Applicants to the Master's program in History must hold a bachelor's degree from an institution accredited by one of the regional accrediting agencies, with an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0, and at least eighteen credits in History. Occasionally, applicants are accepted who majored in related fields, such as literature, philosophy or political science. Applicants to the Post-B.A. Certificate program must hold a B.A.
Financing Your Education
There are several options available to you for financing your education. Please see the Graduate Studies site for more information.
How to Apply
Please visit the web pages of the Office of Graduate Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at www.gradartsci.villanova.edu to request additional information or to begin your online application. If you are applying for an assistantship, please upload your writing sample in the "additional information section" while you are uploading other required documents in the online application.
| Entry Term | Deadline |
Applications may be Considered Until* |
Fall |
May 1 |
August 1* |
| Applications for those seeking a Graduate Assistant are due February 1. | ||
Spring |
November 15 |
December 1* |
Summer |
May 1 |
May 1 |
| *Applicants are advised to apply as soon as possible in order to avoid being shut out of filled courses. | ||
Contact Dr. Emmet McLaughlin, the Program Director, by email or 610-519-4662 to discuss your interest in doing graduate work.
Applicants to the Degree Program should submit the following materials:
- Application for admission online.
- Application fee: $50 payable by credit card online). The fee is waived for students with a Villanova degree.
- Transcripts: Step 1 - You may upload unofficial copies of your transcripts in the online application in order to receive an admission decision. However, those who are offered admission must complete the following process in order to enroll. Step 2- Official transcripts of all previous college work undergraduate (and graduate where applicable), must be sent directly from your registrar's office to the Office of Graduate Studies at Villanova. (Applicants in their last year of undergraduate study who have not completed their bachelor’s degree should provide a transcript of all courses completed at the time of application, and submit an official transcript when the undergraduate degree is completed.)
- Three Letters of Recommendation: please use the form found on the online application. Letters should be from professors with whom the applicant has studied History, or if necessary from professors in other disciplines in the Humanities and Social Sciences.
- Graduate Record Examination: Please note that GRE scores from tests taken more than five years before the date of application will not be accepted.
- A Statement of goals describing fields of interest in history, pertinent experience, prior research and objectives in seeking the Master's Degree (approximately 250 words).
- A Writing Sample is required from applicants for assistantships or scholarships.
Transfer of Credits
Requests for transfer credit must be made at the time of application. For more information, please see the Graduate Studies site.
