Program Overview
UMass Boston Current Students Parents & Families Faculty & Staff Alumni Home Academics Majors & Programs History MA Build a career that preserves and interprets history. Request Info Apply Request Info Loading... About the Program Master's In Person Online Language, Arts & Social Sciences Shape your future in a place shaped by the past with UMass Boston’s Master of Arts in History. Build advanced research, writing, and analytical skills in a program that balances rigorous academics with the flexibility working students need to succeed. Through small, seminar-style courses spanning U.S., European, and non-Western history, you’ll gain a broad yet in-depth understanding of the field.
Key Program Features
- Immersive On-Campus Experience: In-person seminars, laboratory sessions, and professional networking at University of Massachusetts Boston.
- Expert Faculty: Taught by research-active academics and practitioners with deep expertise in Humanities & Arts.
- Diverse International Cohort: Study alongside students from around the world, broadening your global professional network.
- Research-Informed Curriculum: Content grounded in the latest academic research and real-world industry practice.
- Dissertation / Capstone Project: Culminating independent project applying your expertise to an original research question or industry challenge.
- Dedicated Career Support: Access to career coaching, employer networking events, and job placement assistance.
- 24 months Duration: Part-time and accelerated options may be available — enquire with the admissions office.
Career Opportunities
Career Possibilities
Graduates apply critical thinking, research, and analytical skills across a wide range of professional settings. Whether in education, public service, cultural institutions, or research-focused roles, the History MA prepares students to analyze complex information, communicate effectively, and make an impact in their chosen field.
Here’s where this degree can take you:
- Instructor
- Museum Professional
- Archivist
- Public Historian
- Writer
- Researcher
- Cultural Program Manager
- Editor/Publisher
Program Curriculum
History Track Curriculum
- HIST 600: Research and Methods
- HIST 605: Introduction to Historiography
- HIST 690: Final Project Prep (Students should have at least 18 credits before taking FPP)
- HIST 699: Thesis
- Five electives, two of which can be upper-level undergraduate courses (300 level or higher)
For those writing a History Review Essay:
- HIST 600: Research and Methods
- HIST 605: Introduction to Historiography
- HIST 690: Final Project Prep (Students should have at least 18 credits before taking FPP)
- HIST 693: History Review Essay
- Six electives, two of which can be upper-level undergraduate courses (300 level or higher)
The thesis stands as the traditional culmination of a student's graduate work, and students who wish to pursue a PhD should plan to write a thesis. The thesis should be approximately 50-70 pages long and based on original research. It should be the equivalent to an article in a scholarly journal. Theses are written under the guidance of an individual faculty advisor and defended before a committee of three faculty members, one of whom may be from outside the department. For more information on thesis requirements, see the Graduate Program Handbook.
The History Review Essay is an alternative to the thesis. This option is only for students in the History Track. These essays are 25-30 page reviews of existing literature that demonstrate wide, deep reading in and extensive knowledge of the student's chosen field. They are equivalent to the 'state of the field' essays that appear regularly in scholarly journals. Essays showcase the student's ability to synthesize, analyze, and evaluate secondary texts by asking critical questions about historiography, research methods, sources, and theory. History Review Essays are as challenging as theses, but highlight different skills. They are especially appropriate for those who do not plan future academic publications, for teachers looking to synthesize a broad range of scholarship, and for those who do not have ready access to primary source repositories.
For more information on curriculum, including course descriptions and degree requirements, visit the Academic Catalog .
Admission Requirements
How to ApplyDeadlines:Fall Priority Deadline: February 1Fall Final Deadline: April 1Application Fee:The nonrefundable application fee is $75. UMass Boston alumni and current students that plan to complete degree requirements prior to graduate enrollment can submit the application without paying the application fee.Applicants must meetgeneral graduate admission requirementsin addition to the program-specific requirements:Applications should include: college transcripts, three letters of recommendation, a 1500-word statement of purpose, and a writing sample between 5-10 double spaced pages.Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are recommended, but not required.Applicants will normally be expected to have majored in history as undergraduates and maintained a 3.0 cumulative average in the major. Applicants who did not major in history as undergraduates may be asked to pursue a program of coursework designed to remedy deficiencies in their preparation for graduate study.We strongly encourage all interested applicants tocontact the program track director. We are happy to discuss the program with you and guide you through the application process.We also encourage you tocontact facultywhose research and teaching interests align with yours. You mayschedule a visitto campus with the Graduate Program Director. Visits to individual classes are also encouraged and should be coordinated with the course instructor.Apply as a Graduate Student
Tuition & Financial Information
Tuition Fee
USD 31,425/year (international)
Financing Your EducationEstimate Your Program Cost:Get a feel for your expected program costs using theGraduate Program Cost Calculator.Program Cost Information:Significant tuition discounts are available to students enrolled in the online History MA program, as well as residents of Massachusetts, the other New England states, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. For more detailed information on costs, visit theBursar's websitefor more information.Assistantships:Each year, the History Department offers a limited number of Graduate Assistantships to newly admitted graduate students. Assistantships are “half-time”, which means students are expected to work 9 hours per week for the academic year. As compensation, graduate assistants receive a bi-weekly stipend. Graduate Assistants also receive a 100 percent tuition remission for the contract period and a 50 percent waiver of their Educational Operations Fee. There are some remaining student fees that Assistants have to pay. If Assistants get their health insurance through the university, they will also receive a discount on their Health Insurance Premium.Assistants work as teaching assistants or research assistants. Teaching assistants are assigned to professors who teach large lecture sections. These assistants will assist with grading and general operation of the class. They may be asked to do research work for their professor. Research assistants are usually assigned to faculty members to assist them with their research projects. Other assistants may be assigned to the Graduate Program Director, the Undergraduate Program Director, the Public History Director, and the University Archives. Each year, one Graduate Assistant is assigned to assist the editors of the New England Quarterly, which is housed at UMass Boston. Online MA students are not eligible for Graduate Assistantships.All admitted students will be considered for an assistantship, and will receive notification of an assistantship award after they are formally accepted into the program.Apply for Financial Aid
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Financing Your EducationEstimate Your Program Cost:Get a feel for your expected program costs using theGraduate Program Cost Calculator.Program Cost Information:Significant tuition discounts are available to students enrolled in the online History MA program, as well as residents of Massachusetts, the other New England states, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. For more detailed information on costs, visit theBursar's websitefor more information.Assistantships:Each year, the History Department offers a limited number of Graduate Assistantships to newly admitted graduate students. Assistantships are “half-time”, which means students are expected to work 9 hours per week for the academic year. As compensation, graduate assistants receive a bi-weekly stipend. Graduate Assistants also receive a 100 percent tuition remission for the contract period and a 50 percent waiver of their Educational Operations Fee. There are some remaining student fees that Assistants have to pay. If Assistants get their health insurance through the university, they will also receive a discount on their Health Insurance Premium.Assistants work as teaching assistants or research assistants. Teaching assistants are assigned to professors who teach large lecture sections. These assistants will assist with grading and general operation of the class. They may be asked to do research work for their professor. Research assistants are usually assigned to faculty members to assist them with their research projects. Other assistants may be assigned to the Graduate Program Director, the Undergraduate Program Director, the Public History Director, and the University Archives. Each year, one Graduate Assistant is assigned to assist the editors of the New England Quarterly, which is housed at UMass Boston. Online MA students are not eligible for Graduate Assistantships.All admitted students will be considered for an assistantship, and will receive notification of an assistantship award after they are formally accepted into the program.Apply for Financial Aid
About University of Massachusetts Boston
University of Massachusetts Boston
Boston, United States
The University of Massachusetts Boston is a public university in Boston, Massachusetts, United States.
University Profile- Application Deadline 2018-01-18
- Start Date 2018-09-01
- Language English
- Duration 24 months
- Credits 120 ECTS / 360 credits (2-year programme)