Students enjoy the benefits of our mid-sized graduate program: a varied curriculum combined with personal attention from faculty. Together our MA and PhD programs enroll approximately 40 students with diverse backgrounds and a variety of goals. Some are honing skills that will advance their careers in secondary teaching, while others will seek - and land - academic posts. Our students have also found careers in public history, including museums and archives, while others have gone on to careers in law and business.To see some of our alumni success stories, check out our newsletter, where we regularly post updates from our alumni. Regardless of their goals, however, all of our students are trained to work as historians. Our program emphasizes original research based in primary sources, and it features courses in historical methodology, public history, and pedagogy. A vibrant community of scholars - both students and faculty - creates a lively learning environment.Students select a concentration in United States, European, World, or Public History, but everyone receives broad training, taking courses in minor fields, languages, or in other graduate programs. Students also take at least one comparative seminar, usually team taught, in which a theme is explored across national boundaries, such as gender, race, or urban history.The master's program in history at UC offers students a diverse and challenging postgraduate training in history. MA students typically complete their degrees in two years, with most of the coursework taking place in small graduate seminars and reading colloquia. Over the course of their MA training, all of our students have the opportunity to present papers and conduct primary archival research in the US and abroad, often with funds provided by the department or through other university-based sources. Many of our MA graduates use their degree to propel themselves into successful careers in museum work, historical societies, government service and secondary education. Other students choose to continue their graduate study by enrolling in doctoral programs in history, both in our own department and in other top history programs around the country.
