History, MA
Students earning a master's of arts in history have the option of choosing from the following four tracks:
History Track
The master's of arts program in history offers a rigorous set of individually selected courses and supervised research and writing. Both demanding and flexible, the history track is designed for students who intend to pursue a PhD degree; for secondary school teachers who wish to improve their knowledge of the field; and for students who seek to test their capacity for graduate work. The program is designed to accommodate teachers with a demanding schedule but who wish to pursue their MA degree part-time.
Persons who desire to pursue advanced study for their own intellectual enjoyment and development can also benefit from the program’s design, and the department welcomes prospective students who have been out of school for a long time or who have majored in other areas of study and now wish to pursue the study of history.
All graduate courses consist of small seminars of no more than fifteen students, which affords all students close faculty attention and support. Not all students enter the graduate programs in history directly from college: the student body includes individuals who beginning graduate work after long absences from school. Applicants do not need to have majored in history as undergraduates, but they may be asked to pursue a program of coursework designed to remedy deficiencies in their preparation for graduate study.
Knowledge of a foreign language is not required for the master of arts in History. Thesis advisors may require a foreign language if they determine that competence in a particular language is necessary for students to conduct research on the topic on which a student will write his or her thesis. In that case, students must demonstrate competence in the foreign language to the satisfaction of their advisors.
History Teaching Track
The history teaching track within the history MA program is specially designed to meet the needs of secondary-school teachers who wish to enrich their knowledge of history. It emphasizes extensive and varied coursework culminating in a teaching-oriented capstone project. Teachers seeking certification in Massachusetts must consult with the Teacher Education Program of the College of Education and Human Development.
Please note that a foreign language is not required for the history teaching track.
Public History Track
The public history track within the history MA program prepares students to use historical methodologies to preserve, collect, present, and interpret history with and for public audiences.
History and Archives Track
The archives track within the history MA program and the graduate-level certificate in archives prepare students to manage, preserve, retrieve, and access materials with historical value, and to use digital technologies and other media to access historical resources.
