History (MA/MS)

Inspire future generations by equipping them with an understanding of history.

Where It Is Offered
Commerce Hybrid Online
Duration 2-3 years
Total Credit Hours 36 credit hours
Thesis Requirements Thesis and non-thesis options available
Foreign Language Foreign language required for the MA degree

Preserve the Past. Pursue the Future.

Take a closer look at the past through our graduate program. From the Americas, Europe, the Pacific World and beyond, our flexible program lets you research what interests you. Our faculty's varied specialties span across continents and centuries, offering a well-rounded, comprehensive curriculum. No matter your professional goals, we're here to support you along the way. We teach our students how to think critically and write well, two skills employers often look for. Earning your master's degree in history opens doors in academia, nonprofit, education and government.

History students carefully reviewing book artifacts.

Careers

Become an engaged citizen and respected employee. Our graduate program prepares you for careers in museums, archives, nonprofit, education and beyond.

Career Possibilities and Current Median Salaries

Historian
$64,540
Archivists, Curators and Museum Workers
$53,420
Editor
$73,080
Postsecondary Teacher
$80,840
School and Career Counselors
$60,140

US DOL Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2022

See Yourself Succeed with a Degree In History

An educator teaching a student who is setting at a computer while wearing headphones.

Dedicated Faculty

Engage with exceptional faculty who will challenge your understanding of history. Our professors will teach you how to interpret the past and apply your knowledge to the present.

Female student at desk reading a book with pen in hand.

Cultivate Your Imagination

Choose from a wide variety of electives that explore the human experience across space and time. From Food in World History to Urban Underworlds and African American History, you’ll find courses that interest you.

Two people examining books in a library.

Explore the Past at East Texas A&M

The Special Collections at Waters Library houses a wide assortment of archival records related to Northeast Texas. As a history student, you'll have access to these records for historical research.

Students participating in a history competition.
Happy senior professor talking to his students while giving them test results in lecture hall.

Career Readiness

Thinking critically and communicating effectively. That's what employers are looking for. The College of Humanities, Social Sciences and Arts is dedicated to providing you the knowledge and resources for excelling in the workforce.

what you will learn

A master’s degree in history will offer you the opportunity to:

  • Engage in discussions with peers and professors
  • Gain advanced knowledge in historical interpretation and theory
  • Learn how to present compelling arguments in academic papers
  • Participate in conferences and panel discussions
  • Conduct historical research
Historian examine an historical document.

Focus Your Passion

The Department of History offers two different tracks towards earning your master's degree. Discover what option works best for your career interest and research goals.

Thesis (MA/MS History)

Interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in History? Our thesis track prepares you for the road ahead. Work alongside faculty as you conduct historical research and write a thesis. We offer access to a wide collection of historical journals, databases and archival records.
Total credit hours: 36

Non-thesis (MA/MS History)

Earn your master’s degree in history with our non-thesis track. Designed for educators and working professionals, this track provides a well-rounded historical education. Completing the non-thesis track opens doors to careers in higher education, nonprofit, education, museums and much more.
Total credit hours: 36

View Full Curriculum

Study What Interests You

Graduate Certificates

Earn a certificate as part of your graduate curriculum. Certificates recognize your skills and expand job opportunities.

Faculty Spotlight

Everything has a backstory. Nothing is unprecedented. Digging into the past is one of the best ways to understand the present.
Andrew Baker, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Undergraduate Advisor
History always interested me because it is about people. People do wonderful things, and terrible things, and figuring out why things happened and how they happened is exciting.
Mylynka Kilgore Cardona, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Public History Program Coordinator, Graduate Advisor

Funding your Master’s Degree

Receive up to three years of funding by becoming a Graduate Assistant for the Department of History. Both Graduate Assistants for Research (GARs) and Graduate Assistants for Teaching (GATs) serve a vital role in supporting history faculty. Once you complete 18 hours of graduate coursework, GATs are eligible to develop and teach university-level history classes. You'll work with faculty supervisors as they guide, encourage and evaluate your progress.

Internship opportunities

Internship experience provides the foundation employers are often looking for. Graduates earning their Public History certificate are required to complete an internship as part of their curriculum. We encourage all students to pursue internship experience when available. These are just a few of the employers and organizations that offer opportunities to graduate students.

National Park Service logo.
Texas State Historical Association logo.
Handbook of Texas Women logo.
The National Archives at Fort Worth logo.
Texas Historical Commission logo.
Texas Parks & Wildlife logo.
Library of Congress logo.
Students working from computers.

Course Delivery

Designed for full-time students and working professionals, our flexible program offers synchronous online and in-person courses at the main campus location. All courses meet once a week in the evenings. You can take courses over the summer or during the fall and spring semesters.

Please check the schedule of classes for locations and times. Locations and times are subject to change.

Student Profiles

I came back to the department to discover what else I could do with a degree in history and learned that we offer a certificate in Public History. My career goals are now focused on finding a job within Public History like working in a museum.
Heather Rodriguez
Graduated 2019
Dr. Jessica Brannon-Wranosky helped me realize I was in love with history and that I wanted to make it my career. Dr. Andrew Baker constantly challenges me and makes me think about things from alternative perspectives. And Dr. Mylynka Cardona has constantly reminded me to take time for myself and prioritize my feelings.
Meredith “Grace” Slayter
Graduate Assistant of Research
Graduated 2019

Student Organizations

East Texas A&M proudly hosts the Eta-Beta chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, the National Honors Society for History. Phi Alpha Theta promotes research, teaching and publication to increase awareness and knowledge about history. The Eta-Beta chapter provides history students an academic community and professional development opportunities. The organization strives to bring our university's students and teachers together for intellectual and social exchanges related to the field and profession of history. Learn more about membership requirements by contacting Dr. Mylynka Cardona, Phi Alpha Theta Faculty Advisor.

Become a Member
Young woman smiling with students looking at historic photographs in the background.

Graduate Program Cost

PROGRAM COSTS

Tuition and fees for graduate students taking nine credit hours are $3,669 for Texas residents and $7,341 for non-residents.

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Admission

Your Path to Becoming a Lion

Domestic International

Graduate Step 1 Part 1

Submit Application

  • Create an account or login if you already have one
  • Complete your profile section first once you log into your account
  • Select “School Search” and select Texas A&M University-Commerce
  • Choose the semester you wish to begin
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  • Select “History, MA or History, MS” as your “Program.”

Domestic Application Fee 395064

  • Pay the $50 application fee.

Wait to receive an application confirmation email before proceeding to the next step.

  • After you submit your application, the Graduate School will send a confirmation email within two business days to the personal email account you used for ApplyTexas.
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Provisional Status

After you submit your application, you may be granted provisional status, which means you can enroll in one semester of courses. You will not be eligible for financial aid until you submit all of your documents and are accepted into the program.

Submit the following documents after you receive an application confirmation email.

Graduate Coordinator Rebecca Stevens 395100

Your Graduate Coordinator

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Contact your previous institution(s) and request that they send your official transcripts to your graduate coordinator.

  • We recommend that you request transcripts for all of your academic work.

All international transcripts must be evaluated and the evaluation submitted to the Graduate School.

We accepts evaluations sent directly from the following Agencies.

  • If a normal evaluation is submitted, official original transcripts with all marksheets will still need to be submitted.
  • If a WES ICAP or equivalent is submitted, we will not need the official transcripts to be submitted separately.

If your institution is unable to submit a digital copy, hard copies may be mailed to:

East Texas A&M University
Attn: Graduate School
PO Box 3011
Commerce, Texas 75429-3011

We will need official/original documents. If those documents are the only copies you have, the Graduate School can mail them back to you upon request. Contact your graduate coordinator for more information.

Describe your preparation for graduate work and your academic interests and goals in no more than 500 words.

Submit a resume or curriculum vitae (CV) which includes your academic and professional history and achievements.

Look for application updates in myLeo > Apps > Check Application Status

  • Once an admission decision has been made, you will receive an email to your student email account at myLeo > Apps > Leomail.

  • Apply for scholarships and graduate assistantships once you are admitted.
  • Apply for financial aid by submitting a FAFSA and sending it to school code 003565.
  • Contact your financial aid advisor with any questions.

Once registration opens and you are eligible to enroll, your graduate enrollment specialist will contact you to complete registration.

  • View your degree plan in DegreeWorks.
  • To register for classes, go to myLeo > Student Resources > Registration Menu.

Contact your graduate enrollment specialist if you have any questions regarding your degree plan and registration.

Graduate Enrollment Specialist Jennifer Faunce

Your Graduate Enrollment Specialist

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Deadlines

  • Fall admission consideration: May 15
  • Spring admission consideration: October 15
  • Summer admission consideration: March 15

Applicants must have a completed admissions file by May 10 for fall consideration.

Graduate Step 1 Part 1

Submit Application

  • Create an account or login if you already have one
  • Complete your profile section first once you log into your account
  • Select “School Search” and select Texas A&M University-Commerce
  • Choose the semester you wish to begin
Back to menu
  • Select “History, MA or History, MS” as your “Program.”

International Application Fee

  • Pay the $75 application fee

Wait to receive an application confirmation email before proceeding to the next step.

  • After you submit your application, the Graduate School will send a confirmation email within two business days to the personal email account you used for ApplyTexas.
Back to menu

Submit the following documents after you receive an application confirmation email.

Graduate Coordinator Rebecca Stevens 395100

Your Graduate Coordinator

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  • Contact your previous institution(s) and request that they send your official transcripts to:
    East Texas A&M University
    Attn: Graduate School
    2600 S. Neal St.
    Commerce, Texas 75428

We will need official/original documents. If those documents are the only copies you have, the Graduate School can mail them back to you upon request. Contact your graduate coordinator for more information.

All international transcripts must be evaluated and the evaluation submitted to the Graduate School.

We accept evaluations sent directly from the following Agencies.

  • If a normal evaluation is submitted, official original transcripts with all marksheets will still need to be submitted.
  • If a WES ICAP or equivalent is submitted, we will not need the official transcripts to be submitted separately.

Describe your preparation for graduate work, your academic interests, and goals in no more than 500 words.

Submit a resume or curriculum vitae (CV) which includes your academic and professional history and achievements.

You do not need to submit test scores if you have completed (all years) of a bachelor's or higher degree from a regionally accredited university in the United States.

Request that your scores from one of the following be sent to East Texas A&M University:

  • TOEFL (Minimum Scores: IBT 79, or CBT 213, or PBT 550)
  • IELTS (Minimum Score: 6.00 band overall)
  • PTE (Minimum Score: 53 overall or higher)
  • Duo Lingo (Minimum Score: 105)

*Scores must be less than two years old.

Submit these documents to the Office of International Programs once you have been admitted

  • Official sponsor statement
  • Bank statement from the sponsor with a balance of at least $33,601 USD which is less than six months old

See the Office of International Program's “Confirmation of Financial Resource” for more details.

Look for application updates in myLeo > Apps > Check Application Status

  • Once an admission decision has been made, you will receive an email to your student email account at myLeo > Apps > Leomail.

Once registration opens and you are eligible to enroll, your graduate enrollment specialist will contact you to complete registration.

  • View your degree plan in DegreeWorks.
  • To register for classes, go to myLeo > Student Resources > Registration Menu.

Contact your graduate enrollment specialist if you have any questions regarding your degree plan and registration.

Graduate Enrollment Specialist Jennifer Faunce

Your Graduate Enrollment Specialist

Back to menu

Featured Courses

Global Seminar in World/Comparative History HIST 520

This course provides a focused and thorough analysis of a topic in World or Comparative History through reading and discussing the relevant historiography, and through guided student research.

Oral History Theory and Methods HIST 566

This course introduces the theory and practice of oral history. Students will engage with the central theoretical issues of the field, including the construction of memory, narrative, subjectivity, and structures of social power.

Readings in Transatlantic History HIST 526

This course covers the period from 1492 to the present. It focuses on scholarship that examines the interconnected histories of Europe, Africa, and the Americas, integrating them into a broader discussion of the world and global issues.

View Full Curriculum In The University Catalog

WE ARE HERE TO HELP!

Rebecca Stevens Graduate Student Services Coordinator: College of Business, College of Humanities Social Sciences and Arts, and Non-Degree
Sharon Kowalsky, Ph.D. Department Head, Gender Studies Coordinator and Associate Professor of History
Mylynka Kilgore Cardona, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Public History Program Coordinator, Graduate Advisor
Jacob Wheeler Graduate Enrollment Specialist for the College of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Arts, the College of Science and Engineering, and the College of Innovation and Design

Frequently Asked Questions

MA/MS, what’s the difference?

The MA (Master of Arts) and the MS (Master of Science) differ in a foreign language requirement. To pursue an MA, you need to meet one of the following conditions:

  • Successful completion of 12 undergraduate semester credit hours (approximately four courses) of a foreign language
  • Completion of 6 graduate semester credit hours (approximately two courses) of a foreign language
  • Demonstrate through a proficiency test in a foreign language
  • Completion of 3 semester hours above elementary courses if the student presents 3 or 4 years of high school credit
  • American Sign Language (ASL) is considered an acceptable foreign language. Students should consult with departmental Director of Graduate School regarding this requirement.
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How long are the semesters?

  • Fall and spring: Our fall and spring semesters are 16 weeks long. Occasionally, we offer flex-term courses in the fall and spring semesters that start four weeks later than the usual 16-week start date. Flex-term courses are 12 weeks long.
  • Summer: Summer is split into two terms, Summer I and Summer II, each five weeks long. On occasion, we offer ten-week courses that run for the duration of Summer I and Summer II.
  • Minis: On occasion, we offer mini-terms (August, May, and December) that are three weeks long.
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What if I only want to earn 18 credit hours of graduate history courses?

You can earn 18 credit hours as a “nondegree” student without having to pursue a full graduate degree. However, please keep the following in mind:

  • Nondegree students are not eligible for financial aid
  • International students may not be eligible for nondegree status
  • If you decide later to pursue the full master’s degree in History, only four courses (12 credit hours) of your “nondegree” coursework can be transferred into the program.

For these reasons, we recommend the teaching track which includes 18 credit hours each of political science and history or a graduate certificate program (12 credit hours).

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Where are the courses taught?

The program is primarily available via face-to-face courses. We also offer a number of online courses each year. Up to 49% of your degree may be completed through online coursework.

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What are the graduate qualifying exams?

Prior to enrollment in thesis hours (HIST 518) or Research Literature and Techniques (HIST 595), all history graduate students must successfully complete the department’s graduate qualifying exam.

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Which track should I choose?

The MA/MS History program offers two tracks to accommodate your interests and goals. Explore what option works best for you.

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  • Ferguson Social Sciences Building, 111

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