Master's in History Online MA Degree

Explore major political, cultural, social and economic shifts in American society in the Master of Arts in History with a concentration in American History program. Taking a broad look at American history, this program will have you studying the significant factors that have shaped our country.

From the colonization of America to both world wars and all the way through to the current day, you'll analyze the rise of the U.S. as a global power. By applying the historian's tools to your own interests, you can graduate from the program as a true American history scholar.

Career outlook:

With an online master's in American history, you can pursue careers in research, writing, teaching, government or publishing. The knowledge and skills developed by studying American history could give you an edge in a wide range of professions.

Originally a high school teacher, Amy Tatro ’15G earned her master’s in American history at SNHU. Deciding to shift gears, her career took her into construction, where she became a top executive.

“While I’m not using my master’s degree specifically for history, there are many things I learned in that program that have helped me to excel at my current position,” Tatro said. “I am by far a better researcher, investigator and writer.”

With a concentration in American history, you could find yourself contributing to fields like education, journalism, publishing and research. The knowledge you'll gain from this program is applicable and valuable to government, nonprofit and corporate entities.

In the online master's in American history, you'll take courses that provide a broad look at American history and the events that have shaped our country.

Courses may include:

• Early American Encounters
• Era of the Civil War
• The Gilded Age and Progressive Era
• America and the World Wars

In the MA in History with a concentration in Military History program, you'll assess major themes in global military history, including military theory and the effects of warfare on the political, cultural and economic life of the societies involved. In the process, you'll hone your research, writing and communication skills, making yourself more marketable to employers.

"I think this particular degree and its concentration will greatly help me in my historical writing and historical researching avocation," said Timothy Connelly ’17G of his choice to pursue a master's in military history.

The master’s in military history online program will deepen your knowledge of the process of making history through analyzing historical scholarship, crafting written communications and defending the relevance of the past as it pertains to making informed decisions about the future. You'll emerge not only with up-to-date knowledge, but also with the research, writing and critical-thinking skills to work in a variety of fields where today’s real world meets meaningful interpretations of the past.

The master’s in military history online program strengthens critical research and writing skills. After completing core history courses, you'll take 5 military history courses and complete a capstone experience that results in a project or research paper.

Career outlook:

Military history master’s degree-holders – especially those who are in the military – can pursue roles with the U.S. Department of Defense, Homeland Security and U.S. embassies around the world.

Earning a master's degree in military history could be a natural next step in your career if you have a military background. In fact, almost 50% of our master's in military history students have military affiliations. And because the busy life of an American military service member might not allow for a traditional learning experience on a college campus, the 24/7 flexibility of SNHU's online programs can be an ideal option for many students.

Courses may include:

• History of Military Thought
• America and the World Wars
• The Russian Revolutions
• Chinese Imperialism

Protect historical artifacts and communicate cultural narratives by earning your online Master of Arts in History with a concentration in Public History degree. In the master's in public history online program, you'll learn to create historical preservation and outreach initiatives that integrate deep content knowledge and technological savvy to educate and empower individuals and groups.

Many of the courses in the public history master's program are geared toward understanding the tools of public history as opposed to diving into historical content or periods. The program was created to help you build your skill set, including the management, preservation and interpretation of historical records and artifacts while strengthening critical research and writing skills.

After completing the master's in history core, you'll take 5 public history courses and complete a unique capstone experience. Placing an emphasis on the skills needed to work at a museum or other public history venue, the public history capstone is project- and presentation-based rather than a thesis paper.

Career outlook:

If you've always dreamed of leading an organization, program or project, the master's in public history is a great choice for you.

Focusing on practical and business skills you can put to work in public settings, this program was created to help prepare you to become a leader in museum and historical society work, community history projects, preservation programs, and local and federal research projects.

Careers for public history master’s degree-holders include archivists, editors, educators, information managers, journalists, librarians, records managers, researchers, and historians for corporations and nonprofits.

Courses may include:

• Public History Strategic Management
• Documentary Editing
• Archival Management
• Museum Collection Management

Flexible

With no set class meeting times, you can learn on your schedule and access online course materials 24/7.

Affordable

Take advantage of some of the lowest online tuition rates in the nation, plus financial aid for those who qualify. We also make it easy to transfer to SNHU by accepting up to 12 credits from your previous institution.

Respected

Founded in 1932, Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit institution with over 100,000 graduates across the country. SNHU is regionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), which advocates for institutional improvement and public assurance of quality.

Recently, Southern New Hampshire University has been nationally recognized for leading the way toward more innovative, affordable and achievable education:

• “Most Innovative” regional university honors from U.S. News & World Report each year since 2015
• A $1 million grant from Google.org to explore soft skills assessments for high-need youth
• Recognition as a 2017 Digital Learning Innovator by the Online Learning Consortium

Network

At Southern New Hampshire University, you'll have access to a powerful network of more than 200,000 students, alumni and staff that can help support you long after graduation. Our instructors offer relevant, real-world expertise to help you understand and navigate your industry. Plus, with our growing, nationwide alumni network, you'll have the potential to tap into a number of internship and career opportunities.

96.5% of students would recommend SNHU.² Discover why SNHU may be right for you.

Part of our mission to expand access to quality higher education means removing the barriers that may stand between you and your degree. That’s why you can apply at any time and get a decision within days of submitting all required materials — with no GRE or GMAT required.

Master's degree candidates must also submit a personal statement. Students with an undergraduate GPA below 2.75 are eligible for provisional acceptance. Based on educational background, some Master of Arts provisional students may be required to take SNHU 501 – Introduction to Graduate Studies – which will provide students with the scholarly tools to be successful in their Master of Arts program of study.

To apply, use the online application.

Simply contact an admission counselor, who can help you explore financial options, answer all your questions, and walk you through the application process, which includes:

• Completing a graduate application
• Providing undergraduate transcripts

Acceptance decisions are made on a rolling basis throughout the year for our 5 graduate terms. You can apply at any time and get a decision within days of submitting all required materials.

Respected public and private schools across the U.S. offer online master's degrees in history.

As a pioneer in online higher education – launching our online program offerings in 1995 – SNHU has decades of experience providing high quality degrees both online and on campus. Accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), Southern New Hampshire University remains committed to increasing access to high quality degree programs to more than 135,000 learners nationwide.

SNHU's online MA in History program is one of the largest and fastest growing in the nation. Because of the flexible nature of online learning, many working adults embrace online master's degree programs to help balance professional and personal priorities while earning a quality education.

Graduates of history degree programs learn adaptable soft skills that are valued in many fields.

Earning your MA in History might position you for roles like:

• Archivist
• Conservator
• Curator
• Educator
• Historian
• Museum director
• Research analyst
• Teacher

Beyond a more traditional career path, the skills gained in a graduate history program could be useful in work related to libraries, journalism, anthropology and even communication and marketing. Learn more about what you can do with a master's in history.

Completing a master's degree program typically takes 1-2 years.

By taking 2 courses over 6 terms, you could earn your master's in history degree in as few as 15 months at SNHU. Our programs were built with busy learners in mind, so how long it takes to earn your degree is largely up to your goals and schedule.

Southern New Hampshire University's transfer credit policies also allow you to transfer up to 12 credits toward your master's degree, which could save you time in completing your graduate degree in history.

Yes, you can earn your master's degree in history online.

SNHU offers an online Master of Arts in History along with 3 concentrations: American history, military history and public history. With over 135,000 learners enrolled at our university, many students have found that the format of our online programs provides the flexibility they need to pursue their degree while working full time.

"I never really thought it was possible to do my degree online," said Denise Treacy '15G. "I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the MA in History program and cost. I could actually afford it."

The cost of earning a master's degree in history can vary depending on the school and program.

At Southern New Hampshire University, we're committed to keeping higher education affordable. In fact, we care so much about making our programs accessible that we haven't increased online tuition since 2012 (and have frozen it through 2021). At $627/credit, SNHU's 33-credit MA in History has a total tuition cost of $20,691.

¹ Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, on the internet, at:

• https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/historians.htm (viewed Dec. 9, 2019)
• https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes193093.htm (viewed Dec. 11, 2019)

Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.

² According to more than 9,200 SNHU online students in survey responses from the fall of 2019.