Graduate Study in History at Colorado State University consists of three programs culminating in the Master of Arts degree.
Plan A: Liberal Arts with Thesis - Checksheet/Description (PDF) provides instruction through small seminars and individual study, and stresses historiography and research methods. This program requires a minimum of 30 semester credits, a master's thesis, and knowledge of a foreign language (see below: Plan A check sheet re: language test). This option is usually pursued in anticipation of further advanced degrees, mainly in such fields as history, business, or law.
Plan B: Liberal Arts without Thesis - Checksheet/Description (PDF) is especially appropriate for students desiring employment in secondary education or who do not wish to pursue further advanced degrees. This program requires a minimum of 33 credits, emphasizing area and/or topical historical study offered in seminars. This option requires neither a thesis nor a foreign language.
Plan B: Public History
All of these options require a minimum of 36 semester credits, including
practicum/internship.
- Historic Preservation Historic preservation is a broad interdisciplinary field that focuses on the identification, interpretation, and rehabilitation of the historic built environment including buildings, structures, neighborhoods, and landscapes. Historians typically work in administrative or consulting positions using their historical training to research and evaluate the significance of architecture to its historic context.
- Museum Studies has the goal of preparing historians for museum positions by providing training in the fields of artifactual interpretation, curation, and museum management.
- Cultural Resource Management Cultural resource management emphasizes the identification and interpretation of historic and prehistoric resources held by public land agencies, such as the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service. It requires a broad understanding of cultural heritage that includes archeological sites and historic landscapes. CRM professionals often enter careers within federal agencies.
The Political Economy Graduate Interdisciplinary Studies Program (Certificate)
For additional information on admissions requirements, course offerings, faculty and, detailed descriptions of the graduate program, contact:
Department of History
Chair, Graduate Studies
Clark Building, Room B357
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523
(970) 491-6334
The Colorado State University History Department consists of scholar-teachers whose expertise collectively spans all eras and geographical regions.
Philosophically, we are committed to promoting the intellectual skills
and special pleasures associated with historical study.
Our faculty enjoy students and welcome opportunities to mentor them. This approach is reflected in the active role we take in maximizing the value of graduate study at Colorado State University and in promoting professional opportunities for students after they leave our program.
Applications for graduate admission, teaching assistantships, and fellowships must be received by February 1.
University and Departmental Regulations Governing Graduate Study
