M.A. in History

Program Overview

The History Department maintains a small, selective graduate program leading to the master’s degree in history. Our faculty are distinguished both as active scholars and as engaged teachers, and our graduate program is based on close mentoring relationships between faculty and graduate students. The department aims to keep the program at a size that best supports students’ individual curricular and career goals: approximately 10-12 students are admitted each year.

For 2025, the History MA program deadline for application is February 1, and GRE scores are optional.

Curriculum

From UVM Catalogue:

History M.A. Requirements

Deadlines

Applicants who wish to apply for scholarships should submit a completed application by February 1. No application for admission to the program for the fall semester will be accepted after May 1. In exceptional circumstances, students may apply for admission for the spring semester. Those applications must be submitted by November 1.

Applicants to the AMP program must submit a completed application by May 1 of their junior year. In rare circumstances, a student may apply to be admitted for the spring semester of their senior year. Those applications must be submitted by November 1.

Applicants who wish to apply for scholarships should submit a completed application by February 1

Admissions

To apply to the History master’s program, students must submit an application to the UVM Graduate College, including:

• Statement of purpose (explaining the student’s intellectual interests and goals);
• Three letters of recommendation (normally from academic mentors or professors);
• A writing sample (normally a research paper completed in an undergraduate history course demonstrating the use of primary sources).
• For the year 2024-2025, submitting Graduate Record Examination scores is optional. GREs are not required for applicants to the Accelerated Master’s Program.
• Applicants who wish to apply for scholarships should submit a completed application by February 1.

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Outcomes

Students who complete the MA in history should:

1. Possess detailed historical knowledge of key events and periods in their areas of expertise and be able to explain their significance.
2. Be able to discuss and critique historiographical trends and developments and assess the nature of scholarly debates and disputes in their fields of study.
3. Be able to display skills of critical analysis. In the field of history these include the ability to develop persuasive arguments, evaluate the use of evidence, and the effectiveness of arguments in the work of other historians.
4. Be able to conduct original research that contributes to knowledge. In completing research of this nature (which might appear in the form of written essays, websites or other digital media, or historically-oriented exhibits) students showcase their ability to situate their work in scholarly conversations and debates, identify and utilize a substantial base of primary source material, and write high-quality historical prose in proper academic form.
5. Be able to discuss and present their work orally in ways that reflect both their grasp of the material and an ability to speak about it in an accessible manner.

Costs and Funding

The University of Vermont has approved a special reduced non-resident tuition rate for students in the History M.A. program. Check with Student Financial Services for the details.

The department offers a wide variety of scholarships and funded work opportunities that provide major support for most students over the course of their program.  

Two fellowships are awarded to our most highly qualified accepted applicants:

• The Miller Center for Holocaust Studies Fellowship provides full funding, including tuition and stipend, for a student in Holocaust Studies or related fields.
• The Thompson Fellowship provides full funding, including tuition and stipend, for a student in any field of history.

College of Arts and Sciences Scholarships are awarded to outstanding students to defray tuition costs.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships are awarded to approximately five students each semester, each carrying a stipend and partial tuition remission. Most admitted students are awarded one or more GTAs over the course of their studies.

Research Assistantships: The department frequently awards paid research assistantships to students working part-time with faculty on research projects.

Thompson Fund Grants: Graduate students are eligible to receive Thompson Fund grants for several types of support, including travel to conferences and research sites and funding for summer research or internships.

The David J. Haber and Robin D. Edelman History Graduate Research Awards
Funded by the generous annual gift of David Haber and Robin Edelman, these awards cover approved research and travel costs for students in American History (or related field) to enable graduate students to conduct archival research.   Students may apply for these awards in the Spring semester.

Work/Study positions: Many students who apply for financial aid will qualify for work/study funds.  All applicants are encouraged to submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form by the federally mandated deadline of March 1. It is usually possible to place students with work/study funding in History Department positions.

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Comprehensive Examination

All graduate students must pass a comprehensive examination in a field of specialization, to be defined in consultation with the primary faculty advisor.

The examination requires students to provide a comprehensive analysis of major themes and problems in their field of historical specialization, including attention to historiography and interpretive problems.  The examination may take one of several forms, to be determined by the faculty advisor in consultation with the student and the director of graduate studies. Options include: a timed written examination; an oral examination; a take-home essay; a historiographical review undertaken as part of the student’s master’s thesis; an annotated syllabus or detailed lesson plans for a field of study.  Exams will be assessed by the primary faculty advisor and a second faculty member.

Candidates whose initial efforts are not judged satisfactory may re-take the exam. In most instances, reexamination will occur within one month.  Students failing the examination twice will be dismissed from the program.

Degree Completion

Full-time students are expected to complete all degree requirements within two full years (four semesters of class work, combined with summer research, fellowships, or internships).  Students whose work requires extensive travel or language acquisition may require additional time.  Full-time students must complete all requirements within three years of beginning the program.

Students may choose to complete the program on a part-time basis.  Taking one course each semester will fulfill all requirements within five years, the deadline for completion.  Many seminars are scheduled in the afternoon or early evening to accommodate the schedules of students who are teaching or otherwise employed.