so students can design programs tailored to individual needs. All MA students will work with a three-member faculty committee for their final capstone experience. The three-member faculty committee will take the form either of a thesis committee, an oral exam committee, or (for museum studies students) a project committee.
Degree Requirements
Completion of the MA degree requires at least 30 credits of coursework. A master's student designs a specific program to meet one of three plans. Plan A allows substantial training and research in a single subfield of history but within a foundation of broader coursework. Plan B allows substantial breadth over at least two subfields. The subfields in history include the following: the ancient world, medieval Europe, early modern Europe, modern Europe, European intellectual history, medieval England, early modern England, modern England, early modern France, modern France, early modern Germany, modern Germany, Iberia, Russia, early U.S., modern U.S., colonial Latin America, modern Latin America, the Far East, the Near East, sub-Saharan Africa, and the history of science. Plan C allows students who enter the doctoral program without an M.A. to pursue the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees simultaneously.
Plan A requires at least eight courses in history numbered 800 or above, including at least one research seminar, and a 6-credit thesis (HIST 899 Master's Thesis) in a single subfield (equivalent to two courses).
Plan B requires at least 10 courses in history numbered 800 or above, including at least one research seminar, and an oral examination demonstrating competence in two subfields of history.
Plan C requires at least 30 credits of coursework during preparation for the Ph.D. qualifying examinations; submission of a seminar or other research paper as a demonstration of competence in basic research techniques; and passing Ph.D. qualifying examinations. An MA will be awarded when the qualifying examinations are passed.
Please consult the History Department's Graduate Student Handbook for additional details.
Accelerated Master's Overview
Accelerated Master’s programs offer qualified University of New Hampshire undergraduate students the opportunity to begin graduate coursework in select graduate programs while completing a bachelor’s degree. Accelerated master's programs are designed to provide students with an efficient and cost-effective pathway to earn both a bachelor's and master's degree or graduate certificate, enhancing career opportunities and long-term earning potential.
Accelerated Master's Highlights
- Begin studying advanced topics while an undergraduate student with the opportunity to complete a master’s degree or graduate certificate early.
- Master’s degree program students: Earn up to 12* graduate (800-level) course credits while completing a bachelor’s degree. This coursework will count as dual-credit toward both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
- Graduate certificate program students: Earn up to 8* graduate (800-level) course credits while completing a bachelor’s degree. This coursework will count as dual-credit toward both the bachelor’s degree and the graduate certificate.
- Students complete the bachelor’s degree, and then officially matriculate into the master’s or graduate certificate program to complete the remaining required graduate-level coursework.
*Some exceptions apply.
Accelerated Master's Admission Requirements
- A minimum 3.2 cumulative GPA is required.*
- A minimum of 90 undergraduate credits must be completed prior to enrolling in graduate (800-level) courses.
- Streamlined Graduate School Application (two letters of recommendation; most standardized tests and application fee are waived).*
*Some exceptions apply.
Accelerated Master's Requirements
- Students must attend a mandatory orientation session.
- Students must submit a special registration form each semester for dual-credit courses and note any DegreeWorks exceptions.
- Students may defer graduate matriculation for up to one year after earning their bachelor’s degree in most programs.
- See the Accelerated Master’s Catalog Policy and Accelerated Master’s Website for additional information and a list of programs. Note that some programs have additional requirements (e.g. higher-grade expectations) compared to the general policy.
History (M.A.) Accelerated Option
This graduate degree program is approved to be taken on an accelerated basis in articulation with the following undergraduate program(s):
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| History (B.A.) | ||
| History: Law 3+3 (B.A.) | ||
| Students select from the following approved 800-level courses that can be completed in the undergraduate senior year for dual credit: | ||
| HIST 800 | Advanced Explorations | 1 |
| HIST 803 | European Conquest of North America | 4 |
| HIST 806 | History of the Early Republic | 4 |
| HIST 811 | Civil War Era | 4 |
| HIST 812 | Emergence of Industrial America | 4 |
| HIST 815 | The Rise of Modern United States, 1900-1945 | 4 |
| HIST 818 | American Environmental History | 4 |
| HIST 819 | Foreign Relations of the United States | 4 |
| HIST 820 | Foreign Relations of the United States | 4 |
| HIST 821 | History of American Thought | 4 |
| HIST 832 | Topics in Latin American History | 4 |
| HIST 840 | Holy War in the Holy Land: The Medieval Crusades | 4 |
| HIST 841 | Europe After the Black Death | 4 |
| HIST 842 | Saints, Sinners, and Heretics: Europe in the Age of Religious Reform | 4 |
| HIST 854 | Topics in History of Science | 4 |
| HIST 856 | Twentieth Century Europe | 4 |
| HIST 865 | Themes in Women's History | 4 |
| HIST 871 | Museum Studies | 4 |
| HIST 872 | Studies in Regional Material Culture | 4 |
| HIST 873 | Early History of Ancient Greece | 4 |
| HIST 874 | Historiography | 4 |
| HIST 875 | Historical Methods | 4 |
| HIST 876 | Topics in Ancient Greek History | 4 |
| HIST 877 | History of Ancient Rome | 4 |
| HIST 878 | Roman Empire | 4 |
| HIST 890 | Seminar: Historical Expl | 4 |
| HIST 895 | Tutorial Reading and Research | 1 |
| HIST 897 | Colloquium | 4 |
| HIST 898 | Internship in Museum Studies | 4 |
| HIST 899 | Master's Thesis | 1 |
Program Learning Outcomes
- Students will be able to demonstrate broad knowledge of historical events and periods and their significance.
- Students will be able to explain and critique the historical schools of thought that have shaped scholarly understanding of their fields of study.
- Students will be able to deploy skills of critical analysis: 1) Formulating persuasive arguments; 2) Evaluating evidence and critiquing claims in the literature; 3)Interpreting a variety of primary sources.
- Students will be able to conduct research that makes an original contribution to knowledge, deploying these essential skills: 1) Reviewing the state of the field to identify a new topic and locate their work within larger scholarly conversations; 2) Identifying and accessing a sufficient base of primary sources; 3) Producing a high-quality research paper, well-written and meeting professional standards typical for conference presentation or academic publication.