About the Program
The Master of Arts program provides a sophisticated knowledge of history, both as a mode of inquiry and a form of understanding, and can serve as a terminal degree or as the foundation for more advanced graduate work.
The Master of Arts program features:
- Small, seminar-type classes taught by a faculty member
- Classes that meet once a week in the evening
- Access to University resources including:
- Ronald Williams Library - The Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois (with more than 60 million volumes)
- IRAD - the Illinois Regional Archives Depository, housed in the Ronald Williams Library
Admission Requirements
Applicants must fulfill the general requirements for admission to the College of Graduate Studies and Research. In addition, they must have completed a minimum of 15 credit hours in undergraduate history, including 9 credits in upper-level history courses. (Those who do not meet this requirement may petition the Department's Graduate Advisor in writing for admission.) Applicants should also submit with their application a graded paper written for an upper-division undergraduate course, preferably in history. For specifics regarding admission requirements, please consult Professor Christina Bueno at c-bueno@neiu.edu.
Academic Program
Please take a look at this helpful information sheet for potential students, What Every Student in the History M.A. Program Needs to Know
Thirty-three credit hours are required, including 27 credit hours in history and six in related fields or additional History courses:
- HIST 401: Historiography and Historical Methods, 3 cr.
- Eight graduate-level history electives; two may be in related fields: 24 credit hours
- Two graduate research seminars: six credit hours
