Program Overview

Master of Arts in History

The Master of Arts in History program at Western Washington University offers students an opportunity to deepen their understanding of historical methods and to produce an original work of scholarship. The MA thesis is filed with the library and in an online database available to researchers from around the world.

Program Overview

• Degree Type: Master of Arts
• Location: Bellingham, face to face
• Total Credits: 48

Program Goals

This program prepares students:

• For positions as researchers, writers, teachers, and curators in a variety of public and private settings
• To teach at the secondary or community-college level
• For study at the PhD level

Application Requirements

• All applicants must complete the Graduate School's application and pay the application fee.
• Within the application, upload an unofficial transcript from each institution attended. If admitted, provide official transcripts.
• Additional application materials are specified below. Applications will not be forwarded to the department for review until all required materials have been received by the Graduate School.
• International Applicants: Review the requirements for information regarding Degree Equivalency, English Language Proficiency, and student VISA requirements.

Additional Application Requirements

• Three (3) Letters of Reference
• Writing sample: An academic research paper or literature review of 10-25 pages that showcases the student's abilities to utilize historical materials as well as effectively engage historical methods and theories (or those from a related field)
• Statement of Purpose: Submit a brief essay (300-600 words) addressing qualifications for graduate study, by answering the following questions:
  1. What purposes does the study of history serve, and why do you wish to pursue graduate study in this field?
  2. Which topic(s), time period(s), and/or field(s) of history would you hope to investigate?
  3. What specific strengths do you possess that will be applicable to that endeavor?
  4. What do you hope to achieve while in the program and how does a graduate degree in history relate to your future goals?

Application Deadline

• Fall: Funding Deadline February 1; Final Deadline May 15

Program Information

Western's History MA offers students an opportunity to deepen their understanding of historical methods and to produce an original work of scholarship. The MA thesis is filed with the library and in an online database available to researchers from around the world.

Testimonials

During my time as a graduate student in the History department, my paradigms and narratives of history were broadened. Our cohort was pushed to consider how class, race, gender, and sexuality influenced the recording and telling of historical events. Those discussions were not always comfortable, but they gave me a foundation to teach in today’s political climate and a framework to view my work here at the Library. In addition, as a master’s student in the History department, I drastically improved my researching, writing, and editing skills.

Jennifer Reidel M.A. History 2007

As curator of the Lessing J. Rosenwald Graphic Arts Collection at the Library of Congress, Stephanie Stillo spends her days among rare books printed in the last five centuries. She meets with visiting scholars and artists, plans exhibitions and conferences, and works with antiquarian book dealers to find new items for the collection. After completing her master’s degree in history at Western, Stillo went on to earn a doctorate at Kansas University and complete a postdoctoral appointment at Washington & Lee University. “Our national cultural heritage institutions belong to the American people,” Stillo says. “I would like to be part of public projects that support Americans taking more ownership of these resources."

Stephanie Stillo M.A. History 2011

Why History at WWU?

Western's History MA offers students an opportunity to deepen their understanding of historical methods and to produce an original work of scholarship. The MA thesis is filed with the library and in an online database available to researchers from around the world.