Master of History at East Carolina University

The History at East Carolina University is a Master program designed for students who want to build the knowledge and skills required for careers in this field. Delivered on campus at the university's main campus in Greenville , United States of America, the program is taught in English and takes 2 years to complete. Students study in a Full Time environment while preparing for future professional opportunities. The next intake starts on August 21, 2027.

About Master of History

Are you interested in pursuing in-depth historical study to strengthen your credentials as a teacher? Are you interested in earning a degree as a stepping-stone to a doctoral program or to improve your abilities as a researcher, writer, and critical thinker?

East Carolina University's MA program in history affords bright and talented students the opportunity to pursue historical research to examine many of life's most interesting questions. Master's students learn to look at the human past in all its complexity and find patterns and meaning in ambiguous and complicated sets of facts. They learn to recognize the enormous range of human experiences across the centuries and to express their findings orally and in writing. History graduates are able to think critically, write effectively, and assess the dynamics of the world around them. History graduates learn how to become life-long learners, capable of success in a wide variety of fields. No matter what the future holds, there will always be jobs for people with these abilities. Graduate assistantships and a number of competitive scholarships are available for qualified, full-time students. These positions provide both teaching and research experience. ECU's nationally recognized chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, the national history honorary society, provides students the opportunity to present their research at scholarly conferences.

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Graduate Program Director/Coordinator: M. Todd Bennett (Brewster 319-A; 252-328-1033; [email protected])

The Department of History offers students five areas of concentration as follows: American history, Atlantic World history, European history, military history, and public history. The Department also offers students two options to obtain a master of arts in history degree: a thesis option, which is highly recommended for students planning to pursue a doctoral degree, teach at the college level, or seek employment in the historical profession; and a nonthesis option, intended primarily for professional educators, military officers, members of the general public and others interested in advanced historical study.

The thesis option requires a total of 30 s.h. of coursework. The student is required to take a minimum of 24 s.h. in one of the five areas of concentration, to which the historiography course, the seminar, and the thesis will contribute 12 s.h. of credit. (The concentration in public history requires successful completion of an internship in lieu of the seminar.) The student must also take a total of 6 s.h. either in a related field of history outside of the major concentration or (at the recommendation of the advisor and director of graduate studies, and with the approval of the chairperson of the Department of History) outside the Department of History.

An oral comprehensive examination will be a component of the thesis defense. Candidates will be required to demonstrate their knowledge of their field of concentration as well as establish how their thesis contributes to that field of study.

The nonthesis option requires a total of 36 s.h. of coursework. The student is required to take a minimum of 24 s.h. in one of the five areas of concentration, to which the historiography course, the seminar, and the directed research project (HIST 6993) will contribute 9 s.h. of credit. (The concentration in public history requires successful completion of an internship in lieu of the seminar.) The student must also take a total of 12 s.h. either in a related field of history outside of the major concentration or (at the recommendation of the advisor and director of graduate studies, and with the approval of the chairperson of the Department of History) outside the Department of History. A minimum of 6 s.h. of the nonconcentration requirement must be satisfied at the 6000-level.

In lieu of a traditional thesis, the nonthesis student will complete a capstone project in which they pursue independent research on a significant question or problem of their choice, engage the scholarly debates in the historical discipline, and with the guidance of a faculty mentor produce a substantial project that reflects a deep understanding of the topic and has professional application. Capstone projects include, but are not limited to, article-length historiographic essays, annotated syllabi, lesson plans, and digital history initiatives. An oral comprehensive examination will be a component of the capstone project defense. Candidates will be required to demonstrate their knowledge of their field of concentration as well as establish how their project contributes to that field of study.

In addition to the 30 or 36 s.h. of coursework described above, students pursuing either option must fulfill the department's research skills requirement by: a) successful demonstration of reading knowledge in a foreign language (FORL 6000 satisfies this requirement); or b) successful completion of HIST 5950; or c) successful completion of CSCI 2600. If HIST 5950 is used to satisfy the research skills requirement, it may not be counted toward the 30 or 36 s.h. requirement for the degree. Students who intend to pursue a PhD program are strongly advised to fulfill the foreign language requirement.

Students admitted to one option may subsequently switch to the other option, with the approval of the advisor, the graduate studies director, and the dean of the Graduate School. Students may switch options only once.

Minimum degree requirement is 30 (thesis option) or 36 (nonthesis option) semester hours as follows:

I. Thesis Option (30 s.h.)

A. Core courses - 9 s.h.

HIST 6900 - Historiography: Introduction to Research
HIST 7000 - Thesis

B. Seminar or internship - 3 s.h.

American history, Atlantic World history, European history, and military history concentrations:

Select 3 s.h. from the following:

HIST 6910 - Seminar in American History
HIST 6920 - Seminar in European History
HIST 6930 - Seminar in Atlantic World History

Public history concentration:

Select 3 s.h. from the following:

HIST 6940 - Graduate Internship in Archives and Historical Records Administration
HIST 6941 - Graduate Internship in Archives and Historical Records Administration
HIST 6942 - Graduate Internship in Archives and Historical Records Administration
HIST 6943 - Graduate Internship in Museum Administration
HIST 6944 - Graduate Internship in Museum Administration
HIST 6945 - Graduate Internship in Museum Administration
HIST 6946 - Graduate Internship in Historic Site Administration
HIST 6947 - Graduate Internship in Historic Site Administration
HIST 6948 - Graduate Internship in Historic Site Administration

C. Area of concentration - 12 s.h.

(American history, Atlantic World history, European history, military history, or public history)

Note: The student consults with the faculty advisor and director of graduate studies to determine concentration courses. A list of HIST courses can be generated by using the course filter within this catalog.

D. Related history coursework outside area of concentration - 6 s.h.

Note: At the recommendation of the advisor and director of graduate studies, and with the approval of the chair of the Department of History, students may be able to take the 6 s.h. outside the Department of History. Please see the director of graduate studies for more information about this option.

E. Research skills requirement

Students fulfill the research skills requirement by successfully completing one of the following:

Note: If HIST 5950 is used to satisfy the research skills requirement, it may not be counted toward the 30 s.h. requirement for the thesis option. Students who intend to pursue a PhD program are strongly advised to fulfill the foreign language requirement.

Satisfactory demonstration of reading knowledge in a foreign language or successful completion
Successful completion of

II. Nonthesis Option (36 s.h.)

A. Core courses - 6 s.h.

HIST 6900 - Historiography: Introduction to Research
HIST 6993 - Directed Research Project

B. Seminar or internship - 3 s.h.

American, Atlantic World, European, and military history concentrations:

Select 3 s.h. from the following:

HIST 6910 - Seminar in American History
HIST 6920 - Seminar in European History
HIST 6930 - Seminar in Atlantic World History

Public history concentration:

Select 3 s.h. from the following:

HIST 6940 - Graduate Internship in Archives and Historical Records Administration
HIST 6941 - Graduate Internship in Archives and Historical Records Administration
HIST 6942 - Graduate Internship in Archives and Historical Records Administration
HIST 6943 - Graduate Internship in Museum Administration
HIST 6944 - Graduate Internship in Museum Administration
HIST 6945 - Graduate Internship in Museum Administration
HIST 6946 - Graduate Internship in Historic Site Administration
HIST 6947 - Graduate Internship in Historic Site Administration
HIST 6948 - Graduate Internship in Historic Site Administration

C. Area of concentration - 15 s.h.

(American history, Atlantic World history, European history, and military history, and public history concentrations)

D. Related history coursework outside area of concentration - 12 s.h.

Note: At the recommendation of the advisor and director of graduate studies, and with the approval of the chair of the Department of History, students may be able to take the 12 s. h. outside the Department of History. Please see the director of graduate studies for more information about this option.

E. Research skills requirement

Students fulfill the research skills requirement by successfully completing one of the following:

Note: If HIST 5950 is used to satisfy the research skills requirement, it may not be counted toward the 36 s.h. requirement for the nonthesis option. Students who intend to pursue a PhD program are strongly advised to fulfill the foreign language requirement.

Satisfactory demonstration of reading knowledge in a foreign language or successful completion of
Successful completion of

Comprehensive Examination Requirement

All graduate programs at ECU require students to successfully complete a comprehensive assessment. The History, MA requires the following:

Thesis option: Successful completion of the thesis () and oral defense satisfy this requirement.
Nonthesis option: Successful completion of the capstone project () and a comprehensive examination (written and/or oral) satisfy this requirement.

For more information about this degree visit the university's academic catalogs.

Requirements and Admission Criteria for Master of History at East Carolina University

Entry Requirements

In order to be considered for admission, international graduate applicants follow the same steps as a U.S. applicant with a few exceptions as identified in Red font. Step by step instructions are identified below:

Complete the ECU Online Graduate School Application: One application fee and one set of supporting documents should be submitted for each program of study applying to.
Pay the Application Fee: Payment will be made through the self-service portal prior to submission of the application. The payment portal accepts debit or credit card only.
Provide Foreign Transcript Evaluation:

An official course by course credential evaluation of all foreign transcripts indicating that, at minimum, the US equivalent of a bachelor’s degree has been awarded by an accredited college or university is required.

Provide Official Transcript(s) & Diploma Copy: A copy of your transcript(s) and diplomas showing a full education history issued in your native language as well as a notarized or certified copy in English must be uploaded to your application.
Provide Evidence of English Proficiency: If English is not your native language and you have not completed at least one year of education (minimum of 18 credit hours) at a United States school, you are required to take a standardized English language exam or complete the ECU Language Academy (ECULA).
- Language Exam Options: The Graduate School accepts either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), the Duolingo English Test or Pearson Test of English (PTE) and scores must be forwarded to the Graduate School by the testing service. The paper- or computer-based TOEFL exam is accepted by request only.
ECU Language Academy: You may choose to attend the ECU Language Academy instead of taking the TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE. Also, if you do not obtain the required score on the TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE, at least one session of the ECU Language Academy may be required prior to the start of your program. Successful completion of all levels of the ECU Language Academy is required for admission without TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE scores. More information on the ECU Language Academy, including the ECULA application, is available on the Intensive English Program website. Individual programs may have higher minimum requirements.
Provide Official Standardized Admissions Test Results: If required by the program you’re applying to, please arrange for an official score report to be sent directly to the Graduate School by the testing service (GRE or GMAT). ECU’s institutional code is 5180. ECU does not have departmental codes.
Upload Statement of Purpose: If required by the program you’re applying to, please upload a copy of your personal statement (why you believe you would be a good candidate for the program) to your application. You may want to use resources to help you write a personal statement in English such as this webinar.
Provide Letters of recommendation: If required by the program you’re applying to, please arrange to have LOR’s submitted electronically with the online application. Review your program’s application requirements to determine the number of letters, if any, that they require.
Upload Resume: If required by the program you’re applying to, please upload a copy of your most recent resume to your online application.
Provide Financial information: If/when you are admitted to a graduate program at ECU you will be required to provide certified evidence of financial resources adequate to cover educational costs and living expenses. Documents only need submitted if/when an offer of admission is extended.

English Requirements

PTEMin 65
IELTSMin 6.5
TOEFLMin 78

Career Opportunities after Completing Master of History

Graduates with this degree are successful in many fields and careers, including the following:

History, General
History Teachers, Postsecondary
Scientific and Technical Services
Education and Training

Career Opportunities

ECU has developed resources to help you learn more about career opportunities and job market outlook. In addition, the websites below provide specific information on careers in the various majors from which students may choose:

NC Tower

This website provides graphs and tables of in-depth information on employment rates, wages and ongoing higher education enrollment of graduates from the North Carolina Community College System and from the University of North Carolina system schools. NC Tower includes data on former UNC students who are working in roughly 90% of all jobs in North Carolina. This database excludes information for graduates who are:

Self-employed;
Work for the federal government, including the military: or
Work outside of North Carolina.

US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook

This website also provides in-depth information regarding pay, projected new jobs, required education, growth rate and on-the-job training information on various occupations.

Degree-specific internships

For information on internship information for specific majors, go to the home page of the department in which the major is located and, as available, find the link to the information on internships in that major.

Tuition and Fee Information for Master of History at East Carolina University

Application Fee 75

How to Apply for Master of History at East Carolina University

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Master of History at East Carolina University

East Carolina University

United States of America, Greenville