MA Program (History)

George Mason University offers a Master’s degree in History designed to meet the needs of a diverse student population. Students learn methods of historical analysis, a variety of historical interpretations, and practical applications of the field. Areas of particular faculty interest include American history, Modern and Early Modern European history, cultural history, women’s history, new media technology, African American history, and comparative slavery.

Program Highlights

Our MA in history is designed to meet the needs of a diverse student population. Students, through dynamic courses, learn methods of historical analysis, a variety of historical interpretations, and practical applications of the field.

  • Seminar-size classes
  • Evening and late-afternoon classes
  • Undergraduate history major not required
  • Internships available
  • New media program
  • Extensive electronic database library holdings
  • Access to the rich archival and library resources of Washington, DC
  • Concentrations: American, European, or World history
  • Paths: Applied History, Enrichment, Predoctoral, or Teaching

Paths

The Department offers several different paths to the master’s degree to accommodate different interests and goals:

  • Path 1- Predoctoral History: for students planning to pursue doctoral work at George Mason or elsewhere. The cultural history emphasis is for students with a particular interest in cultural history as well as for students considering future work in the cultural studies doctoral program.
  • Path 2 - Applied History: for students seeking expertise in the fields of archival management, museum studies, historic preservation, documentary editing, or new media technology. It is also suitable for professionally employed historians who desire to further their careers.
  • Path 3 - Enrichment: for students who want to study history for intellectual self-fulfillment or for vocational reasons. It allows more flexibility in the selection of courses, and does not require a foreign language
  • Path 4 - Teaching: for students already licensed for teaching or seeking licensure to teach in elementary or secondary schools. Licensure requires additional courses in the College of Education and Human Development.

Concentrations

Students also choose one of these three options:

  • U.S. History
  • European History
  • World History (including Latin American, Middle Eastern, Chinese, Japanese, and African history)