Graduate Degree Information

The Department of History at Texas State offers M.A., and M.Ed. degrees in four broad fields: United States History, World History, European History, and Public History.

Master of Arts

Master of Arts (with thesis)

33 hours of graduate level history, or

27 hours of graduate level history with an optional 6-hour cognate in a discipline outside of history, approved by the Director of Graduate Studies

  • 3 hours, Historiography and Methods [5361]
  • 3 hours, General Research Seminar [5398]
  • 6 hours, thesis credit (Thesis A and Thesis B)
  • 21 hours, history electives (with at least 9 hours in major field)
    • 6 hours outside cognate master’s thesis (optional, as indicated above)

Comprehensive examination (thesis defense)

Master of Arts (non-thesis)

36 hours of graduate history, or

30 hours of graduate history with an optional 6-hour cognate in a discipline outside of history, approved by the Director of Graduate Studies

  • 3 hours, Historiography and Methods [5361]
  • 3 hours, General Research Seminar [5398]
  • 3 hours, Comprehensive Exams [5388]
  • 27 hours, history electives (with at least 15 hours in major field)
    • 6 hours, outside cognate (optional, as indicated above)

Comprehensive examination (combination of written and oral exams)

Master of Arts with Specializations

Master of Arts Degree with specialization in Public History (non-thesis)

36 hours of graduate history, or

30 hours of graduate history with an optional 6-hour cognate in a discipline approved by the Director of Graduate Studies and the Public History Advisor.

  • 3 hours, Historiography and Methods [5361]
  • 3 hours, The Practice of Public History [5371]
  • 3 hours, General Research Seminar [5398]
  • 3 hours, Internship [5374]
  • 3 hours, Comprehensive Exams [5388]
  • 12 hours, Public History electives
  • 9 hours, U.S. History seminars (or other topics and regions with advisor approval)
    • 6 hours, outside cognate (optional, on approval, as indicated above)

Comprehensive examination (combination of written and oral exams)

Master of Arts degree with specialization in History Education (non-thesis)

21 hours of graduate-level History and 15 graduate hours from a discipline outside of History, or

21 hours of graduate-level History, 9 graduate hours in one discipline outside of history, and 6 hours in a second outside discipline

  • 3 hours, Historiography and Methods [5361]
  • 3 hours, General Research Seminar [5398]
  • 3 hours, Comprehensive Exams [5388]
  • 12 hours, History electives
  • 15 hours outside minor(s) in one or two academic disciplines, or
  • 15 hours Education (which, with student teaching hours and experience, would qualify the student for certification)

Comprehensive examination (combination of written and oral exams)

Master of Arts Degree with specialization in Public History (thesis option)

39 hours of graduate history, or

33 hours of graduate history with an optional 6-hour cognate in a discipline approved by the Director of Graduate Studies and the Public History Advisor

  • 3 hours, Historiography and Methods [5361]
  • 3 hours, The Practice of Public History [5371]
  • 3 hours, General Research Seminar [5398]
  • 3 hours, Internship [5374]
  • 6 hours, thesis credit (Thesis A and Thesis B)
  • 12 hours, Public History electives
  • 9 hours, U.S. History seminars (or other topics and regions with advisor approval), or
    • 6 hours, outside cognate (optional, on approval, as indicated above)

Comprehensive examination (Thesis defense)