History

The Department of History at the University of Kansas is a dynamic place, with a proud tradition of training scholars from across the globe who have transformed the practice of history. The program offers major or minor concentrations in the areas of United States, African American, Modern European, British & Imperial, Russian/East European, East Asian, Latin American, African, Medieval, Women and Gender, Military, and Environmental History. KU offers its graduate students great flexibility in their choice of fields, as defined both by traditional geographical and chronological parameters and thematic topics. Students also have the opportunity to take coursework outside the department in fields such as Public History, Museum Studies, Environmental Studies, and the History of Medicine.

Primarily a doctoral program, the Department currently enrolls approximately 80 graduate students from throughout the United States and the world, including Japan, China, Peru, and Russia. Our students make up a very diverse group, and we encourage applicants from traditional and non-traditional backgrounds.

The master’s program in history requires satisfactory completion of 30 credit hours of graduate courses including at least 6 hours in history research seminars and the passing of a comprehensive oral examination.

Soon after admission, the student should select a faculty member as his or her advisor. The advisor directs the student’s work and advises the student about selecting Option A or Option B.

Option A

3 fields of history

The fields are the equivalent of secondary fields drawn from 3 different major fields. With the consent of departmental advisors, when a student’s program warrants a substitution, she or he may substitute an allied field outside the department that provides vital support for the program (e.g., substituting international relations for U.S. diplomatic history). At least 9 hours of course work must be taken in each of the 3 fields. Students must take HIST 805.

9 hours of work in courses numbered HIST 801 or higher and 6 hours of research seminar are required. Normally, at least 3 hours of seminar under each program should be taken with the student’s program advisor, who chairs the oral examining committee.

All master’s candidates must produce 2 professional-quality, article-length papers (approximately 30 pages) in the 2 required seminars. The final oral examination for the master’s degree includes questions concerning the papers as well as coverage of the student’s major and secondary fields.

Option B

A major field and 1 secondary field

At least 2 history faculty members must serve on the student’s M.A. committee for the major field. At least 18 hours of course work in the major field and 9 hours in the secondary field must be taken. Students must take HIST 805.

9 hours of work in courses numbered HIST 801 or higher and 6 hours of research seminar are required. Normally, at least 3 hours of seminar under each program should be taken with the student’s program advisor, who chairs the oral examining committee.

All master’s candidates must produce 2 professional-quality, article-length papers (approximately 30 pages) in the 2 required seminars. The final oral examination for the master’s degree includes questions concerning the papers as well as coverage of the student’s major and secondary fields.

The application materials that each candidate must submit are:

• Statement of Academic Objectives, including a clear plan for graduate research in a specific field of study
• Curriculum Vitae
• Writing Sample demonstrating independent historical research and analysis (20-25 pages maximum)
  • Submit a writing sample that best represents your scholarly abilities: The Department is interested in reviewing your well-crafted, persuasively argued sample. Such papers are often derived from an upper-level undergraduate history class in which you conducted independent research and employed both primary and secondary sources. If you have an MA in history, the writing sample should be taken from your thesis or a major paper written in a graduate seminar.
• GRE Scores, conveyed from ETS to the University of Kansas (School Code 6871)
• Official Transcript from each institution that has granted you a degree, or at which you are currently enrolled
• Three letters of recommendation – The letters can be directly uploaded online directly by those who write the recommendations, or they can be mailed to the Department of History, ATTN: Graduate Administrator, 1445 Jayhawk Boulevard, Wescoe 3650, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045. A recommendation form for hard copy letters can be downloaded here.

Want to improve your English level for admission?

Prepare for the program requirements with English Online by the British Council.

• ✔️ Flexible study schedule
• ✔️ Experienced teachers
• ✔️ Certificate upon completion

📘 Recommended for students with an IELTS level of 6.0 or below.

Enroll in the course

While it is not guaranteed, the department does its best to provide funding in the form of Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) appointments to all incoming graduate students.  GTA appointments are awarded for the academic year and come with:

• a competitive academic year (9 month) salary
• a 100% tuition waiver for all courses at KU
• payment of up to 3 hours of student fees
• optional University-subsidized group health insurance 

The appointments are guaranteed based on performance for up to 3 years for M.A. students, and 6 years for students who receive both an M.A. and a Ph.D. at The University of Kansas.  GTAs in the department receive thorough training in language instruction, close mentoring, and the opportunity to teach French at a variety of levels, providing them with a strong base of teaching experience upon entering the job market. Additional information about teaching for the department is available on the Graduate Funding page of our departmental website.

Post-comprehensive students completing their dissertations are also eligible to apply for 1 of the the departmental Max Kade Dissertation Fellowships.