Total Credit Hours: 36          Degree Format: Traditional

The Department of History offers a graduate program that leads to the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree with a major in History. The graduate program is designed to provide students with advanced instruction and training, and courses are available in the history of the United States, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. The program also equips students with the knowledge, skills, and values required for professional careers in history and gives qualified students the foundation for doctoral study in history.

History's scope is extremely broad, and the student of people and their institutions form a particular focus of the discipline. The use of language and the ability to communicate skillfully are major concerns of history. Thus, advanced study in history prepares students for many different occupations and professions in which such qualities are essential. Traditionally, teaching has been a career possibility, but, as well, qualified recipients of the Master of Arts with a major in history are prepared to enter doctoral programs, to seek employment in business or government, in museums and libraries, in publishing, journalism, and advertising, or to enter the military, politics, or theology. An advanced degree in history continues to be excellent preparation for business school or law school. Students who are interested in the Master of Arts or who have questions about the vocational possibilities of their major should consult with members of the History Department faculty in Ashley Hall.

Program Coordinator: Dr. Dixie Haggard, email: drhaggard@valdosta.edu, phone: 229-333-5947

Department of History Website

The Master of Arts in History program has been deactivated as of Fall 2024. As a result, Summer 2024 is the last semester the program is accepting students. 

 

ADMISSION DEADLINES

  • Fall Semester: July 15
  • Spring Semester: November 15
  • Summer Semester: April 15

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Online Graduate Application

  • Application Fee (credit or debit card and e-checks accepted)
  • Apply Online

Official transcript from your bachelor's degree-granting school and from any graduate coursework.

  • Transcripts of coursework completed in-residence at VSU will be obtained by the Graduate School
  • Minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on 4.0 scale calculated on all attempted coursework.
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA in all college-level History courses, with no grade below a "C" in a History course.
  • Minimum of 15 semester hours credit in undergraduate History courses. (This requirement is satisfied by an applicant completing at least 9 hours of graduate History coursework as a non-degree seeking student with the grade of B or A). 

Career Goals Essay

  • An essay detailing applicant’s interest in enrolling in the program, goals for advancing his/her intellectual abilities in the program, and how study in the program will advance his/her professional skills.

Two Recommendations

  • General Recommendation Form Required
  • Please enter the name and email of your recommenders as you complete the application. They should receive an email inviting them to complete the recommendation after that. If they do not receive the email (or find it in their spam folder), they may submit their recommendation as an email attachment to gradschool@valdosta.edu. The General Recommendation Form can be used if the email from the online recommendation system does not arrive.
  • Letters must be accompanied by the required form or submitted through the online recommendation system.

Formal Writing Sample

  • Sample of formal writing such as a research or seminar paper.

VSU Medical Form

  • The form must be completed and signed by the student/applicant.
  • This form must be received prior to enrollment, NOT prior to admission.
  • Applicants who are currently enrolled, and those who attended VSU in the past, are not required to resubmit the Medical Form

Unless otherwise indicated above, all required documents must be received on or before the admission deadline for your file to be reviewed. It is the applicant's responsibility to allow adequate time for document delivery and to en-sure receipt of documents. Please allow at least 7-10 days for delivery by mail.

IMPORTANT PROGRAM INFORMATION

Non-traditional students and applicants not meeting the above requirements may be considered for Probationary Admission as determined on a case-by-case basis. 
Applicants wishing to be considered for a graduate assistantship (GA) position must have completed application packets on file by February 1.

INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS 

  • Meeting the admission requirements outlined above does not guarantee admission into the M.A. program.To be accepted, applicants must receive recommendation from no less than a simple majority of the History Department's Graduate Studies Committee.
  • International applicants must meet all admission criteria and documentation requirements as defined by the program, however, additional documentation may be required.  Please review the information below for specific information and guidelines.
  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Exam, International English Language Testing System (IELTS), ELS Language Centers Level 109, or completion of level 6 at VSU's English Language Institute – Applicants whose first language is not English (based on country of citizenship) must submit one of the above. International applicants whose first language is not English but who have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher from a U.S. institution may be exempt from the language proficiency requirement.
  • Certificate of Finances- The Certificate of Finance is required of any applicant requiring a student visa to enter the United States to complete his or her studies. This document is considered a part of the application for admission and applications will not be reviewed without this document.  Applicants who do not require an I-20 student visa to complete their studies are exempt from this requirement.
  • Evaluation of International Transcripts - Applicants who have completed coursework at an institution outside of the United States must submit a course-by-course evaluation of the coursework.  This transcript evaluation must be completed by an international education credentials evaluation service such as Josef Silny, ECE, etc.  The transcript evaluation does not replace the transcript requirement. Official transcripts are still required.

ADMISSION CLASSIFICATIONS

  • Regular Status
  • Probationary Status
  • To be eligible for probationary consideration an applicant must:
    • Have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.50 (on a 4.0 scale), calculated on all undergraduate coursework complete in which a letter grade was awarded.
    • Have a minimum grade-point average of 2.75 in all college-level history courses with no grade below a "C".
    • Have a minimum score of 400 on the Verbal and 3.0 on the Analytical section of the GRE. (For tests taken prior to October 2022, a minimum of 400 Verbal and 400 Analytical).
    • Submit all supplemental admission requirements (i.e., writing samples, essays, recommendations).
    • Have completed at least 15 semester hours (or equivalent) of college-level History courses.

HAVE QUESTIONS?

For admission questions about this program, please contact the Graduate School by phone, email, or stop by our office.
  • Call Us: 229-333-5694 
  • Email Us: gradschool@valdosta.edu 
  • Visit Us: Converse Hall (Main Campus), Third Floor, Suite 3100

For additional program details contact the Program Coordinator: Dr. Dixie Haggard, email: drhaggard@valdosta.edu, phone: 229-333-5947.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

  1. Students must complete an application for graduation one semester prior to their expected graduation date.
  2. Students must have a 3.0 cumulative graduate grade-point average. No grade below a "C" will be credited toward the degree.
  3. Thesis and non-thesis option students must pass a comprehensive written and oral examination.
  4. Thesis and non-thesis option students must pass a reading knowledge examination in a foreign language
  5. In the thesis-option, a grade of "B" or better in a fourth sequence course in a foreign language may be accepted in lieu of a reading examination.
  6. In the non-thesis option program, a grade of "B" or better in a third sequence course in a foreign language may be accepted in lieu of a reading knowledge examination.

Graduation Requirements Page

RETENTION, DISMISSAL, & READMISSION POLICIES

  1. No more than 6 semester hours of academic work may be transferred from another institution into a master's-level graduate program. Transfer credits will be evaluated after admission, but the academic department. To be eligible, credit must be no more than seven (7) years at the time of admission, unless otherwise approved by the program.

  2. The maximum time allowed for completion of the master's degree is seven (7) calendar years. No work completed more than seven years prior to the degree completion will be accepted toward the degree, except with special permission from the student's major professor and the Head of the Department of History and approval from the Dean of the Graduate School.

  3. Student grades will be evaluated at the end of each semester. Earning grades below “B” in graduate courses will result in the following consequences: Students admitted Fall 2011 and thereafter will be dismissed from the Graduate School if they accumulate TWO or more academic deficiency points unless otherwise indicated by individual program policy. A grade of “C” (although it may be credited toward a degree) equals one deficiency point. A grade of “D,” “WF” or “F,” or “U” (none of which will be credited toward a degree) equals two deficiency points. Candidates admitted to the MA in History Program with regular status BEFORE Fall 2011 and receiving two grades below a "C" (i.e., "D", "F", "WF", or "U") will be dismissed from the program. A student with probationary status receiving a grade below a "B" will be dismissed. Student grades will be evaluated at the end of each semester.

 

 

Total Credit Hours: 36          Degree Format: Traditional

The Department of History offers a graduate program that leads to the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree with a major in History. The graduate program is designed to provide students with advanced instruction and training, and courses are available in the history of the United States, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. The program also equips students with the knowledge, skills, and values required for professional careers in history and gives qualified students the foundation for doctoral study in history.

History's scope is extremely broad, and the student of people and their institutions form a particular focus of the discipline. The use of language and the ability to communicate skillfully are major concerns of history. Thus, advanced study in history prepares students for many different occupations and professions in which such qualities are essential. Traditionally, teaching has been a career possibility, but, as well, qualified recipients of the Master of Arts with a major in history are prepared to enter doctoral programs, to seek employment in business or government, in museums and libraries, in publishing, journalism, and advertising, or to enter the military, politics, or theology. An advanced degree in history continues to be excellent preparation for business school or law school. Students who are interested in the Master of Arts or who have questions about the vocational possibilities of their major should consult with members of the History Department faculty in Ashley Hall.

Program Coordinator: Dr. Dixie Haggard, email: drhaggard@valdosta.edu, phone: 229-333-5947

Department of History Website

The Master of Arts in History program has been deactivated as of Fall 2024. As a result, Summer 2024 is the last semester the program is accepting students. 

 

ADMISSION DEADLINES

  • Fall Semester: July 15
  • Spring Semester: November 15
  • Summer Semester: April 15

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Online Graduate Application

  • Application Fee (credit or debit card and e-checks accepted)
  • Apply Online

Official transcript from your bachelor's degree-granting school and from any graduate coursework.

  • Transcripts of coursework completed in-residence at VSU will be obtained by the Graduate School
  • Minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on 4.0 scale calculated on all attempted coursework.
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA in all college-level History courses, with no grade below a "C" in a History course.
  • Minimum of 15 semester hours credit in undergraduate History courses. (This requirement is satisfied by an applicant completing at least 9 hours of graduate History coursework as a non-degree seeking student with the grade of B or A). 

Career Goals Essay

  • An essay detailing applicant’s interest in enrolling in the program, goals for advancing his/her intellectual abilities in the program, and how study in the program will advance his/her professional skills.

Two Recommendations

  • General Recommendation Form Required
  • Please enter the name and email of your recommenders as you complete the application. They should receive an email inviting them to complete the recommendation after that. If they do not receive the email (or find it in their spam folder), they may submit their recommendation as an email attachment to gradschool@valdosta.edu. The General Recommendation Form can be used if the email from the online recommendation system does not arrive.
  • Letters must be accompanied by the required form or submitted through the online recommendation system.

Formal Writing Sample

  • Sample of formal writing such as a research or seminar paper.

VSU Medical Form

  • The form must be completed and signed by the student/applicant.
  • This form must be received prior to enrollment, NOT prior to admission.
  • Applicants who are currently enrolled, and those who attended VSU in the past, are not required to resubmit the Medical Form

Unless otherwise indicated above, all required documents must be received on or before the admission deadline for your file to be reviewed. It is the applicant's responsibility to allow adequate time for document delivery and to en-sure receipt of documents. Please allow at least 7-10 days for delivery by mail.

IMPORTANT PROGRAM INFORMATION

Non-traditional students and applicants not meeting the above requirements may be considered for Probationary Admission as determined on a case-by-case basis. 
Applicants wishing to be considered for a graduate assistantship (GA) position must have completed application packets on file by February 1.

INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS 

  • Meeting the admission requirements outlined above does not guarantee admission into the M.A. program.To be accepted, applicants must receive recommendation from no less than a simple majority of the History Department's Graduate Studies Committee.
  • International applicants must meet all admission criteria and documentation requirements as defined by the program, however, additional documentation may be required.  Please review the information below for specific information and guidelines.
  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Exam, International English Language Testing System (IELTS), ELS Language Centers Level 109, or completion of level 6 at VSU's English Language Institute – Applicants whose first language is not English (based on country of citizenship) must submit one of the above. International applicants whose first language is not English but who have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher from a U.S. institution may be exempt from the language proficiency requirement.
  • Certificate of Finances- The Certificate of Finance is required of any applicant requiring a student visa to enter the United States to complete his or her studies. This document is considered a part of the application for admission and applications will not be reviewed without this document.  Applicants who do not require an I-20 student visa to complete their studies are exempt from this requirement.
  • Evaluation of International Transcripts - Applicants who have completed coursework at an institution outside of the United States must submit a course-by-course evaluation of the coursework.  This transcript evaluation must be completed by an international education credentials evaluation service such as Josef Silny, ECE, etc.  The transcript evaluation does not replace the transcript requirement. Official transcripts are still required.

ADMISSION CLASSIFICATIONS

  • Regular Status
  • Probationary Status
  • To be eligible for probationary consideration an applicant must:
    • Have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.50 (on a 4.0 scale), calculated on all undergraduate coursework complete in which a letter grade was awarded.
    • Have a minimum grade-point average of 2.75 in all college-level history courses with no grade below a "C".
    • Have a minimum score of 400 on the Verbal and 3.0 on the Analytical section of the GRE. (For tests taken prior to October 2022, a minimum of 400 Verbal and 400 Analytical).
    • Submit all supplemental admission requirements (i.e., writing samples, essays, recommendations).
    • Have completed at least 15 semester hours (or equivalent) of college-level History courses.

HAVE QUESTIONS?

For admission questions about this program, please contact the Graduate School by phone, email, or stop by our office.
  • Call Us: 229-333-5694 
  • Email Us: gradschool@valdosta.edu 
  • Visit Us: Converse Hall (Main Campus), Third Floor, Suite 3100

For additional program details contact the Program Coordinator: Dr. Dixie Haggard, email: drhaggard@valdosta.edu, phone: 229-333-5947.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

  1. Students must complete an application for graduation one semester prior to their expected graduation date.
  2. Students must have a 3.0 cumulative graduate grade-point average. No grade below a "C" will be credited toward the degree.
  3. Thesis and non-thesis option students must pass a comprehensive written and oral examination.
  4. Thesis and non-thesis option students must pass a reading knowledge examination in a foreign language
  5. In the thesis-option, a grade of "B" or better in a fourth sequence course in a foreign language may be accepted in lieu of a reading examination.
  6. In the non-thesis option program, a grade of "B" or better in a third sequence course in a foreign language may be accepted in lieu of a reading knowledge examination.

Graduation Requirements Page

RETENTION, DISMISSAL, & READMISSION POLICIES

  1. No more than 6 semester hours of academic work may be transferred from another institution into a master's-level graduate program. Transfer credits will be evaluated after admission, but the academic department. To be eligible, credit must be no more than seven (7) years at the time of admission, unless otherwise approved by the program.

  2. The maximum time allowed for completion of the master's degree is seven (7) calendar years. No work completed more than seven years prior to the degree completion will be accepted toward the degree, except with special permission from the student's major professor and the Head of the Department of History and approval from the Dean of the Graduate School.

  3. Student grades will be evaluated at the end of each semester. Earning grades below “B” in graduate courses will result in the following consequences: Students admitted Fall 2011 and thereafter will be dismissed from the Graduate School if they accumulate TWO or more academic deficiency points unless otherwise indicated by individual program policy. A grade of “C” (although it may be credited toward a degree) equals one deficiency point. A grade of “D,” “WF” or “F,” or “U” (none of which will be credited toward a degree) equals two deficiency points. Candidates admitted to the MA in History Program with regular status BEFORE Fall 2011 and receiving two grades below a "C" (i.e., "D", "F", "WF", or "U") will be dismissed from the program. A student with probationary status receiving a grade below a "B" will be dismissed. Student grades will be evaluated at the end of each semester.