COURSE CURRICULUM

The Master of Arts (M.A.) in History at University of New Hampshire requires a minimum of 30 graduate credits and is designed to provide students with flexible pathways to develop advanced historical knowledge, research skills, and analytical writing abilities. The program is structured around three distinct academic plans—Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C—allowing students to tailor their studies based on whether they prefer deep specialization, broad interdisciplinary training, or an integrated M.A./Ph.D. track. Plan A is focused on intensive study within a single historical subfield and requires at least eight graduate-level history courses (800 level or above), including at least one research seminar. Students in this track complete a 6-credit master’s thesis (HIST 899), which represents in-depth original research in a chosen subfield such as modern U.S. history, early modern Europe, or the history of science. Plan B emphasizes breadth across at least two historical subfields and requires a minimum of ten graduate-level courses along with a research seminar. Instead of a thesis, students complete an oral examination demonstrating competence in two subfields, which may include areas such as ancient history, colonial Latin America, East Asia, or intellectual history. Plan C is designed for students entering a combined M.A. and Ph.D. pathway, requiring at least 30 credits of coursework aligned with doctoral preparation, submission of a research paper demonstrating competence in historical methods, and successful completion of Ph.D. qualifying examinations, after which the M.A. is awarded. Across all plans, students engage in rigorous research training, critical analysis of historical sources, and graduate-level scholarly writing. This structure prepares graduates for careers in education, archives, museums, public history, policy, or further doctoral study, while fostering strong analytical and communication skills essential for professional success in a wide range of fields.