History, Master of Arts

Admission

Admission Requirements

You must submit the following items with your application for admission:

• Evidence of a bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited college or university with a cumulative overall undergraduate average of at least B (3.0/4.0)
• Evidence of at least 24 credit hours of undergraduate preparation in history with an overall average of 3.0; students who lack this preparation may fulfill the requirement by taking undergraduate courses approved by the graduate director
• Two letters of recommendation attesting to your academic quality
• A personal statement detailing your professional goals and personal experience

Admission Deadlines

• Fall: April 1 (January 15 if applying for a graduate assistantship)
• Spring: December 1

Office of Graduate Admission
718-990-1601
[email protected]

Courses

Thesis Option

If you elect the thesis option for the M.A., you will complete six credits of HIS 401 (Historical Research Methods) and HIS 402 (Historiography) and 21 credits in your major and minor concentrations. You will also complete six credits of HIS 900 (Master’s Research) and a thesis. A comprehensive examination is also required.

Non-Thesis Option

If you elect the non-thesis option for the M.A., you will complete six credits of HIS 401 (Historical Research Methods) and HIS 402 (Historiography) and 27 credits in your major and minor concentrations. You will also complete a comprehensive examination.

Career Outcomes

The analytical and communication skills you develop from studying history at the graduate level will make you a competitive candidate in most career fields including education, law, journalism, politics, communications, technology, business, research, art, advertising, finance, urban and regional planning, forestry, and medicine.

Because our program incorporates digital technologies into the study of history, you will also be eligible for opportunities in such fields as television, online media, and information technology.

Many recent graduates of the M.A. program in History have also gone on to pursue doctoral degrees either at St. John’s or at other national and international universities. Others have gone on to teach at secondary schools. Still others have landed positions in publishing, public relations, public history, and secondary and higher education administration.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Nickolas Davatzes Scholarship

The Department of History offers the Nickolas Davatzes Scholarship to qualified graduate students who are committed to teaching and engaging in research in American History or Classical and/or Modern Greek History, and who demonstrate financial need. The scholarship fund was established in 2007 by Nickolas Davatzes ’62C, ’64G, ’95Hon, who established the A&E Network and the History Channel, and Dorothea Hayes Davatzes ’66Ed. Scholarships are granted by the department on a competitive basis and provide $5,000 for summer research or tuition assistance.

Graduate Assistantships

You may apply for administrative graduate assistantships throughout the University. These positions offer tuition remission and, typically, a stipend. You can find more information about graduate assistantships on the Graduate Assistantships and Fellowships page.