History (MA)

Is the MA in history for you?

Do any of the following describe you?

• Passionate about discovering the past by finding and analyzing historical sources.
• Wish to develop skills in reading, writing, and critical thinking.
• Enjoy exploring archival records like newspapers, photographs, court documents, books, and magazines.
• Curious about a specific time period or historically significant event.
• Respect how understanding and learning from past events can inform current decisions.

Do these jobs sound interesting to you?

Our alumni are:

• College/university instructors
• History teachers
• Archivists
• PhD candidates

Other possibilities are:

• Researcher
• Author
• Historical resource manager

Is this the kind of salary you are seeking?

Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, shows the following outlook for Historians(opens in new window):

Median Pay
$63,940 per year
$30.74 per hour

Job Outlook
4% (As fast as average)

Environment
Historians must travel to carry out research. Most work full-time.

What if my bachelor’s isn’t in history?

You can still pursue this degree if your undergraduate degree was in a different field; however, prerequisites may be required to bring you up to speed. See the history graduate coordinator for details.

How long will it take?

• The MA in history is a 30-unit program which can be completed in two years.

Graduate Seminars

• Take graduate seminars on the United States, Europe, East Asia, Latin America, and ancient/classical civilizations.

Work with Outstanding Faculty

• Work closely with outstanding faculty to develop skills in research, writing, and critical thinking.
• Receive department support through an array of financial awards.

Serve as a Teaching Assistant

• Serve as a supervised teaching assistant in undergraduate courses.

Traveling to Conduct Research

Jeanette Adame received close mentoring from faculty and traveled to New Orleans to conduct original thesis research on how enslaved and free women of African descent used Spanish law to improve their socio-economic positions. She presented her work at the Student Research Competition and won first place locally as well as statewide. Her thesis won the Outstanding Thesis Award at Chico State and subsequently received the Western Association of Graduate Schools Distinguished Thesis Award.

Coaching on How to Write like a Historian

Rod Thomson, who won the Chico State Outstanding Thesis Award for his work on early Islam, teaches multiple courses as a lecturer in the Chico State history department. He also founded and serves as director of Chico State’s History Writing Cooperative, which coaches undergraduate and graduate students on writing like a historian.