Master of Arts in History - Academic Track

SUNY Stony Brook University

The master’s program, which requires students to complete 30 credits of graduate study with a grade of B or higher, allows students to explore the history and historiography of their chosen area of concentration. Students in the master’s program have the option of choosing between a Professional Track and an Academic Track, based on their goals and interests. Students in both tracks follow a course of study similar to that followed by doctoral students during their first two semesters, and the oral examination during the third or fourth semester serves as the capstone experience for the master’s program. The academic track is designed for individuals who aspire to a career in teaching or writing history at the college level, but who are not yet ready to enter a Ph.D. program. Students in the academic track are required to enroll in the two-semester Core Seminar in historical theory and research and generally follow the course of study of incoming doctoral (Ph.D.) students. Students are only admitted to this track for studies beginning in the fall. As with the professional track, students in the academic track can earn their degree either through coursework alone or by choosing to write a 6-credit master’s thesis.. The thesis will give students the opportunity to conduct independent research on a topic of interest using primary sources.