History
Overview
Take your passion for history a step further and get a master’s degree.
Our graduate program gives you the opportunity to explore your favorite topics extensively. You can choose between a thesis option or a field of study option, both offering freedom to study what you’re most interested in. At Illinois State, we provide a challenging program that is flexible and diverse to fit your needs. In addition to some basic requirements, you are given the option to choose the courses that intrigue you the most.
You can make use of your degree in a variety of ways, whether you’re going into education, law, public history, or any other field that prizes critical thinking and excellent writing skills. After completing our program, you’ll have the tools to take your career of choice to the next level.
Mastering in history helps advance your educational and professional development. Our faculty is known for specializing in a wide range of backgrounds, geographic areas, periods, and sub-fields of history. While you explore various historical topics that interest you, you can also take courses outside of the history department to help develop your own unique credentials or gain valuable hands-on experience in for-credit internships.
Point of Pride
Several of the Department of History’s M.A. graduates are pursuing their Ph.D. or law degree in programs such as Purdue University, University of Massachusetts, and Arizona State University.
Graduate Advisor
Dr. Katrin Paehler
(309) 438-8085
Schroeder Hall 306A
Schedule a Visit
Discover what life as an Illinois State graduate student is like.
How to Apply
University Admission Requirements
A student applying to this program must:
- Have earned a four-year bachelor's degree or its equivalent from a college or university that is accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting association, or do so by the time of program matriculation.
- Submit unofficial transcripts from each college or university other than Illinois State at which graduate, undergraduate, or non-degree credit was earned. The unofficial transcript should be easily readable and clearly indicate degree(s) awarded, courses and course grades for each term.
- If admitted, official domestic transcripts can be emailed from the university to GraduateAdmissions@IllinoisState.edu or mailed in a sealed envelope to: Illinois State University, Graduate School, 208 Hovey Hall, Campus Box 4040, Normal, IL 61790-4040.
- If admitted, official international transcripts can be emailed directly from the international institution to InternationalAdmissions@IllinoisState.edu or mailed in a sealed envelope to: Illinois State University, International Admissions, Campus Box 6180, Normal, IL 61790-6180.
International students can learn more about specific application requirements by visiting the Graduate School Admission Requirements.
Additional Program Admission Requirements
To be considered for this program, you must meet the following requirements.
Undergraduate Coursework and GPA
You must have an undergraduate degree in History or a related field. Your undergraduate cumulative GPA needs to be 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or higher.
The Grade Point Average (GPA) of all undergraduate credentials earned in the United States that are used for graduate degree admission evaluation is calculated by the last 60 hours of undergraduate work. International credentials are evaluated by using cumulative GPA (CGPA) in lieu of the GPA from the last 60 hours of undergraduate work.
Personal Statement
Submit a personal a personal statement that includes:
- Why you want to pursue a graduate degree in History
- Your academic or life experiences that shaped your intellectual development
- Your particular areas of interest in the field of history
- What you hope to achieve or accomplish as a graduate student in history
Length: 250-500 words
Resume
Include a brief resume with your application.
Writing Sample
Submit a sample of your writing, such as a research paper.
Length: 10-20 pages
Letters of Recommendation
Include two letters of recommendation. In the application system, enter the contact information for two referees familiar with your academic work who will write letters of recommendation for you. The application system will prompt your referees, and they will upload their letters of recommendation to a secure online portal for department review. Note that you can check on the status of your letters of recommendation in the application program.
TOEFL Score (International Students Only)
International students must have a TOEFL score of at least 94 iBT or IELTS score of at least 7.0 band.
GRE
Our department does not require but does accept GRE scores. Use institutional code 1319 if you want to submit your GRE scores to Illinois State.
Application Deadlines
- Fall (August) Term — February 15
- Spring (January) Term — September 15
- Summer (May/June) Term — Not accepting applications
Graduate Assistantships
The University provides graduate assistantships on a competitive basis as a means of financial support. They are intended as a way to facilitate a student's progress to degree while providing important professional development.
Eligibility
To be eligible for an assistantship a student must, generally,
- be admitted unconditionally as a degree-seeking student into a graduate academic program, or have a minimum of 120 undergraduate hours if in an integrated degree program
- be enrolled full-time (typically at least 9 credit hours during the fall or spring semesters, or at least 6 hours during the summer session)
The History Department awards graduate assistantships based on the strength of a students' admissions application, including their undergraduate GPA, their letters of recommendation, and their writing sample. To maintain an assistantship, a student must remain in good academic standing.
Benefits
Graduate assistants receive
- monthly wages paid in the form of either a stipend or an hourly wage
- a waiver for 100% of tuition during a semester of appointment
- a waiver for up to 12 credit hours of tuition for the summer term immediately following a fall or spring appointment
Costs & Funding
See Student Accounts for information on tuition and fees. Funding for graduate students is available from several different sources. Students who have been admitted from contiguous states including Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, and Wisconsin will receive in-state tuition.
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