More Program Specifics
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History MA
Journey further into history.
Learn to research and analyze the past at an advanced level in our Master of Arts in History.
Our MA in History develops advanced skills for deeper study or career achievement. Our students choose from a thesis or seminar plan, both of which involve independent research from a variety of theoretical, investigative and pedagogical approaches and the widest possible range of historical writing.
Designed for You
- for teaching professionals who wish to gain continuing education credits and enhance their professional opportunities
- for students seeking to expand their knowledge and critical skills in specialized fields of historical study
- for individuals who plan to pursue terminal degrees or law school
Our program consist of a mix of seminars and advanced lecture courses that address the most recent scholarship and trends in a wide variety of historical specialties. We explore history across a variety of chronological, regional and thematic frameworks.
89%
of faculty hold terminal degrees in their fields.
$300M
More than $300 million has been invested in campus upgrades & renovations in the past 5 years.
Our History Faculty
Dr. Karl P. Benziger
- Professor
Dr. Erik Christiansen
- Professor
Dr. Sherri Cummings
- Assistant Professor
Dr. Ronald P. Dufour
- Adjunct Faculty I
Dr. David F. Espinosa
- Professor
Dr. Gregory Golden
- Associate Professor
Dr. Moonsil L. Kim
- Associate Professor
Dr. April Kiser
- Associate Professor
Dr. Elisa Miller
- Professor
Dr. Leslie Schuster
- Professor
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Apply for Graduate Admission
To begin the process you will need to sign up for an account with CollegeNET. Once you have a CollegeNET account, you will be able to log in any time and see your Activity Log which shows you a personalized status page.
Ensuring That You'll be Ready
Elisa Miller
“Our M.A. in history program prepares students to think, research, analyze and write critically and skillfully about history. This degree will enhance your career, your intellectual acumen and your personal development.â€
– Professor of History
Program Details
Admission and Course Information
Thesis Plan and Seminar Plan
All students must choose between a thesis plan and a seminar plan. In both the seminar and thesis plans, you will pursue independent research from a variety of theoretical, investigative and pedagogical approaches and the widest possible range of historical writing.
Thesis Plan
Students in the thesis plan will produce a major research paper that is based on extensive independent research in primary sources and that comprises an original contribution to the historical literature of the topic. The thesis plan requires a minimum of 30 credit hours, including HIST 501, 521, 561, 562 and 571. Six credit hours must be in HIST 599, which culminates in a written thesis. With your advisor's approval, 3 credit hours may be elected in a related discipline, such as languages, statistical methods or computer science. After completion of the program, you must pass an oral examination on your thesis and your major field.
Seminar Plan
The seminar plan also requires a minimum of 30 credit hours, including History 501, 521, 561, 562, and 571. In addition, HIST 561 must be taken a second time. With your advisor's approval, 3 credit hours may be elected in a related discipline, such as languages, statistical methods or computer science.
Whether you’re in the thesis plan or the seminar plan, you may take up to 6 credit hours of graduate courses at the University of Rhode Island from the university's 400- and 500-level Department of History course offerings, with the consent of your advisor or department chair.
Program/Learning Goals
Upon completion of this program, students will demonstrate:
- an advanced understanding of the origins of history as a field of study and how it has evolved and continues to change
- an advanced understanding of the various interpretive schools of historical writing, with emphasis on causal relations and multiple perspectives, and of the role of bias in the construction of historical narratives
- advanced research and writing skills, including the ability to critically evaluate the widest variety of historical sources and to produce thoroughly researched, carefully conceptualized and clearly written projects
- an understanding of the evolution of a variety of world cultures, especially within the context of comparative historical research
Take the Next Step
Arts and Sciences
The Faculty of Arts and Sciences is a community of scholars that pride themselves on academic excellence, diversity and service.
- emailDeanFAS@ric.edu
- phone401-456-8106
- placeGaige Hall
