MA IN HISTORY

Graduate students seated at a table working on a group project

Villanova University is one of relatively few academic institutions in the country that offers only a master's degree in History, rather than both the MA and PhD, and, as such, our master's students benefit from close relationships with faculty.

Thirty credits (10 courses) are required to complete the master's program. There is no thesis requirement, but opportunities to undertake original research projects are offered as part of regular courses. Students plan their course of study in consultation with a faculty advisor in one of the concentrations below.

Students must complete HIS 8850 - Theory and Methods. No course may be applied to more than one requirement, e.g. to two concentrations, or to a concentration and the historiography requirement.

MA CONCENTRATIONS

Geographic

Africana

HIS 8077 - African American History during Slavery
HIS 8088 - Africa American History since Slavery
HIS 8081 - Reconstruction
HIS 8410 - The Atlantic World
HIS 8433 - Imperialism & Nationalism in the Middle East
HIS 8436 - Women in Modern Middle East
HIS 8441 - Africa and the Emergence from Colonialism

These courses may apply. Please consult semester course listings:

HIS 8002 - Topics in North American History
HIS 8402 - Topics in World History
HIS 8414 - Topics in Latin America History
HIS 8602 - Topics in Comparative History
HIS 8800 - Topics in Historiography

Americas

HIS 8011 - Colonial North America
HIS 8061 - American Foreign Relations to 1914
HIS 8062 - Foreign Relations Since 1914
HIS 8077 - Topics in African-American History During Slavery
HIS 8410 - Atlantic World 1500-1800
HIS 8412 - Colonial Latin America
HIS 8416 - Modern Latin America
HIS 8648 - Environmental History

Asia

HIS 8061 - American Foreign Relations to 1914
HIS 8062 - American Foreign Relations since 1914
HIS 8425 - Modern Japan
HIS 8428 - Women and Gender in East Asia
HIS 8433 - Imperialism & Nationalism in the Middle East
HIS 8436 - Women and Gender in the Middle East
HIS 8452 - History of Modern South Asia

These courses may apply. Please consult semester course listings:

HIS 8204 - Topics in Ancient History
HIS 8402 - Topics in World History
HIS 8454 - Empire & Decolonization
HIS 8602 - Topics in Comparative History
HIS 8662 - Impact of War on Society
HIS 8800 - Topics in Historiography

Atlantic World

HIS 8011 - American Society in the Colonial Era to 1750
HIS 8077 - Topics in African-American History During Slavery
His 8231 - French Revolution and Napoleonic Era
HIS 8235 - British Economy and Society 1689-1815
HIS 8248 - Early Modern Ireland
HIS 8410 - Atlantic World 1500-1800
HIS 8648 - Environmental History

These courses may apply. Please consult the semester course listings:

HIS 8002 - Seminar in North American History
HIS 8066 - Topics in American Intellectual and Cultural History
HIS 8071 - Topics in Early American Social History
HIS 8021 - Early American Republic
HIS 8402 - Topics in World History
HIS 8414 - Topics in Latin American History
HIS 8454 - Empire & Decolonization
HIS 8602 - Topics in Comparative History
HIS 8800 - Topics in Historiography

Europe

HIS 8202 - Seminar Topics European History
HIS 8205 - Ancient Mediterranean
HIS 8206 - Dark Ages
HIS 8207 - Women in Medieval and Early Modern Europe
HIS 8208 - Medieval Europe
HIS 8209 - The Renaissance
HIS 8211 - Reformation and Catholic Counter Reformation
HIS 8225 - The Enlightenment
HIS 8231 - French Revolution and Napoleonic Era
HIS 8235 - British Economy and Society 1689-1815
HIS 8241 - European Nationalism 1815-1870
HIS 8245 - Great Britain since 1815
HIS 8248 - Early Modern Ireland
HIS 8252 - Modern France since 1815
HIS 8262 - Imperial Russia to 1917
HIS 8272 - Europe on the Eve of WWI
HIS 8274 - Twentieth Century Europe
HIS 8275 - European Imperialism
HIS 8279 - Germany since 1945
HIS 8281 - Russia and the USSR in the 20th Century
HIS 8292 - European Intellectual History since 1850

United States

HIS 8002 - Seminar in North American History
HIS 8011 - American Society in the Colonial Era to 1750
HIS 8016 - American Nation 1750-1800
HIS 8021 - Early American Republic
HIS 8026 - American Civil War Studies
HIS 8033 - The Gilded Age, 1865-1900
HIS 8041 - Roosevelt to Roosevelt
HIS 8042 - US since the New Deal
HIS 8061 - American Foreign Relations to 1914
HIS 8062 - American Foreign Relations since 1914
HIS 8003 - American Women and Gender History
HIS 8066 - Topics in Amer Intellectual and Cultural History
HIS 8071 - Topics in Early American Social History
HIS 8072 - Topics in Modern American Social History
HIS 8076 - Topics in American Economic History
HIS 8077 - Topics in African-American History During Slavery
HIS 8078 - Topics in African-American History since 1865
HIS 8081 - Reconstruction
HIS 8702 - Intro to Public History
HIS 8704 - Material Culture
HIS 8802 - Seminar in American Historiography

Topical

Empire

HIS 8011 - American Society in the Colonial Era to 1750
HIS 8016 - American Nation 1750-1800
HIS 8061 - American Foreign Relations to 1914
HIS 8205 - Ancient Mediterranean
HIS 8231 - French Revolution and Napoleonic Era
HIS 8248 - Early Modern Ireland
HIS 8262 - Imperial Russia to 1917
HIS 8272 - Europe on the Eve of WWI
HIS 8274 - Twentieth Century Europe
HIS 8275 - European Imperialism
HIS 8410 - Atlantic World 1500-1800
HIS 8425 - Modern Japan
HIS 8433 - Imperialism and Nationalism in the Middle East
HIS 8436 - Women and Gender in the Middle East
HIS 8441 - Africa and the Emergence from Colonialism
HIS 8452 - History of Modern South Asia
HIS 8454 - Empire and Decolonization
HIS 8682 - The Cold War as History

Courses that may apply. Please check semester course listings:

HIS 8002 - Seminar in North American History
HIS 8033 - The Gilded Age, 1865-1900
HIS 8076 - Topics in American Economic History

Intellectual and Cultural History

HIS 8066 - American Intellectual and Cultural History
HIS 8209 - The Renaissance
HIS 8211 - Reformation and Catholic Counter Reformation
HIS 8225 - The Enlightenment
HIS 8292 - European Intellectual History since 1850
HIS 8410 - Atlantic World 1500-1800
HIS 8441 - Africa and Emergence from Colonialism
HIS 8800 - Topics in Historiography
HIS 8802 - Seminar in American Historiography
HIS 8804 - Seminar in European Historiography
HIS 8806 - Seminar in Historiography of Gender

This course may apply. Check semester course listings:

HIS 8642 - Topics in the History of Science and Technology

Race and Ethnicity

HIS 8011 - American Society in the Colonial Era to 1750
HIS 8026 - American Civil War Studies
HIS 8033 - The Gilded Age, 1865-1900
HIS 8041 - Roosevelt to Roosevelt
HIS 8077 - Topics in African-American History During Slavery
HIS 8078 - Topics in African-American History since 1865
HIS 8081 - Reconstruction
HIS 8205 - Ancient Mediterranean
HIS 8207 - Women in Medieval and Early Modern Europe
HIS 8275 - European Imperialism
HIS 8410 - Atlantic World 1500-1800
HIS 8433 - Imperialism and Nationalism in the Middle East
HIS 8436 - Women and Gender in the Middle East
HIS 8441 - Africa and Emergence from Colonialism
HIS 8452 - History of Modern South Asia
HIS 8454 - Empire & Decolonization

These courses may apply. Consult semester course listings:

HIS 8002 - Seminar in North American History
HIS 8071 - Topics in Early American Social History
HIS 8072 - Topics in Modern American Social History
HIS 8402 - Topics in World History

Revolution

HIS 8016 - American Nation 1750-1800
HIS 8231 - French Revolution and Napoleonic Era
HIS 8241 - European Nationalism 1815-1870
HIS 8248 - Early Modern Ireland
HIS 8252 - Modern France since 1815
HIS 8262 - Imperial Russia to 1917
HIS 8274 - 20th Century Europe
HIS 8279 - German since 1945
HIS 8281 - Russia and the USSR in the 20th Century
HIS 8452 - History of Modern South Asia
HIS 8454 - Empire and Decolonization
HIS 8603 - Topics in History of Revolution

These courses may apply. Please consult semester course listings:

HIS 8002 - Seminar Topics in North American History
HIS 8402 - Seminar Topics in World History
HIS 8414 - Topics in Latin America History
HIS 8602 - Topics in Comparative History

State and Society

HIS 8021 - Early American Republic
HIS 8041 - Roosevelt to Roosevelt
HIS 8081 - Reconstruction
HIS 8205 - Ancient Mediterranean
HIS 8231 - French Revolution and the Napoleonic Era
HIS 8241 - European Nationalism 1815-1870
HIS 8245 - Great Britain since 1815
HIS 8262 - Imperial Russia to 1917
HIS 8281 - Russia and the USSR in the 20th Century
HIS 8425 - Modern Japan
HIS 8433 - Imperialism & Nationalism in the Middle East
HIS 8452 - History of Modern South Asia
HIS 8279 - Germany since 1945
HIS 8441 - Africa and Emergence from Colonialism

These courses may apply. Please consult semester listing of courses:

HIS 8402 - Topics in World History
HIS 8602 - Top in Comparative History
HIS 8800 - Topics in Historiography

Women, Gender & Sexuality

HIS 8065 - American Women and Gender History
HIS 8212 - Women and Gender in Medieval and Early Modern Europe
HIS 8293 - Women and Gender in Modern Europe
HIS 8428 - Women and Gender in East Asia
HIS 8436 - Women and Gender in the Middle East
HIS 8613 - Topics in Gender and Women’s History
HIS 8806 - Historiography of Gender

These courses may apply. Please consult semester course listings

HIS 8402 - Topics in World History
HIS 8602 - Topics in Comparative History
HIS 8800 - Topics in Historiography

Chronological

In consultation with their advisor, students may elect a concentration defined as a particular era, such as: ancient and medieval; early modern, the "long nineteenth century," (1789-1914 in European history); the 20th century (1914-1989 European history); or another period historically coherent epoch.

Public History

The master’s degree with this concentration prepares graduate students for careers or community service in historic sites, museums and archives in Philadelphia and across the country. The concentration combines seminar discussions with practical experience and in-depth study of United States history.

Courses include: HIS 8702 – Public History; HIS 9006 – Graduate Internship in Public History (or Public History Practicum); two additional courses in American History (HIS 8704 – Material Culture, recommended). The Theory and Methods requirement can be fulfilled with Material Culture or Visual Culture.

Self-Designed

In consultation with their advisors and with the approval of the director of the graduate program, students may develop their own concentration. The courses must form a coherent and viable program of study. Students must provide their advisor and the director of the graduate program with a written rationale for the concentration and a list of the courses to be taken.

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GRADUATE HISTORY OVERVIEW

DEADLINES

Fall Assistantship: February 16

Fall: Rolling until August 1

Spring: Rolling until December 1

Summer: Rolling until May 1

If you have missed a deadline, please contact Dr. Craig Bailey to discuss your options.

Begin your application.

STUDENT NEWS

Graduate History students gathered in the Villanova Art Gallery

History Graduate Students Curate New Exhibit for Villanova Art Gallery

Graduate history students celebrated the culmination of their semester-long public history practicum project with the opening reception of a new exhibit, Dox Thrash: Painted, Not Printed, in the Villanova University Art Gallery. Under the direction of Associate Professor Whitney Martinko, PhD, these students curated the exhibit, which presents a new view of Dox Thrash, a Black artist working in Philadelphia in the mid-20th century. READ MORE