Master of Arts in History at AASU

Savannah and the Georgia Lowcountry, with their rich mixture of history and culture, offer a perfect setting for graduate study in history. Internationally famous for the beauty of her parks, public squares, and architecture, Savannah and her environs are rife with opportunities for research in social, political, religious, military, agricultural, industrial, and maritime history. With the nation's largest National Historic Landmark District, acclaimed museums, and state and federal research centers, Savannah is also a living laboratory with sites ranging from prehistoric occupations and colonial settlements to twentieth-century resort communities awaiting scholars interested in Public History.

Master of Arts History

AASU students tailor their courses of study to their particular interests, enabling them to complete their degreees within two years.

Admission Standards

Standards of Progression and Graduation

Program of Study Courses

American and European History students may take a variety of specialized courses, seminars, and colloquia in their primary fields, and choose from a broad offering of electives. Students also have the opportunity to complement their graduate experience by taking Public History courses, acquiring understanding of non-academic history traditions. The range of recently completed theses includes examinations of the Cold War and the evolution of the C.I.A., stag hunting in medieval England, the early modernist art movement in America, the Tennessee Valley Authority, Irish nationalist leader Thomas Russell, and the Confederate ironclad CSS Georgia.

Public History students will sample a variety of different public history disciplines, but may focus their studies in Historic Preservation, Folklife, Museum Studies, Archival Studies, or other public history fields. Professors in the program work with Savannah's historic community and supplement classroom experience with other educational opportunities in the field. Public History students culminate their degrees by completing an internship with an historic agency or writing a master's thesis.

The program of study below will:

• Provide a sophisticated and comprehensive understanding of the complexities of human history
• Examine carefully the theoretical and methodological elements of the discipline of history
• Enable the student to exercise advanced research techniques and analytical skills necessary to their major
• Provide numerous opportunities for the student to communicate orally and in writing the knowledge and skills gained by participation in the program
• Equip all students with some familiarity in the public applications of historical inquiry and provide public history majors with a solid grounding in the standard methods and canon of historical research or archaeological methods

Admission Standards

• Completed requirements for the baccalaureate degree from a regionally-accredited institution.
• A 3.0 overall grade point average or higher on all undergraduate work.
• A score of no less than 550 on the verbal section and 450 on the quantitative section or 4.5 on the analytical section of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
• An undergraduate major in history or the equivalent in the proposed field of study.
• Three letters of recommendation.

• Completed requirements for the baccalaureate degree from a regionally-accredited institution.
• A minimum score of 450 on the verbal section and 400 on the quantitative section or 3.5 on the analytical section of the GRE.
• At least a 2.75 overall grade point average on undergraduate college work.
• An undergraduate major in history or the equivalent in the proposed field of study.
• Three letters of recommendation.
• A student may be reclassified with regular admission providing they have taken at least one AASU course, approved by their advisor, with a grade of no less than B. Additional courses may be required to be completed prior to a student's reclassification. No more than nine hours may be earned.

Standards of Progression and Graduation

• Time Limit
  All degree requirements must be completed within seven years.


• Program of Study
  Students will formalize a program of study with their major advisor. Students must choose a concentration in one of the following: American, European, or public history. The student, major advisor, and program coordinator will sign the program of study and submit it with the application for graduation two semesters prior to graduation.
  
  The courses listed in the program of study must include a minimum of thirty-six hours of graduate work, and at least fifty percent of the projected courses must be courses open only to graduate students. If any change in the approved program of study is required, an amended program of study signed by the advisor and the student must be submitted and approved by the dean of graduate studies.


• Graduation Requirements
  The student must maintain a 3.0 overall average of all graduate courses completed. Students must also satisfactorily pass the following before beginning work on the master's thesis:
  • A foreign language examination
  • A written comprehensive assessment in the major
  • An oral comprehensive assessment
  The student must apply for graduation two semesters before the date of graduation.


• Thesis, Internship, and Advanced Fieldwork
  A prospective candidate for a graduate degree must register for a minimum of six hours of thesis credit. Six hours of public history internship (HIST 8100) or six hours of advanced archeological course work (HIST 8210) may be substituted for thesis work for the public history concentration. In addition, a student must register for the thesis during each semester in which the thesis is under preparation and where university facilities or staff time are utilized.
  
  The letters "IP" will be recorded each semester that a graduate student registers for thesis credit without completing the thesis requirements. When the thesis has been accepted by the thesis committee and approved by the dean of graduate studies, a grade will be assigned for thesis credit. Only six hours of thesis credit will count toward a degree.
  
  The master of arts thesis must demonstrate the student's ability to research and analyze a problem in history. The research must utilize primary sources, as well as incorporate a critical grasp of the secondary works relevant to the thesis inquiry. The thesis shall be written under the direction of the student's advisor/major professor and must receive the approval of two of the three members of the committee assigned to review the thesis. The thesis must be signed by the major professor and the assenting committee members and submitted to the dean of graduate studies.

Program of Study

• Required Courses (12 semester hours)
  • HIST 7500 Historical Methods...................................................... 3
  • HIST 8000 Thesis...................................................................... 6
  • HIST 7410 Colloquium................................................................. 3
  • or
  • HIST 7420 Colloquium.................................................................. 3
  • or
  • HIST 7430 Colloquium.................................................................. 3


• Specialized Courses (18 semester hours)
  • HIST 5100G Topics in Latin American History................................. 3
  • HIST 5200G Topics in African History............................................. 3
  • HIST 5300G History of Russian/Soviet Foreign Policy...................... 3
  • HIST 5450G Topics in Medieval History........................................... 3
  • HIST 5470G French Revolution & Napoleon.................................. 3
  • HIST 5480G Topics in Modern European History............................ 3
  • HIST 5500G Topics in British History............................................... 3
  • HIST 5540G Topics in US Foreign Relations.................................... 3
  • HIST 5560G Topics in History of Georgia......................................... 3
  • HIST 5565G Topics in the History of American Reform.................. 3
  • HIST 5570G Topics in the History of the American South............... 3
  • HIST 5640G Topics in the History of Technology and Culture......... 3
  • HIST 5650G Topics in African-American History............................. 3
  • HIST 5660 Topics in the History of Women and Gender............. 3
  • HIST 5690 Topics in American Culture........................................ 3
  • HIST 5700G American Material Culture......................................... 3
  • HIST 5720G Historical Archaeology................................................ 3
  • HIST 5730G Fieldwork in Historical Archaeology........................... 6
  • HIST 5740G Practicum in Archaeology........................................... 6
  • HIST 5750G Folklife........................................................................ 3
  • HIST 5770G Oral History................................................................ 3
  • HIST 5810G Topics in Architectural History................................... 3
  • HIST 6790 Archival Studies.......................................................... 3
  • HIST 7100 Internship in Public History........................................ 3
  • HIST 7210 Topics in Modern East Asia........................................ 3
  • HIST 7410 Colloquium in Non-Western History.......................... 3
  • HIST 7420 Colloquium in European History................................ 3
  • HIST 7430 Colloquium in American History................................ 3
  • HIST 7570 Seminar in European History...................................... 3
  • HIST 7580 Seminar in American History...................................... 3
  • HIST 7590 Seminar in Russian History......................................... 3
  • HIST 7800 Special Topics in Archaeology..................................... 3
  • HIST 7850 Special Topics in Material Culture.............................. 3
  • HIST 7920 Directed Readings....................................................... 3
  • HIST 7950 Independent Study...................................................... 3


• Public History Courses (6 semester hours)
  • HIST 5700G American Material Culture......................................... 3
  • HIST 5720G Historical Archaeology ................................................ 3
  • HIST 5730G Fieldwork in Historical Archaeology............................ 6
  • HIST 5740G Practicum in Archaeology............................................ 6
  • HIST 5750G American Folklife........................................................ 3
  • HIST 5770G Oral History................................................................. 3
  • HIST 5810G Topics in Architectural History.................................... 3
  • HIST 5830G Historic Preservation.................................................... 3
  • HIST 5850G Museum Studies........................................................... 3
  • HIST 5870G Heritage Tourism........................................................ 3
  • HIST 5890G Topics in Public History............................................... 3
  • HIST 6710 History of American Decorative Arts.......................... 3
  • HIST 6790 Archival Studies........................................................... 3
  • HIST 7100 Internship in Public History........................................ 3
  • HIST 7800 Special Topics in Archaeology..................................... 3
  • HIST 7850 Special Topics in Material Culture.............................. 3

Total .......................................................................................................................36

• Required Courses (9 semester hours)
  • HIST 7500 Historical Methods...................................................... 3
  • HIST 8000 Thesis......................................................................... 6
  • HIST 7410 Colloquium................................................................. 3
  • or
  • HIST 7420 Colloquium.................................................................. 3
  • or
  • HIST 7430 Colloquium.................................................................. 3
  • HIST 7570 Seminar....................................................................... 3
  • or
  • HIST 7580 Seminar........................................................................ 3
  • or
  • HIST 7590 Seminar........................................................................ 3
• Specialized Courses (21 semester hours)
  • HIST 5100G Topics in Latin American History................................. 3
  • HIST 5200G Topics in African History............................................. 3
  • HIST 5300G History of Russian/Soviet Foreign Policy...................... 3
  • HIST 5450G Topics in Medieval History........................................... 3
  • HIST 5470G French Revolution & Napoleon.................................. 3
  • HIST 5480G Topics in Modern European History............................ 3
  • HIST 5500G Topics in British History............................................... 3
  • HIST 5540G Topics in US Foreign Relations.................................... 3
  • HIST 5560G Topics in History of Georgia......................................... 3
  • HIST 5565G Topics in the History of American Reform.................. 3
  • HIST 5570G Topics in the History of the American South............... 3
  • HIST 5640G Topics in the History of Technology and Culture......... 3
  • HIST 5650G Topics in African-American History............................. 3
  • HIST 5660 Topics in the History of Women and Gender............. 3
  • HIST 5690 Topics in American Culture........................................ 3
  • HIST 5700G American Material Culture......................................... 3
  • HIST 5720G Historical Archaeology................................................ 3
  • HIST 5730G Fieldwork in Historical Archaeology........................... 6
  • HIST 5740G Practicum in Archaeology........................................... 6
  • HIST 5750G Folklife........................................................................ 3
  • HIST 5770G Oral History................................................................ 3
  • HIST 5810G Topics in Architectural History................................... 3
  • HIST 6790 Archival Studies.......................................................... 3
  • HIST 7100 Internship in Public History........................................ 3
  • HIST 7210 Topics in Modern East Asia........................................ 3
  • HIST 7410 Colloquium in Non-Western History.......................... 3
  • HIST 7420 Colloquium in European History................................ 3
  • HIST 7430 Colloquium in American History................................ 3
  • HIST 7570 Seminar in European History...................................... 3
  • HIST 7580 Seminar in American History...................................... 3
  • HIST 7590 Seminar in Russian History......................................... 3
  • HIST 7800 Special Topics in Archaeology..................................... 3
  • HIST 7850 Special Topics in Material Culture.............................. 3
  • HIST 7920 Directed Readings....................................................... 3
  • HIST 7950 Independent Study...................................................... 3
• Public History Courses (6 semester hours)
  • HIST 5700G American Material Culture......................................... 3
  • HIST 5720G Historical Archaeology ................................................ 3
  • HIST 5730G Fieldwork in Historical Archaeology............................ 6
  • HIST 5740G Practicum in Archaeology............................................ 6
  • HIST 5750G American Folklife........................................................ 3
  • HIST 5770G Oral History................................................................. 3
  • HIST 5810G Topics in Architectural History.................................... 3
  • HIST 5830G Historic Preservation.................................................... 3
  • HIST 5850G Museum Studies........................................................... 3
  • HIST 5870G Heritage Tourism........................................................ 3
  • HIST 5890G Topics in Public History............................................... 3
  • HIST 6710 History of American Decorative Arts.......................... 3
  • HIST 6790 Archival Studies........................................................... 3
  • HIST 7100 Internship in Public History........................................ 3
  • HIST 7800 Special Topics in Archaeology..................................... 3
  • HIST 7850 Special Topics in Material Culture.............................. 3

Total .......................................................................................................................36

• Required Courses (9 semester hours)
  • HIST 7500 Historical Methods...................................................... 3
  • HIST 8000 Thesis.......................................................................... 6
  • or
  • HIST 8100 Professional Internship in Public History.................... 3
  • or
  • HIST 8210 Advanced Archaeological Analysis.............................. 3
  
  
• Public History Courses (18 semester hours) from the following:
  • HIST 5700G American Material Culture......................................... 3
  • HIST 5720G Historical Archaeology................................................ 3
  • HIST 5730G Fieldwork in Historical Archaeology........................... 6
  • HIST 5740G Practicum in Archaeology........................................... 6
  • HIST 5750G Folklife........................................................................ 3
  • HIST 5770G Oral History................................................................. 3
  • HIST 5810G Topics in Architectural History................................... 3
  • HIST 5830G Historic Preservation................................................... 3
  • HIST 5850G Museum Studies.......................................................... 3
  • HIST 5870G Heritage Tourism........................................................ 3
  • HIST 5890G Topics in Public History............................................... 3
  • HIST 6710 History of American Decorative Arts.......................... 3
  • HIST 6790 Archival Studies........................................................... 3
  • HIST 7100 Internship in Public History......................................... 3
  • HIST 7920 Directed Readings....................................................... 3
  • HIST 7950 Independent Study...................................................... 3


• Specialized Courses (9 semester hours) from the following:
  • HIST 5200G Topics in African Histroy........................................... 3
  • HIST 5300G History of Russian/Soviet Foreign Policy.................... 3
  • HIST 5450G Topics in Medieval History.......................................... 3
  • HIST 5470G French Revolution & Napoleon................................. 3
  • HIST 5480G Topics in Modern Europe........................................... 3
  • HIST 5500G Topics in British History ............................................. 3
  • HIST 5540G Topics in U.S. Foreign Relations................................. 3
  • HIST 5560G Topics in History of Georgia........................................ 3
  • HIST 5565G Topics in the History of American Reform................. 3
  • HIST 5570G Topics in the History of the American South............. 6
  • HIST 5640G Topics in the History of Technology and Culture....... 3
  • HIST 5650G Topics in African-American History............................. 3
  • HIST 5660 Topics in the History of Women and Gender.............. 3
  • HIST 5690 Topics in American Culture......................................... 3
  • HIST 7210 Topics in Modern East Asia.......................................... 3
  • HIST 7410 Colloquium in Non-Western History........................... 3
  • HIST 7420 Colloquium in European History................................. 3
  • HIST 7430 Colloquium in American History................................. 3
  • HIST 7570 Seminar in European History...................................... 3
  • HIST 7580 Seminar in American History...................................... 3
  • HIST 7590 Seminar in Russian History.......................................... 3
  • HIST 7800 Special Topics in Archaeology...................................... 3
  • HIST 7850 Special Topics in Material Culture............................... 3
  • HIST 7920 Directed Readings........................................................ 3
  • HIST 7950 Independent Study....................................................... 3

Total .......................................................................................................................36