History, M.A.
Learn more about the Master of Arts in History.
About the Program
Temple University offers a varied and flexible program for graduate training in History at the master's level. While general requirements ensure that every graduate is familiar with the basic issues of History and the latest approaches of professional historians, students are encouraged to tailor their programs to suit their own particular interests. To enrich their appreciation of History, students are also welcome to study in other disciplines. This program provides enrichment opportunities for teachers in secondary schools, students hoping to pursue history doctorates elsewhere, and professionals in various public history fields. Philadelphia is a rich public history environment with numerous opportunities for internships and fieldwork.
Time Limit for Degree Completion: 3 years, although a student whose advisor certifies that s/he is making satisfactory progress may apply for an extension of her/his program for up to a maximum of 5 years
Campus Location: Main, Center City
Full-Time/Part-Time Status: The degree program can be completed on a full- or part-time basis.
Interdisciplinary Study: The program encourages interdisciplinary coursework, research, and interactions among faculty and students.
Affiliation(s): The History program at Temple is affiliated with the Biographical Dictionary of Pennsylvania Legislators, the Center for the Study of Force and Diplomacy, The Myer and Rosaline Feinstein Center for American Jewish History, the Social Science Data Library, and Temple's Urban Archives.
Areas of Specialization: Faculty members specialize and offer substantial coursework in diplomatic and military history, environmental history, history of capitalism, modern history, public history, U.S. social and cultural history, and urban history.
Job Prospects: The program is primarily dedicated to producing well-trained historians who aspire to receive the Ph.D., teach in primary and secondary schools, and work in public history institutions (i.e., archives, museums, historical parks, and government agencies).
Non-Matriculated Student Policy: Non-matriculated students are permitted to take up to 9 credits of coursework prior to applying. These courses can be transferred into the degree program after admission only if the student earned a grade of "B" or higher.
Funding Opportunities: Funding is not offered by the History Department to students studying at the master's level.
Admission Requirements and Deadlines
Application Deadline:
Fall: February 15
Applications are evaluated together after the deadline date.
APPLY ONLINE to this graduate program.
Letters of Reference:
Number Required: 3
From Whom: Letters of recommendation should be obtained from instructors or other individuals who are familiar with the applicant's academic work.
Coursework Required for Admission Consideration: Applicants are expected to have majored or minored in History or a related discipline at the undergraduate level. Applicants lacking that qualification are considered on a case-by-case basis.
Bachelor's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline: All applicants must present credentials that are the equivalent of the appropriate baccalaureate degree at Temple University.
Statement of Goals: Approximately 500 to 750 words include a clear statement of your interest in the master's program in History at Temple University and how Temple's program meets your needs; your major historical interests; your career goals; and your academic and research achievements, if applicable.
Standardized Test Scores:
GRE: Optional. Scores may be submitted if available.
Applicants who earned their baccalaureate degree from an institution where the language of instruction was other than English, with the exception of those who subsequently earned a master’s degree at a U.S. institution, must report scores for a standardized test of English that meet these minimums:
- TOEFL iBT: 79
- IELTS Academic: 6.5
- PTE Academic: 53
Writing Sample: The writing sample should demonstrate an applicant's ability to conduct research and write a scholarly paper. It should be fully referenced according to a professional, scholarly style manual and should not exceed 30 pages in length.
Transfer Credit: Graduate credits from an accredited institution may be transferred into the History program. Transferred credits must be equivalent to coursework at Temple and carry a "B" grade or better. They may not have been used to obtain another degree. Incoming students may transfer a maximum of 6 credits.
Program Requirements
General Program Requirements:
Number of Credits Required Beyond the Baccalaureate: 30
Required Courses:
Code | Title | Credit Hours |
---|---|---|
HIST 8714 | Historical Methods | 3 |
Seven 8000-level seminars 1 | 21 | |
Two 9000-level research seminars 2 | 6 | |
Total Credit Hours | 30 |
1 | Course selection is determined by the student's specific interests and goals. It is recommended that one skills-based course, such as HIST 5152 Digital History or HIST 8152 Managing History, be taken. Those with a concentration in Public History are required to take both HIST 8101 Introduction to American History I (to 1865) and HIST 8152 Managing History. |
2 | Students may take only one writing seminar in an academic term. The second seminar should be taken in the student's last term of study. Students choose whether to combine the two 9000-level courses to produce a master's thesis. |
Internship: An internship is required only of students pursuing Public History as a primary or secondary field.
Culminating Events: Both thesis and non-thesis options are offered as a culminating event. The default position of the department is that students opt for the non-thesis option.
Non-Thesis Option:
All M.A. students are required to take two writing seminars along with the Ph.D. students. The writing seminars are open writing workshops, eschewing a particular time period or geographic focus on which students must concentrate, and instead allowing students to pursue whatever interest they wish. Students work with the course instructor who sets deadlines; provides feedback on argument, structure, and writing; and, with input from the faculty mentor, assigns a grade for the course. Students also, where appropriate, work with another faculty mentor whose area of expertise aligns with the student’s research topic.
Thesis Option:
Before beginning the second writing seminar, students choosing the thesis option must formally declare that they will continue and build on the research paper written for the first writing seminar. Essentially, the first research paper is treated as one chapter in an M.A. thesis and the second chapter is written during the second writing seminar. Permission from both the faculty mentor who will oversee the project and the M.A. Coordinator is required. The instructor of the second writing seminar must also be advised of a student's choice to work on a thesis.
The M.A. thesis in its entirety must be signed by a first reader, i.e., the faculty mentor, and a second reader, who may or may not be one of the faculty members who taught the two research classes. The thesis advisor/first reader gathers the necessary signatures.
Students who pursue an M.A. thesis but do not complete it must have produced work comparable to two distinct seminar papers to complete the degree program.
Courses
HIST 5010. Special Topics in History. 1 to 3 Credit Hour.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
HIST 5151. Nonprofit Management for Historians. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 5152. Digital History. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 5187. Public History Practicum. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 5231. Gender and Sexuality in Asia. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 5280. Special Topics: American. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
HIST 5400. Special Topics. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
HIST 5480. Special Topics: European. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
HIST 5500. Studies in Asian History. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
HIST 5540. Special Topics in Latin American History. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
HIST 5670. Special Topics in African History. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
HIST 5680. Special Topics in Asian History. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
HIST 5800. Comparative Women's History. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
HIST 5880. Special Topics in World or Comparative History. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
HIST 8001. Environments, Cities, and Cultures. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8002. War, Empire, and Society. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8009. Women and Gender in the American South. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8101. Introduction to American History I (to 1865). 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
HIST 8102. Cultural History. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8103. Studies in American Diplomatic History. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8104. Studies in African American History. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8105. History of Education. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8106. Modern American Social History. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8107. Religion in Modern United States. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8109. Studies in 20th Century American Political History. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8111. Introduction to American History II (since 1865). 3 Credit Hours.
Field of Study Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Fields of study: History.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
College Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Colleges: Liberal Arts.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8112. Introduction to American History III. 3 Credit Hours.
Field of Study Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Fields of study: History.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
College Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Colleges: Liberal Arts.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8121. Stalinism: Power, Society, and Culture. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8151. Studies in American Material Culture. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8152. Managing History. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8153. Archives and Manuscripts. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8201. History of Philadelphia. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8202. American Colonial History. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8203. Age of the American Revolution. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8204. Early United States Social History. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8205. Civil War and Reconstruction. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8206. Studies in Recent American Urban History. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8207. Recent United States History. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8208. Studies in United States Urban Crime. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8209. United States Foreign Policy in the Cold War. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8211. Rise of the American Military Profession. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8212. North American Environmental History. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8213. History of the North American West. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8214. Slavery and U.S. History. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8215. Making of American Political Cultures. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8301. Introduction to European History. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8302. Atlantic World 15th-18th Centuries. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8303. Studies in Russian History. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8304. Soviet Cold War- DeStalination. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites:
HIST 8121|May not be taken concurrently.
HIST 8307. 20th Century Europe. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8308. Imperialism. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8400. Topics in 20th Century Germany. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
HIST 8401. European Expansion. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8402. Jewish History. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8403. History of European Military Policy. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8501. Introduction to the Third World. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8502. Vietnam War Studies. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8505. Studies in Latin American History. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8506. Studies in Spanish and Portuguese America. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8610. Studies in Chinese History. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
HIST 8701. Introduction to World History. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8705. New Themes in the History of Slavery. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8706. Comparative Social and Economic History. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8707. History of Sexuality. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8711. History Writing and Editing. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8712. Teaching History in College. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8713. The Historian and Society. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8714. Historical Methods. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8800. Topics in History I. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
HIST 8801. Cross-Cultural Encounters. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8807. Comparative History - Modern War. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8809. World War II. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
HIST 8810. Topics in History II. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
HIST 8820. Topics in History III. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
HIST 9208. Research Seminar. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
HIST 9683. Readings in History. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
HIST 9783. Readings in History II. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
HIST 9994. Preliminary Examination Preparation. 1 to 6 Credit Hour.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
HIST 9996. Master's Thesis. 1 to 3 Credit Hour.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
HIST 9998. Pre-Dissertation Research. 1 to 6 Credit Hour.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
HIST 9999. Dissertation Research. 1 to 6 Credit Hour.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Student Attribute Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Student Attributes: Dissertation Writing Student.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
Contacts
Program Web Address:
https://www.temple.edu/academics/degree-programs/history-ma-la-hist-ma
Department Information:
Dept. of History
913 Gladfelter Hall
1115 W. Polett Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19122-6089
215-204-4997