History, Master of Arts (078)
Department website: http://www.wku.edu/history
Program Coordinator
Alexander I. Olson, alexander.olson@wku.edu, (270) 745-4201
This program is designed to prepare students for the teaching of history in secondary schools, community colleges, or universities. It also provides the initial graduate work for those who intend to pursue a doctoral degree.
Joint Undergraduate Master's Program (JUMP)
This degree offers a Joint Undergraduate Master's Program (JUMP) which provides academically outstanding students the opportunity to complete both an undergraduate and graduate degree in an accelerated timeframe. Contact the graduate program coordinator for additional information.
Program Admission
Applicants must meet the following admission standards set forth by the History Department:
- Completion of at least 15 undergraduate credit-hours in history with a grade point average of at least 3.0 in history courses (on a 4.0 scale)
- An overall undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale)
- Applicants must submit all application materials by June 15 (fall semester start) or November 15 (spring semester start)
Applicants must also submit:
- A brief (approximately 750 words) statement of purpose that discusses why they wish to pursue the Master of Arts degree in History;
- A sample research paper (at least five pages long) that is relevant to the field of History;
- Resume/CV (1-2 pages);
- One letter of recommendation from an instructor or supervisor who can assess the applicant's ability to succeed in a professional environment. This letter must be sent directly by the writer to Graduate Studies (graduate.school@wku.edu) and should not be uploaded by the applicant.
Applicants who meet all requirements will be invited for an admissions interview by Zoom.
The History Department will admit students on a rolling basis. The History Department may limit the number of students admitted to maintain the quality and size of the MA program's student body.
Graduate Studies Admission
Please refer to the admission section of this catalog for Graduate Studies admission requirements.
Program Requirements (30 hours)
Students may be permitted to take up to six hours of graduate work in a related field in courses approved by the History Graduate Advisor.
Plan A - Thesis
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| HIST 535 | Historiography | 3 |
| HIST 536 | Sources and Methods | 3 |
| HIST 599 | Thesis Research/Writing | 6 |
| Electives | ||
| Select 18 hours of HIST electives | 18 | |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
Plan B - Non-Thesis
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Course | ||
| HIST 535 | Historiography | 3 |
| HIST 536 | Sources and Methods | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Select 24 hours of HIST electives | 24 | |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
Comprehensive Exam
Students should contact the History Graduate Advisor for help in selecting fields and faculty mentors for their comprehensive exam committee. All students must pass the comprehensive exam (written and oral), which assesses their command of the methods and scholarly literature in three fields of specialization.
Thesis
Students who choose to complete a thesis must select a faculty mentor willing to supervise their project. With guidance from their mentor, students will prepare a thesis proposal and select two other graduate faculty members to join the thesis committee as readers. Students cannot enroll in HIST 599 until they have a proposal approved by their mentor.