Accelerated Master of Arts in History
Note: Admission to the Accelerated M.A. program is open to current KU undergraduate students only. If you are a non-KU student interested in graduate study, consult information about our M.A. and Ph.D. programs, respectively.
The Accelerated M.A. program in History enables qualified KU students to earn both a Bachelor’s degree and a Master's degree in history in five years. Students apply to join the accelerated program by January 1 of their Junior year, and spend the following two years completing a mix of undergraduate and graduate course work.
The program has two tracks, one leading to an M.A. in U.S. History and one leading to an M.A. in World History. The M.A. may be pursued as a terminal degree or as preparation to pursue doctoral studies at KU or elsewhere.
Careful course selection and steady progression through the undergraduate career is necessary to ensure all requirements for both degrees be completed within the five-year timeframe. All prospective students should discuss their interest in admission to the accelerated program with both the Director of Undergraduate Studies and the Director of Graduate Studies as early as possible but no later than fall of the student’s Junior year.
Prospective students are eligible to apply to the graduate program in their Junior year. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis but should be submitted before the end of the applicant’s junior year. Applications must be received at least 4 weeks prior to start of the student’s second to last undergraduate semester.
The following program requirements must be met by this time:
- Major GPA of at least 3.5 and cumulative GPA of at least 3.00;
- On track to complete all requirements for a B.A. degree in History from KU with one additional year of study beyond the junior year.
Applicants must complete an Application for Graduate Study online. Please submit the inquiry form below and contact the Graduate Program Coordinator prior to starting the application. The following information should be gathered in advance and uploaded with the application:
- 2 letters of recommendation (preferably from professors in the major). You will be asked to enter the names and e-mail addresses for two recommenders while completing the online application. Your recommenders will automatically receive an e-mail requesting their letters when you submit the application. It is not necessary for your recommenders to send hard copies of their letters to the department if they submit their letters electronically. Should a recommender feel uncomfortable with the online submission process, please contact the department for more options.
- Résumé or curriculum vitae
- A one-page statement of educational and career objectives
- A writing sample, preferably from an history course, 5-10 pages of text not including the bibliography, endnotes, or images following endnotes.
Upon review of the Application for Admission, the History Department will notify the student of his or her eligibility to begin course work in the program the following fall semester. Final acceptance to the graduate program will be contingent upon the following:
- Successful completion of all requirements for the Bachelor’s degree;
- Grades of B+ or above in all History graduate-level course work taken in the final year of undergraduate study.
- Submission of a Program of Study
Program of Study
- After acceptance to the program, M.A. students will submit an M.A. Program of Study Worksheet. Students are expected to identify three fields of study (geographical, thematic, and chronological) in consultation with their primary advisor. These fields must be approved by the primary advisor and Director of Graduate Study by April 15. The Program of Study Worksheet also designates a Primary Advisor and two other faculty advisors as the official members of the student’s M.A. Committee.
To express interest and request further information about the History Accelerated M.A. Program, click one of the links below to complete a short form.
The course requirements for this accelerated program are fulfilled by a combination of graduate-level courses taken for both undergraduate and graduate credit in Year 4, and graduate credit courses taken in Year 5. Numerous graduate-level courses are regularly offered that fulfill distribution requirements for both the Bachelor’s and M.A. degrees.
Requirements for the B.A. Major
History Major Core Knowledge and Skills
Majors must complete a course in the following area:
The Historian's Craft. Satisfied by:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| HIST 301 | The Historian's Craft | 3 |
History Required Elective
Majors must complete 10 courses (30 hours) of electives. 4 courses (12 hours) must be in Category I and 4 courses (12 hours) must be in Category II, listed below. At least 9 of these 30 credit hours must be completed at the 500 level or above and will also count toward the master’s degree. No more than three courses (9 hours) may be taken in courses numbering 100-299. The student must be approved to begin coursework toward the master’s degree prior to enrolling in any 500 level or above courses that are to count for both undergraduate and graduate credit.
History Category I: Western Orientation. Satisfied by courses in Ancient, Medieval, Modern Western Europe, Russia/Eastern Europe, United States:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| HIST 101 | Introduction to Western History: _____ | 3 |
| HIST 102 | Introduction to History, Honors: _____ | 3 |
| HIST 103 | Environment and History | 3 |
| HIST 105 | Introduction to Ancient Near Eastern and Greek History | 3 |
| HIST 106 | Introduction to Roman History | 3 |
| HIST 108 | Medieval History | 3 |
| HIST 109 | The Black Experience in the Americas | 3 |
| HIST 112 | Introduction to British History | 3 |
| HIST 114 | Renaissance to Revolution: Europe 1500-1789 | 3 |
| HIST 115 | French Revolution to the Present: Europe 1789-Present | 3 |
| HIST 128 | History of the United States Through the Civil War | 3 |
| HIST 129 | History of the United States After the Civil War | 3 |
| HIST 177 | First Year Seminar: _____ | 3 |
| HIST 201 | Writing the Past-Category I/Western Topics: _____ | 3 |
| HIST 203 | Speaking the Past-Category I/Western Topics: _____ | 3 |
| HIST 230 | Sex, Gender, Film, and History | 3 |
| HIST 231 | War and 20th Century U.S. Culture | 3 |
| HIST 250 | Study Abroad Topics in: _____ | 1-5 |
| HIST 303 | Sin Cities | 3 |
| HIST 305 | Technological Revolutions and Global Transformations | 3 |
| HIST 308 | Key Themes in Modern Global History | 3 |
| HIST 312 | American Culture, 1877 to the Present | 3 |
| HIST 314 | Globalization: History and Theory | 3 |
| HIST 316 | Ministers and Magicians: Black Religions from Slavery to the Present | 3 |
| HIST 318 | Indian Territory | 3 |
| HIST 319 | History, Women, and Diversity in the U.S. | 3 |
| HIST 320 | From Goddesses to Witches: Women in Premodern Europe | 3 |
| HIST 321 | From Mystics to Feminists: Women's History in Europe 1600 to the Present | 3 |
| HIST 324 | History of Women and the Body | 3 |
| HIST 325 | The Spanish Inquisition | 3 |
| HIST 331 | Age of Empires-The Atlantic 1400-1800 | 3 |
| HIST 332 | Sex in History | 3 |
| HIST 333 | Eurometro: Visions of the European Metropolis, 1849-1939 | 3 |
| HIST 334 | The Great War: The History of World War I | 3 |
| HIST 335 | History of Jewish Women | 3 |
| HIST 336 | Ethics, Ideas and Nature | 3 |
| HIST 337 | History, Ethics, Modernity | 3 |
| HIST 340 | The History of the Second World War | 3 |
| HIST 341 | Hitler and Nazi Germany | 3 |
| HIST 343 | The Holocaust in History | 3 |
| HIST 344 | Modern Jewish History | 3 |
| HIST 345 | Hard Times: The Depression Years in America, 1929-1941 | 3 |
| HIST 347 | Environmental History of North America | 3 |
| HIST 348 | History of the Peoples of Kansas | 3 |
| HIST 350 | The Korean War, 1950-1953 | 3 |
| HIST 356 | At the Movies: U.S. History on the Silver Screen | 3 |
| HIST 358 | The Vietnam War | 3 |
| HIST 359 | The Black Experience in the U.S. Since Emancipation | 3 |
| HIST 362 | The American Way of War Since World War II | 3 |
| HIST 365 | Invention of the Tropics | 3 |
| HIST 367 | Magic and Superstition in European History | 3 |
| HIST 376 | Immigrants, Refugees, and Diasporas | 3 |
| HIST 377 | Everyday Communism in Eastern Europe | 3 |
| HIST 378 | Beyond the Iron Curtain: Soviet Perspectives on the Cold War | 3 |
| HIST 383 | United States in the 1960s | 3 |
| HIST 389 | Topics in Western History: ______ | 3 |
| HIST 391 | Topics in (Honors): _____ | 3 |
| HIST 401 | Case Studies in: _____ | 2-3 |
| HIST 402 | War and Society in Greece and Rome | 3 |
| HIST 404 | Technology and the Modern World | 3 |
| HIST 407 | Technology in American History | 3 |
| HIST 410 | The American Revolution | 3 |
| HIST 412 | The Civil War in America, 1828-1877 | 3 |
| HIST 450 | Study Abroad Topics in: _____ | 1-5 |
| HIST 492 | Readings in History | 1-4 |
| HIST 494 | Service Learning in History | 1-3 |
| HIST 501 | Topics in Western History: _____ | 3 |
| HIST 502 | The Age of Heroes: Early Greece | 3 |
| HIST 503 | The Ancient History of the Near East | 3 |
| HIST 506 | Roman Republic | 3 |
| HIST 507 | Early Roman Empire | 3 |
| HIST 508 | Late Roman Empire (284-527) | 3 |
| HIST 510 | Topics in Non-Western History: _____ | 3 |
| HIST 520 | The Age of the Renaissance | 3 |
| HIST 521 | The Age of the Reformation | 3 |
| HIST 525 | France and Its Empire: From Acadia to Zidane | 3 |
| HIST 527 | Recent European History, 1870 to the Present | 3 |
| HIST 530 | History of American Women--Colonial Times to 1870 | 3 |
| HIST 531 | History of American Women--1870 to Present | 3 |
| HIST 563 | U.S. Environmental Thought in the 20th Century | 3 |
| HIST 564 | Medieval Russia | 3 |
| HIST 568 | Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union | 3 |
| HIST 574 | Slavery in the New World | 3 |
| HIST 625 | The Body, Self and Society | 3 |
| HIST 630 | The United States and the World, 1890-2003 | 3 |
| HIST 649 | History of Feminist Theory | 3 |
| JOUR 618 | First Amendment and Society | 3 |
History Category II: Non-western Orientation. Satisfied by courses in Africa and Middle East, East Asia, Latin America, Native America:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| HIST 102 | Introduction to History, Honors: _____ | 3 |
| HIST 103 | Environment and History | 3 |
| HIST 104 | Introduction to African History | 3 |
| HIST 109 | The Black Experience in the Americas | 3 |
| HIST 110 | Introduction to Non-Western History: _____ | 1-3 |
| HIST 117 | Russia, An Introduction | 3 |
| HIST 118 | Premodern East Asia | 3 |
| HIST 119 | Modern East Asia | 3 |
| HIST 120 | Colonial Latin America | 3 |
| HIST 121 | Modern Latin America | 3 |
| HIST 124 | Latin American Culture and Society | 3 |
| HIST 160 | Introduction to West African History | 3 |
| HIST 177 | First Year Seminar: _____ | 3 |
| HIST 202 | Writing the Past-Category II/Non-Western Topics: _____ | 3 |
| HIST 204 | Speaking the Past-Category II/Non-Western Topics: _____ | 3 |
| HIST 250 | Study Abroad Topics in: _____ | 1-5 |
| HIST 300 | Modern Africa | 3 |
| HIST 303 | Sin Cities | 3 |
| HIST 307 | Modern Africa, Honors | 3 |
| HIST 308 | Key Themes in Modern Global History | 3 |
| HIST 314 | Globalization: History and Theory | 3 |
| HIST 318 | Indian Territory | 3 |
| HIST 326 | Native Americans Confront European Empires | 3 |
| HIST 327 | The Premodern Middle East | 3 |
| HIST 328 | The Modern Middle East | 3 |
| HIST 332 | Sex in History | 3 |
| HIST 336 | Ethics, Ideas and Nature | 3 |
| HIST 337 | History, Ethics, Modernity | 3 |
| HIST 348 | History of the Peoples of Kansas | 3 |
| HIST 351 | American Indian and White Relations to 1865 | 3 |
| HIST 352 | American Indians Since 1865 | 3 |
| HIST 353 | Indigenous Peoples of North America | 3 |
| HIST 365 | Invention of the Tropics | 3 |
| HIST 368 | A History of Afro-Latin America | 3 |
| HIST 376 | Immigrants, Refugees, and Diasporas | 3 |
| HIST 378 | Beyond the Iron Curtain: Soviet Perspectives on the Cold War | 3 |
| HIST 390 | Topics in Non-Western History: _____ | 3 |
| HIST 391 | Topics in (Honors): _____ | 3 |
| HIST 394 | Made in China: Chinese Business History | 3 |
| HIST 395 | History of Sushi | 3 |
| HIST 397 | From Mao to Now: China's Red Revolution | 3 |
| HIST 399 | The Samurai | 3 |
| HIST 400 | Indigenous People of the Great Plains | 3 |
| HIST 401 | Case Studies in: _____ | 2-3 |
| HIST 450 | Study Abroad Topics in: _____ | 1-5 |
| HIST 480 | Travelers' Tales of the Middle East | 3 |
| HIST 481 | From Harem to the Streets: Gender in the Middle East, 1900-Present | 3 |
| HIST 492 | Readings in History | 1-4 |
| HIST 494 | Service Learning in History | 1-3 |
| HIST 503 | The Ancient History of the Near East | 3 |
| HIST 510 | Topics in Non-Western History: _____ | 3 |
| HIST 511 | Foodways: Native North America | 3 |
| HIST 512 | Foodways: Latin America | 3 |
| HIST 561 | Liberation in Southern Africa | 3 |
| HIST 564 | Medieval Russia | 3 |
| HIST 568 | Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union | 3 |
| HIST 570 | The Middle East After World War II | 3 |
| HIST 574 | Slavery in the New World | 3 |
| HIST 579 | The History of Brazil | 3 |
| HIST 580 | Economic History of Latin America | 3 |
| HIST 584 | Modern China | 3 |
| HIST 598 | Sexuality and Gender in African History | 3 |
| HIST 603 | History of Tibet | 3 |
| HIST 604 | Contemporary Greater China | 3 |
History Capstone Seminar
Majors must complete a capstone research experience in which they research and write an original thesis based on primary sources. Alternatively, majors with a GPA above 3.5 may choose to write a senior honors thesis. 3 of these credit hours will also count toward the master’s degree and must be completed during the Senior year.
Satisfied by one of the following:
HIST 696 Seminar in: _____ or
HIST 690 Honors Course in History and HIST 691 Undergraduate History Honors Seminar
History Major Hours & Major GPA
While completing all required courses, majors must also meet each of the following hour and grade point average minimum standards:
Major Hours
Satisfied by 36 hours of major courses. No more than 2 HIST 492 Readings in History courses may be applied to the major. Only courses taken in the Department of History or cross-listed in other units are accepted for credit toward the major.
Major Hours in Residence
Satisfied by a minimum of 15 hours of KU resident credit in the major.
Major Junior/Senior Hours
Satisfied by a minimum of 27 hours from junior/senior courses (300+) in the major. Of these 27 hours, at least 6 hours (two courses) must be taken at the 500-699 level (in addition to HIST 696).
Major Junior/Senior Graduation (300+) GPA
Satisfied by a minimum of a 2.0 KU GPA in junior/senior courses (300+) in the major. GPA calculations include all junior/senior courses in the field of study including F’s and repeated courses. See the Semester/Cumulative GPA Calculator.
Proficiency in a foreign language is required for the M.A. degree if pursuing an MA with a focus outside the United States. Students in the accelerated program should complete at least the fourth semester of a relevant foreign language with a grade of B or better by the end of Year 4 or be prepared to demonstrate proficiency by passing the department’s language proficiency exam at the beginning of Year 5. Should the student not pass the proficiency exam, s/he will be expected either to enroll in the appropriate level of language study or establish a plan for passing the language exam at the start of the second semester of Year 5.
Master’s Degree Requirements
The master’s program in history requires satisfactory completion of 30 credit hours of graduate courses. In addition to the 12 credit hours of graduate coursework taken during the Senior year, students must complete an additional 18 credit hours of graduate coursework once fully admitted to the master’s program. These include:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| HIST 802 | Seminar in: _____ | 3 |
| HIST 805 | The Nature of History | 3 |
Electives (12)
At least 12 hours of electives numbered 800 or above. Students may take up to 3 of these hours outside of the History department.
No more than 9 hours of Electives numbered 500-799. Students in the Accelerated Masters should plan to take 9 hours of 500+ electives before the end of their fourth year.
MA Examination
In the final semester of enrollment, terminal M.A. degree will sit for a ninety-minute oral examination that covers the student’s research fields and the papers prepared in the undergraduate capstone seminar (HIST 696 or 690/691) and the graduate research seminar (HIST 802), respectively.
The M.A. exam tests the student's mastery of the scholarly debates pertinent to their field and their facility with advanced methods of historical research and writing.
The examination will cover basic historiographical questions, and the student should offer evidence of knowledge of the field equivalent to the material contained within a survey textbook. Moreover, the exam is designed to permit the student to demonstrate competency in engaging in an academic conversation. The examining committee will also discuss the content and significance of the research papers and advise upon future directions in the student’s submission of these papers for publication.
A detailed presentation of departmental degree requirements and regulations is included in the department’s Graduate Student Handbook, available online at https://history.ku.edu/graduate-resources.
Progression Requirements
Given the accelerated nature of this program, each student’s progress will be closely monitored at various points during the program:
- Upon approval to begin graduate coursework in the accelerated program, the student must meet with the DGS to plan the final year of undergraduate study.
- In the final semester of undergraduate study, the department will review the student’s performance in graduate-level History courses taken in the final year. The student must earn a grade of B+ or better in each of these courses to be eligible for regular admission to the master’s degree.
- Following completion and award of the undergraduate degree, the admitted student will again meet with the DGS to review the course plan for the final year of graduate study and update as needed. The student’s performance in the graduate-level courses taken as an undergraduate will be evaluated.
- The student will not be permitted to enroll in courses for graduate credit toward the master’s degree until the baccalaureate degree has been conferred.
Students should complete all requirements for the Accelerated M.A. within 2 to 3 semesters of receiving the bachelor’s degree. If unforeseen circumstances prevent the timely completion of the master’s degree, the student must consult with their graduate advisor to develop an alternative plan for completion.
| Year 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Core 34: Social and Behavior Science (SGE)050 | 3 | BA Quantitative Reasoning1 | 3 |
| Core 34: Math and Statistics (SGE)030 | 3 | Core 34: English (SGE)010 | 3 |
| Core 34: English (SGE)010 | 3 | Core 34: Communications (SGE)020 | 3 |
| 1st Semester Language (BA Second Language) | 5 | 2nd Semester Language (BA Second Language) | 5 |
| HIST 100-200 Elective Category I (1 of 4) | 3 | HIST 100-200 Elective Category II (1 of 4) | 3 |
| 17 | 17 | ||
| Year 2 | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| 3rd Semester Language (BA Second Language) | 3 | 4th Semester Language, or 1st semester of Another Language (BA Second Language)3 | 3 |
| Core 34: Social and Behavior Science (SGE)050 | 3 | Core 34: Natural and Physical Sciences (SGE)040 | 4-5 |
| Core 34: Arts and Humanities (SGE)060 | 3 | Lab Science (BA Lab Requirement) | 1 |
| HIST 301 (Major Requirement) | 3 | Core 34: US Culture (SGE)070 | 3 |
| HIST 100-200 Elective Category I (2 of 4) | 3 | HIST 300+ Elective Category II (2 of 4) | 3 |
| 15 | 14-15 | ||
| Year 3 | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Core 34: Global Culture (SGE)070 | 3 | Core 34: Arts and Humanities (SGE)060 | 3 |
| HIST 300+ Elective Category I (3 of 4) | 3 | HIST 300+ Elective Category II (4 of 4) | 3 |
| HIST 300+ Elective Category II (3 of 4) | 3 | Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 | Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 | Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Year 4 | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| HIST 500+ Elective Category I (4 of 4) | 3 | HIST 696 or 691 (Capstone, Major, MA Requirement) | 3 |
| HIST 500+ General Elective (1 of 2) | 3 | HIST 500+ General Elective (2 of 2) | 3 |
| HIST 690 (Honors Thesis First Course; or Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours)2 | 3 | Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 | Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 | ||
| 15 | 12 | ||
| Year 5 | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| HIST 805 | 3 | HIST 802 | 3 |
| HIST 800+ Elective | 3 | HIST 800+ Elective | 3 |
| HIST or outside department 800+ Elective | 3 | HIST 800+ Elective | 3 |
| 9 | 9 | ||
| Total Hours 138-139 | |||
- 1
Visit this page for a list of courses that fulfill the BA Quantitative Reasoning requirement.
- 2
Hour requirements (incl. 45 jr/sr hrs) are typically met through Core 34, degree, major, second area of study and/or elective hours. Students completing the BGS with a major must choose a secondary area of study. Individual degree mapping is done in partnership with your advisor.
- 3
For students completing the language requirement via the 3+1 language option, note that many first semester languages are 5 credit hours.