Duke University Trinity College of Arts and Sciences
Master of Arts in History
Durham, USA
MA
DURATION
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
STUDY FORMAT
Key Summary
About: The Master of Arts (MA) in History at Duke offers close mentoring, small cohorts and study. The degree can be completed in two calendar years and requires 30 course credit units (min. 24 graded; up to 6 ungraded). It requires HISTORY 701S or 702S (research seminar), a methods course, and two seminar papers (25–35 pages) showing primary research. Candidates must have foreign-language reading proficiency (except JD/MA).
Career Outcomes: Graduates can pursue teaching, archives, museums, public history, research analysis, or doctoral study. You'll gain historiography, research methods, research analysis and writing for roles in education, cultural institutions and research organizations.
The Master of Arts degree can be completed within two calendar years. Our program is very competitive, and we admit very few students specifically to the M.A. program, although many doctoral students obtain a M.A. en route to their Ph.D.
Academic Requirements
30 Course Credit Units
All Duke Master of Arts programs require a minimum of 30 units of course credit. At least 24 of these units must be graded course work. The other 6 units may be credits for "ungraded research." Students may take graduate courses in other disciplines that relate to their areas of interest with permission of the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS).
Required Courses
Students must take HISTORY 701S: Research Seminar in History or HISTORY 702S: Research Seminar in History, or with the permission of the DGS a similar course sequence in historiography/theory and research methods.
At least one course at the graduate level that explores a specific methodology.
Two Seminar Papers
You must demonstrate proficiency in primary research and writing two seminar papers (of 25-35 pages each). Normally these are products of courses you take.
Foreign Language Reading Proficiency
Candidates for the M.A. degree (but not the JD/MA program) must have a reading knowledge of at least one ancient or modern foreign language. Read guidance on the departmental language requirement.
