The Department of History offers a five-year joint degree program that provides qualified students the opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Master of Arts in History. This is an accelerated program that allows students the opportunity to earn both an undergraduate and a graduate degree in a shorter period of time and at a slightly lower financial cost than pursuing both degrees separately. In this program, the undergraduate degree requirements are modified in an effort to prepare students for the more rigorous masters-level coursework. The BA/MA is designed for students who would like advanced training in history for their future careers in any number of fields including going on to a PhD program.
Please note that the BA/MA program represents a rigorous and intellectually demanding curriculum. It requires students to carry a heavy course load. Applicants should have a solid grounding in basic history and a strong interest in advanced historical study. Only qualified students will be selected for admission.
Prerequisites to apply:
- At least 18 credit hours of history completed at the time of application in the spring semester of the student’s junior year.
- 18-30 credit hours of undergraduate coursework remaining. For a typical 120-hour BA degree, this would mean that the student has completed between 90-102 credit hours at the start of the spring semester of their junior year.
- An overall GPA of 3.0 and a major GPA of 3.5.
Undergraduate students interested in this program should begin preparations at the beginning of their junior year.
- Fall semester, junior year: make appointments with the Director of Graduate Studies and the Director of Undergraduate Studies (see below) to discuss intent to apply for the program, and to determine what requirements still need to be fulfilled before the end of the junior year.
- Spring semester, junior year: apply for the program using the online application if you meet the GPA requirement and consulted with both Directors. Before applying, you must find a History faculty member who will agree to be your advisor in the program if you are admitted. You must also sit in on one session of a 600-level History graduate seminar. Students should contact the professor in advance to arrange a class visit. Applications are due March 7, 2025 at 5pm.
- Fall semester, senior year: begin graduate-level courses. Students must maintain a B average to remain eligible for the program.
Prepare the following to submit with your online application:
- A statement of purpose, no longer than two pages, double-spaced. It should include your ideas of what you want to study and your reasons for pursuing the joint BA/MA degree.
- A writing sample of 10-20 pages. This should be a paper you wrote for a history class. The paper can cover any topic, but it must showcase your research skills and should analyze primary historical sources. It should be carefully edited and proofread.
- Letters of recommendation from two faculty members in the History Department including one from the faculty member whom you wish to supervise your degree. These letters to be sent directly to the Director of Graduate Studies, Dr. Unterman, at unterman@tamu.edu. These are due by March 7, 2025 at 5pm.
- Confirmation that the student has sat in on one session of a 600-level History graduate seminar, including the course number and date of attendance. Students should contact the professor in advance to arrange a class visit.
- Your academic transcript.
Your application will be reviewed by the Graduate Committee, who may require you to come in for an interview.
Director of Graduate Studies
Dr. Katherine Unterman
unterman@tamu.edu
Director of Undergraduate Studies
Dr. Hoi-eun Kim
hekim@tamu.edu