Department of History
Master of Arts in History
General Information
The Master of Arts degree in History is designed to provide a course of study and useful skills
for those whose interests lie in a wide range of career opportunities and personal development.
Graduates from our MA program have entered extremely diverse professions such as: education,
business and government service, arts and entertainment, museum curation and archiving, and
non-profit work. Our program also offers the basic requirements for those who intend to pursue a
doctoral degree upon completion of their study at California State University, Fullerton.
I. Application Deadlines: Spring admission - November 1
st
Fall admission- March 1
st
Graduate program applications and all supplemental materials must be submitted online through
Cal State Apply. Note that the application deadlines on the Cal State Apply website are the most
current and accurate.
• Fall Admission: application perio
d begins October 1st and ends March 1st.
• Spring Admission: application period begins August 1st and ends November 1st.*
*Please note that in
ternational students have a Spring Admission deadline of October 1st.
Complete applications must include the following items to be considered for department review:
• Cal State Apply Graduate Application
• Statement of Purpose
• Two Let
ters of Recommendation
Applicants may also optionally include up to two writing samples and a CV or resume. This is strongly
encouraged for returning students or students with an educational background in a subject other than
History. GRE test scores are not required.
All application materials must be submitted through Cal State Apply. Any materials submitted
elsewhere will not be accepted toward your application.
Official transcripts must be sent directly to the Office of Admissions*. Transcripts submitted to the
History department will not be accepted toward your application. For more information on how to
submit your transcripts, please visit the Office of Admissions website or call (657) 278-3100.
*Current CSUF students or alumni are not required to request official transcripts from CSUF.
Please be sure to regularly check your CSUF Student Homepage "Task” section for any pending
requests or holds from the university. You may also view your application status, under the
“Admission” section of your Student Homepage.
1
II. Admission to the Master's Degree Programs - Taken from the University Catalog
The minimum requirements for admission to graduate and post-baccalaureate studies at a CSU campus
are in accordance with university regulations as well as Title 5, Chapter 1, Sub-chapter 3 of the
California Code of Regulations.
Master’s students should: 1) have completed a four-year college course of study and hold an
acceptable baccalaureate degree from an institution accredited by a regional accrediting association, or
shall have completed equivalent academic preparation as determined by appropriate campus
authorities; 2) be in good academic standing at the last college or university attended; 3) have earned a
grade-point average of at least 2.5 on the last degree completed by the candidate or have attained a
grade-point average of at least 2.5 (A=4.0) in the last 60 semester (90 quarter) units attempted; and 4)
satisfactorily meet the professional, personal, scholastic and other standards for graduate study,
including qualifying examinations, as appropriate to the program of study.
For more information, please see the University Catalog section titled "Graduate Admissions.”
III.
Culminating Experience Plan
As they begin their graduate program, each student needs to consider a culminating experience
plan for their studies. With guidance from the graduate program advisor and documented with a
faculty mentor in the area of specialization, this should be done soon after beginning coursework.
Three main plans are offered:
PLAN I, in which the student must pass written comprehensive examinations in two of the
following fields:
•
American history;
• European history;
• Latin American, Asian, African, or Middle Eastern history;
• World history.
PLAN II, in which one specific field of interest is developed and requires a written thesis, with
an oral examination taken before the final draft. Only those who have demonstrated superior
writing and research skills are allowed into the thesis track (3.4 GPA after completing 15 units of
coursework excluding internship and editing classes).
PLAN III, in which one specific field of interest within the area of Oral, Public, or Digital
History is developed. This plan requires the creation of an original research project which can
take several forms (including digital, written, or visual). Those who wish to complete their
degree with an emphasis in Public History must follow this plan.
Any questions not addressed in the following pages or on the program's web page should be
directed to the Department of History main office at (657) 278-3474 or the program advisors,
listed on the department website at hist.fullerton.edu.
2
Frequently Asked Questions
Find more on our program web page here.
Is the M.A. in History right for me?
The master's program in history is best suited for individuals who:
(1)
have or are working toward a social studies credential.
(2)
are planning on pursuing a PhD after the master's degree.
(3)
would like to work in oral/public history, i.e. an archival or museum setting.
(4)
are interested in their own personal accomplishment. Often, this would be someone who is a
non-traditional or "returning" student.
(5)
would like to teach at the community college level.
NOTE: it is difficult to get a full- time teaching position at that level with a master's degree for two
main reasons: (a) community colleges prioritize hiring History PhDs, and (b) most community college
teaching positions are hired on a part-time basis.
What are the deadline dates to apply to the program?
The deadline dates for our program are: March 1
st
for fall admission and November 1
st
for spring
admission.
Please note that international students have a Spring Admission deadline of October 1st.
Do
I need to send transcripts to the History Department?
Official transcripts must be sent directly to the Office of Admissions*. Transcripts submitted to the
History
department will not be accepted toward your application. For more information on how to submit your
transcripts, please v
isit the Office of Admissions website or call (657) 278-3100.
*Current CSUF students or alu
mni are not required to request official transcripts from CSUF.
Can I
be admitted into the program if I did not get my bachelor's degree in History?
Applicants from all disciplines who are interested in pursuing History are welcome to
apply to the master’s program. If you received your undergraduate degree in a subject other than
history, we highly encourage you to submit a writing sample in addition to your Statement of Purpose.
Non- History majors may be conditionally admitted and asked to complete one or more specified courses
prior to
beginning graduate level work.
Is the GRE required?
GRE Test scores are not required in the History MA application.
What are the GPA requirements?
You should have at least a 3.0 GPA in your last 60 units of coursework and a 3.0 in your upper- division
history courses or in
the upper-division courses in your major.
3
As part of your application to the History program, you are required to submit a Statement of Purpose.
Please discuss the following carefully and thoughtfully, in 600-1,000 words:
(1) What are your goals in pursuing an M.A. degree at CSUF? Do you want to enhance existing social
studies teaching credentials or work toward teaching at the community college level? Are you more
interested in Public and Oral history where you would work in a museum or archival setting, or is
this more of a personal goal that you hope to accomplish?
(2) What are your areas of interest geographically (U.S., European, Asian, World), chronologically
(ancient, medieval, modern), and/or topically (women's history, military history, etc.)? How did you
become interested in the field? You may want to mention books that have been especially influential
in shaping your interests.
(3) Alert us of any anomalies in your record. For example, if your GPA is below a 3.0 you should
explain why the graduate advisor should still consider your application. Alternately, let us know if
you have any academic awards or honors.
Do I need letters of recommendation?
As part of your application to the History MA program, you are required to submit two le
tters of
recommendation through the Cal State Apply system, but may submit up to three requests for a letter of
recommendation. We recommend submitting all three available requests to ensure at least two letters of
recommendation are received prior to the application deadline.
If you have already requested your letters of recommendation, please advise your recommenders that they
reference. Please also inform your recommenders to “be on the lookout” for this email in their inbox and in
their spam or junk folders. Recommenders must submit their recommendations in Cal State Apply
. Any
letters of recommendation submitted elsewhere will not be accepted toward your History MA program
application.
Frequently check your application portal to
ensure letters have been submitted and contact those
recommenders who have yet to complete the recommendation. If your recommenders do not submit letters
by the application deadline, your application will be marked incomplete and will not be reviewed.
How long does it take to complete the program?
Our program is designed to be completed in 2 ½ years or 5 semesters if a student enrolls in a
minimum of 6 units per semester.
Can I att end part-time or must I attend full-time?
You may attend full-time or part-time. Part-time is defined as taking 3-6 units per semester and
full-time is defined as taking 9-12 units per semester. It is strongly recommended that you take
no more than six units per semester if you are working while attending school.
4
What should be included in the Statement of Purpose?
Are there any concentrations available?
Our program offers two concentrations: Public History (which includes digital and oral history
focuses) and
Chicana/o Studies.
What is the total number of units for the Master's degree in History?
The Master's Degree consists of thirty units or the equivalent of ten courses. This includes
18 units (6 classes) of 500 level graduate coursework and about 12 units (four classes) of
electives. Electives are completed by taking a mix of 400-level courses with graduate
augmentation and additional 500 level courses. Below information is generalized for
conciseness.
All students must take the following 500 level courses:
(1) History 501, History and Theory.
(2) Two of the following Readings courses in which you explore major historical themes:
o History 521T (Readings in European History)
o
History 541T (Readings in Non-West History)
o
History 551T (Readings in World History)
o History 571T (Readings in American History)
(3) One of the following history research seminar courses in which you use primary sources to
write a well-crafted research paper:
o History 522 (Seminar in European History)
o History 542T (Seminar in Non-West History)
o History 552T (Seminar in World History)
o History 572 (Seminar in American History)
(4) An additional two 500-level courses, which are usually attached to the student's exit option.
There is a slight course variation in the Public History and Chicana/o Studies concentrations,
(See p.8 for more information)
How
do
I
complete my M.A. in History?
Each student will choose one of four tracks to complete
their degree requirements. Below
information is provided to give prospective students a general idea of the various options.
Details regarding degree requirements and specific courses will be discussed with the program
advisors and/or Graduate Coordinator.
See the following pages for more information on each option.
5
Do you offer courses in the evening?
Most of our 500- level courses are offered in the evening and a variety of our 400-level courses
begin at 4:00 p.m. or 7:00 p.m. Our program is well designed for students who work full- time or
have other commitments during the day.
HIST 501 (Theory & History) 3 units
(1) 500 level Seminar course: 3 units
(2) 500 level Readings courses: 6 units
(2) 400/500 level Public/Digital/ Oral History course 6 units
(4) 400/500 level electives 12 units
Total 30 units
Option II: Master's with a Thesis
The thesis is a substantial research project that may also take the form of a scholarly article
appropriate for journal submission. The topic will be mutually agreed upon by you and your
thesis supervisor (also known as your thesis committee chair). Your last 6 units of 500 level
courses (History 598 Thesis) are of a "phantom" nature. You do not meet in a formal classroom
setting. Rather, you work independently on your thesis while meeting periodically with your
thesis committee chair.
The thesis track is reserved for M.A. students who have attained
at least a 3.4 GPA
after the
completion of 15 units and any relevant language training. History 596 (Internship) may not be
used in calculating GPA for the thesis track. The GPA requirement may be waived by a formal
written request from the history faculty member who will chair the student's thesis committee
Those who are self-driven and disciplined have the best chance of completing a thesis in a timely
and scholarly manner. If you already have a possible topic you should gear your coursework
towards that topic so you can build a body of material that will fit into your thesis down the road. In
essence, you are working on your coursework and your thesis at the same time.
If you hope to enter the thesis track you should first make sure that there is a faculty member in
the History department with expertise in your area of interest. Contact that professor prior to
applying and make sure that new M.A. candidates for that field are being accepted. In some cases
the professor with expertise may either have a full complement of students or be on faculty
sabbatical. As noted above, only those who have demonstrated superior writing and research
skills are allowed into the thesis track. The plan of study follows this format:
HIST 501 (Theory & History) 3 units
(1) 500 level Seminar course: 3 units
(2) 500 level Readings courses: 6 units
(2) 400/500 level Public/Digital/ Oral History course 6 units
(2) 400/500 level electives 6 units
HIST 598 (Thesis course) 6 units
Total 30 units
Option I: Master's with Comprehensive Exam
s
This is the most versatile option, preparing
students for careers in academia, education,
journalism, business, law, government, publishing, and non-profits. For this option you develop
and demonstrate your mastery of two distinct, historical fields by taking two exams as you
near completion of your coursework. This is an especially fitting culminating experience for our
graduate students who are teaching at primary and secondary levels. The plan of study follows
this format:
6
Option III: Master's with Public History Concentration
The Public History concentration prepares students to practice history in more public settings such
as museums, libraries, archives, and classrooms. Specialized coursework includes at least one
required internship. This concentration also has particular access to and support from CSUF's
Center for Oral and Public History.
HIST 501 (Theory & History)
3 units
(1) 500 level Seminar course:
3 units
(2) 500 level Readings courses:
6 units
(2) 400/500 level Public/Digital/ Oral History course
6 units
(1-2) 400/500 level electives
3-6 units
And (1) of the below:
HIST 598 (Thesis course)
6 units
HIST 597 (Project course)
3-6 units
(2) Additional electives (Comp Exam option)
6 units
Total
30 units
Option IV: Master's with Chicanx Concentration
The Chicano/a Studies concentration allows students to develop a deep, interdisciplinary
understanding of the histories, art, literature, education, sociology, and theory of Chicanx and
Latinx histories, contributions, and experiences. Specialized coursework includes a required
Chicano/a Paradigms and Traditions course, and related electives. It is possible to pursue
concentrations in Chicanx and Oral/Public/Digital History simultaneously (not demonstrated
in unit summary below).
HIST 501 (Theory & History)
3 units
(1) 500 level Seminar course:
3 units
(2) 500 level Readings courses:
6 units
(2) 400/500 level Public/Digital/ Oral History course
6 units
CHIC 500 ((Chicana/o Studies Paradigms)
3 units
(1-2) 400/500 level electives
3 units
And (1) of the below:
HIST 598 (Thesis course)
6 units
HIST 597 (Project course)
3-6 units
(2) Additional electives (Comp Exam option)
6 units
Total
30 units
Last revised 09/23/22
7
