This unique and exciting program offers students the opportunity to combine the scholarly rigor of a traditional M.A. in History with the valuable pragmatic skills needed for management positions in non-profit institutions.  It is particularly well suited for students interested in careers in the field of Public History, including work in museums, historic preservation, cultural tourism, libraries and archives, and new media. While advancing their mastery of historical research, historiography, and methodology in rigorous graduate seminars and internships in history, students in the combined program also learn how to manage the economic, administrative and political challenges faced by nonprofit institutions in their courses in Villanova’s nationally accredited Master of Public Administration program.

Admission and Completion Requirements

Applicants must be evaluated and accepted by both the History Department for its Masters program and the Master in Public Administration program for its Non-Profit Certificate program.  The same admission standards that apply for the MPA Program apply for students in the History MA/Certificate program.

Required Courses:

The program follows the university’s policy that allows students to pursue two programs simultaneously and have up to 25% of the courses in one program count for credit in the other program. The credit requirements are as follows:

24 History credit hours or 8 courses from the history curriculum, one of which must be History 8702, Introduction to Public History. History will accept 6 credit hours or two courses in Public Administration toward the History Masters degree.

12 credit hours or 4 courses from the Masters in Public Administration’s Certificate in Nonprofit Management. 

History 8702 Introduction to Public History will be accepted for credit in both programs.

Total Credits: 36 (History 24 + MPA 12)

History: 24 credits:

• Historiography 3 cr
• Concentration 12 cr
• History 8702, Introduction to Public History 3 cr
• Electives 6 cr

The remaining 6 credits required for the MA in History are fulfilled by two MPA courses.

Masters in Public Administration Certificate in Nonprofit Management: 12 credits

MPA 8003 Financial Management

MPA 8600 Effective Nonprofit Management

MPA 8700 Fundraising for Nonprofit Organizations

One elective. For a list of electives, contact the MPA department.

The remaining 3 credits required for the MPA Certificate are fulfilled by History 8702, Introduction to Public History

Scholarships and Assistantships

Graduate assistants and tuition scholars in History who wish to participate in the combined program will receive tuition remission for thirty credits (24 History credits plus 6 MPA credits), but not for the additional 6 credits required to earn a Certificate in Nonprofit Management.