Master of Arts in History
Program Highlight
Meet graduate history student, Katey Denney. Originally from California, Katey transferred to WT when she found her passion for history, and has never looked back.
About the M.A. in History
The Master of Arts degree in history at WTAMU offers leading-edge training in American, international, and public history. It exposes students to advanced historiography and historical research methods and hones the important abilities of reading comprehension, critical thinking, creative writing, and public speaking. Because of the fundamental skills graduate work in history instills, it prepares students for a variety of career paths, including teaching at the secondary and post-secondary level, museum and gallery curatorship, archival management, journalism, and public service. Our most recent graduates have taken teaching positions at local and regional high schools, colleges, and universities and have been accepted to top Ph.D. programs in the United States and abroad.
Our graduate program is tailored to meet the needs and goals of our diverse student population. It is designed for individuals who seek employment in education, historical societies, and history museums, preparation for doctoral work in history, or the sheer intellectual challenge of graduate study. Our program is flexible and caters to both traditional students and working professionals. Although there are general program requirements to ensure that every student graduates with a firm grasp of the latest historical interpretations and methodologies, we encourage study in other disciplines to expand overall perspective. We welcome both part- and full-time students and offer evening graduate seminars in online and face-to-face formats to accommodate busy schedules and pedagogical preferences. We have directed readings courses that give students the opportunity to work one-on-one with faculty on a specific historical event or era of their choice.
We also take advantage of having the largest history museum in the state of Texas on campus, the Panhandle Plains Historical Museum, by directing museum internships for those interested in public history.
Program Resources & Specializations
- See the History Graduate Handbook for more program information.
- See the WT Catalog for complete degree requirements and course listings.
To better meet the needs of our students, the department offers two tracks to the Master of Arts in history: a 30 hour thesis or 36 hour non-thesis option. The thesis track is intended for students who wish to conduct original research at the master’s level and/or plan to pursue doctoral studies in history. The non-thesis track is intended for students who want more content-based learning to augment for their own teaching, academic training, or personal knowledge.
Specializations
The department also offers two specialization options, each with either a thesis or non-thesis track.
Emphasis in Western American Studies
- This multidisciplinary emphasis is designed to take advantage of WT’s unique institutional and geographical strengths and aimed at students who want to focus on topics related to the American West at the graduate level.
Emphasis in Art History
- This interdisciplinary emphasis is designed to prepare graduates for careers in fine arts, museums, galleries, and education.
Program Admission
Students are welcome to apply for admission on a rolling basis each semester. The number of applicants admitted is determined by student-to-faculty ratio and quality of the candidates. The following dates for submission of admission materials are for guaranteed review of applications:
Application Deadlines:
- August 1 for fall admission
- December 1 for spring admission
- May 1 for summer admission
International students are advised to consult the application deadlines set by WT’s International Student Services at: https://www.wtamu.edu/student-support/international-student-services/Applicants/international-application-dates.html
Career Opportunities
Individuals possessing a graduate degree in history are well-positioned for employment in a variety of career fields. A master’s in history opens the opportunity to work as an academic historian at colleges and universities. In 2020, historians earned a median salary of $63,680 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. A master’s in history prepares graduates for careers in archives, museums, and galleries. In 2020, according to the BLS, archivists earned a median income of $53,950 while museum curators earned a median income of $54,570 respectively. The BLS predicts faster than average growth in these fields over the next decade.
Possible Careers
- Archaeologist
- Archivist
- Clergy
- College Professor/University Instructor
- Corporate Historian
- Digital Curator
- Editor
- Government
- Journalist
- Lawyer
- Librarian
- Museum Curator
- Museum Educator
- Teacher
Visit the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Industury pages for more details.
Scholarships & Program Cost
The History department is committed to providing an affordable graduate experience. In addition to WT general scholarships, the History department has significant internal financial support for its graduate students in the forms of graduate assistantships and scholarships. Given the relatively small size of our graduate program, students in good standing can expect to receive funding during their studies.
- Visit the WT Scholarships page for more details.
- Visit the Graduate School Financial Information pages for more details.
- Visit WT Cost Calculator to estimate program costs.