Master of Arts in History

In the cooperation of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, we provide Graduate coursework to support the Master of Education and AA certification in secondary education. These courses are offered by the departments' languages and literature, history and political science and sociology and criminal justice.

The Master of Arts Program in History is designed to give students advanced instruction relating to

important historical issues, events, personalities and periods in American and world history; methods of historical research and historical writing; and significant historical interpretations which have shaped our understanding of history. The program prepares students for doctoral level work.

A minimum 39 semester hours are necessary to earn the M.A. degree in history. Required courses include Historiography (HIS 500), Two World Wars (HIS 530), Colonial Period in American History (HIS 552), and American Constitutional History (HIS 587). Seminar in American History (HIS 590), Seminar in African-American History Before 1865 (HIS 564), and Seminar in African-American History II Since 1865 (565) also are required courses. Students also must complete four electives (two American histories, and two non-American histories) and a master’s thesis. Research and Thesis I (HIS 595), as well as Research and Thesis II (HIS 596), are taken before the final document is submitted to the department for review.

All M.A. candidates have to demonstrate competency in an approved foreign language. The department administers a written examination which assesses candidates’ reading knowledge of the language they select. In lieu of the written exam, candidates can complete at least six hours, or a minimum of two classes, of undergraduate or graduate coursework in one foreign language. In this instance, an A or B must be earned in each class to satisfy the foreign-language requirement. (The completion process is explained further in section three, admissions and academic regulations, of the graduate catalog.)

A new option in Public History is available beginning Fall 2015. Students interested in this option are required to take 9 hours in general history courses and 18 hours of required courses in Archives and Museum studies. In addition, students need to complete 12 hours of electives which could include 6 hours toward a field study project or 6 hours toward a special topics study or 6 hours for writing a Master of Arts thesis. The goal of the Public History program is to prepare students for careers as archivists, public historians, and curators. Places of employment would include museums, cultural centers, cultural, state, and national parks, presidential libraries, and historic sites.

An applicant to the graduate program in history must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. A degree in history is preferred; however, a degree in an allied field with a strong concentration in history is acceptable provided that the applicant meets the minimum standards of the graduate school.

All M.A. candidates must pass a comprehensive examination and have the option of writing a thesis that meets departmental approval. Students forgoing the thesis are required to take an additional 6 credits or two courses.

Curriculum

Total Number Credits: 39 semester hours minimum required

Required Courses: 27 semester hours HIS 500 Historiography ...............3 HIS 530 The Two World Wars ..............3 HIS 552 The Colonial Period in America History ...........3 HIS 564 African-American History Before 1865..........3 HIS 565 African-American History Since 18 ..........3 HIS 587 American Constitutional History .............3 HIS 590 Seminar in American History..........................3 HIS 595 Research and Thesis I .................3 HIS 596 Research and Thesis II.....................................3

Major Elective Course: 12 semester hours required HIS 501 World History since 1900 ............3 HIS 502 Slavery and the Abolitionist Movement .............3 HIS 504 The Civil Rights Movement and the Black Power Revolt .............. 3 HIS 520 Modern African History: Since 1945 .............3 HIS 525 Russian History: 1917 to 1991 ..........3 HIS 535 Diplomatic History of the United States ......... 3 HIS 575 The Great Depression and the New Deal ..............3 HIS 580 Economic History of the United States .......... 3 HIS 585 The Cold War (1945-1991) ............................ 3 HIS 586 American Diplomatic History Since 1875 ...... 3 HIS 625 Problems in the Far East in the Twentieth Century ...........3 HIS 642 The Gilded Age ................. 3 HIS 643 The South in the Twentieth Century ............... 3 HIS 647 Relations of the United States to Latin America.......... 3

Total Hours 39

Graduate Fees

Below are estimated tuition and costs for full-time graduate students residing on-campus during the 2017-18 academic year. Actual costs and fees may vary depending on enrollment and lifestyle decisions. You also may wish to review estimated tuition and costs for part-time graduate enrollment on our complete budget worksheet.

For a breakdown of fees by credit hour and by semester, download the 2017-18 Schedule of Student Tuition and Fees.

Alabama State University was founded in 1867, in Marion, Ala., as a school for African-Americans. The school started as the Lincoln Normal School with $500 raised by nine formerly enslaved men now known as the Marion Nine, making ASU one of the nation’s oldest institutions of higher education founded for black Americans.

Today, Alabama State University, located in Montgomery, Ala., is a widely respected, world-class institution of higher learning that welcomes students of all races. We offer more than 60 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, from our historic teacher education program to a list of high-demand programs such as the Doctorate in Physical Therapy, the Ph.D. in microbiology, the Master of Accountancy, the Masters in Social Work and the Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance.