Graduate Studies

History (MA)

Certificates
Certificate in Advanced Study in History

Application Deadlines

  • Fall: April-1
  • Spring: November-1 (October-1 for international applicants)

Requirements
Two letters of recommendation, statement of purpose, and writing sample.

Program Coordinator
Stephen Lewis


  Najm al-Din Yousefi in his HIST 363 class, The Middle East After 1800, after being recognized for Outstanding Academic Advisor Award by the Faculty Recognition and Support Committee (FRAS) on Thursday, February 8, 2018 in Chico, Calif.

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.

History students learning about archiving

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

Jake Philipps, Karl Godinez, Andrew Minai (left to right) and students in Daniel Veidlinger’s Religious Studies class visit the Chico History Museum on Friday, October 15, 2021 in Chico, Calif.

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.


History students on a field trip to the Sacramento Train Museum

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.

Trinity Hall from across campus in the fall

How long will it take?

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

What is it like to be a history master’s student?

History faculty Kate Transchel (center) leads students in Art History and Russian History class combo on a tour the exhibition “Revolutionizing the World? The Russian Revolution at its Centenary.”, installed in the Jacki Headley University Art Gallery

Graduate Seminars

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

Faculty Dr. Jeffry Livingston teaches in his United States History class (HIST 130), after being recognized for Outstanding Faculty Service Award by the Faculty Recognition and Support Committee (FRAS)

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.

Student giving a presentation

Serve as a Teaching Assistant

  • Serve as a supervised teaching assistant in undergraduate courses.

Here's What Our Students are Doing

Jeanette Adame

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.


Rod Thomson

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.