Why Pursue a Graduate Degree in History?
1. You want to complete the highest level of training in historical methods
2. You want to engage in conversations about historical problems
3. You want to communicate your historical knowledge with and to others
What are our Degree Program Options?
As a Carnegie Research 1 Institution, we provide training leading to the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in History.
The M.A. in History with a Major in History (with or without completing a thesis) provides students with advanced training in historical methods (researching the past to be able to construct evidence-based, reasonable conclusions) and the opportunity to develop content knowledge in areas of a student’s interest. Students complete a minimum of thirty-three semester hours of graduate work of which at least 24 of those hours must be taken on a letter grade basis. Graduates typically use this training to either continue their studies at the doctoral level or to pursue career opportunities in management, education, law, and sales.
The M.A. in History with a Major in Public History similarly provides students with advanced training in historical methods, but in addition, specialized coursework prepares students to enter historically-oriented careers in fields such as resource management, historic preservation, museums, archives, and information and records management. Students complete a minimum of thirty-three semester hours of graduate work of which at least 24 of those hours must be taken on a letter grade basis.
The Ph.D. in History is the most advanced degree in the field of history that one can achieve. Those who complete a doctoral degree in History demonstrate that they have expert knowledge in a field of historical inquiry and that they have made an original contribution of new knowledge to that field. Students complete a minimum of thirty-nine semester hours of graduate work of which at least 39 of those hours must be taken on a letter grade basis. Students complete a principal field (12 hrs minimum) and three complementary fields (9 hrs each minimum). Graduates find jobs teaching at the collegiate level or working in the public and private sectors as analysts, archivists, consultants, public historians, grant writers, and other similar types of work that call for the ability to research, evaluate, and interpret complex data.
For detailed information about the exact requirements for each degree, please read our Graduate Handbook for more information. See also the FSU General Bulletin: Graduate Edition.
What is the FSU graduate student experience?
- Seminar and colloquium classes are typically capped at 12 students
- Funding to go to at least one conference a year
- Opportunities to receive funding for research and writing
- Pedagogical preparation for teaching
- Chances to teach your own class
- Professional development trainings
- Public History classes
- Join a strong History Graduate Student Association
Special Opportunities within History
The presence within the department of the Institute on Napoleon and the French Revolution and the Institute on World War II and the Human Experience means a variety of resources on site for students interested in those fields. Faculty leadership in the University’s Women’s Studies Program and the Middle East Studies Center offer additional opportunities.
Where are our graduates?
According to the Department of History's statistics, in the last five years, 35.5% of our doctoral students secured either a traditional tenure track position, a teaching faculty position, or a visiting assistant professorship, and 31.1% secured a job in a history-related field post-graduation (research director, document editor, reference archivist, curator, living history interpreter, historian for the military, etc.) Similarly, our master’s students have either gone on to pursue a doctoral degree, teach for the military, or taken a position in archives, museums, cultural resources management, teaching or office administration.