United States History Certificate

Program Description

The United States History Certificate is an 18-credit hour graduate program that offers both seated and online options. Online students can complete this program entirely through courses offered in the asynchronous modality and are not required to travel to campus.

Admission Requirements

Undergraduate Degree Requirements

All applicants must hold an undergraduate degree to begin graduate studies. Applicants who have not yet completed their undergraduate degrees but are projected to have done so by the beginning of the semester they intend to commence their graduate studies are considered. However, offers made in such cases are contingent upon graduation before entry into the program. Applicants who have been admitted to the program but are subsequently unable to complete their undergraduate degree before the beginning of the semester for which they have been admitted, may not begin graduate studies.

GPA and History Requirements

All applicants must meet the minimum GPA of the Graduate College (2.75 on a 4.00 scale) in their undergraduate degree (or most recent graduate degree if they hold one) to be considered for admission. Meeting the minimum standards does not guarantee admission. Candidates with a GPA of 3.00 and above are generally preferred.

Applicants with at least 24 credit hours of undergraduate history are preferred. However, applicants with a background in associated fields from the social sciences, humanities, and/or education are also considered. In addition, the Department of History welcomes applicants from certified in-service teachers and other professionals with relevant experience.

Potential applicants who do not meet these criteria are encouraged to contact the Graduate Program Director. It is possible to make up for any deficits in either course work or GPA requirements as a non-degree seeking student.

How to Apply

All applications and supporting material must be submitted online through GradCAS.  GradCAS is a third-party software used by Missouri State University to process graduate applications. Any questions regarding GradCAS should be directed to Graduate Admissions.  

The Department of History can only consider completed applications submitted through GradCAS, with the exception of applicants to the Accelerated Master’s program.

Applicants to the Master of Arts in History may add the Graduate Certificate in World History and/or Graduate Certificate in United States History to their program of study as part of the application. No separate application is required.

Required Supporting Materials

To be considered for admission to the United States History Certificate, applicants must submit the following supporting materials through GradCAS:

• Up-to-date Curriculum Vitae: including information on the applicant’s educational background.
• Transcripts: Copy of each college transcript where a degree was earned or is pending.  For the application process, applicants may submit unofficial copies of their transcript(s) to GradCAS. Those admitted to the United States History Certificate are required to provide an official copy of their transcript(s) showing completion of the bachelor’s degree to the Graduate College.
• Writing: Writing sample of approximately 2,000 words. It is recommended, although not required, that this writing sample is a piece of academic writing (preferably from the discipline of history), such as an essay or an excerpt from a longer work (such as a capstone project or thesis). For applicants who do not have a sample of their academic writing, a piece of professional writing that the applicant feels accurately reflects their abilities may be submitted instead.

Other Supporting Materials.  The following supporting materials are optional:

• Statement of Purpose. A short statement of purpose explaining the applicant’s goals in seeking admission to the United States History Certificate.
• Letters of Recommendation. Applicants may submit up to five letters of recommendation. Applicants should request Letters of Recommendation through GradCAS. This will send a link directly to the letter writer’s email inbox, allowing them to upload their letter of recommendation directly to the applicant’s file.
• Teaching Certification. The Department of History is committed to supporting in-service teachers in their professional development. Applicants with a teaching certificate in social studies from a US state or territory may submit a copy of their certification as part of their application.

Applications for Graduate Assistantships

The Department of History offers a limited number of full-time Graduate Assistantships. Graduate Assistants receive a tuition fee waiver scholarship and a stipend for living expenses.

Eligibility

To be eligible to hold a Graduate Assistantship in the Department of History, applicants must:

• Possess an undergraduate GPA of 3. 00 or above.
• Be a Missouri Resident.

The Department of History generally offers Graduate Assistantships beginning in the Fall Semester, although occasionally Graduate Assistantships beginning in the Spring semester are available.

Applicants who wish to be considered for a full-time Graduate Assistantship position in the Department of History should submit the following supporting materials to GradCAS as part of their application:

• A Statement of Purpose
• Application for Graduate Assistantship form.
• At least two Letters of Recommendation.

Please note that Missouri State University offers Graduate Assistantships in other offices and departments of the university. The application processes for these positions are separate from the Department of History Graduate Assistantships process.

International Students

International students must demonstrate proficiency in English. Please visit International Student Services for more information.

Application Review and Admissions Process

The Department of History accepts applications to the United States History Certificate on a rolling basis. However, applicants should  be aware of the important dates pertaining to the Application Review and Admission process. This includes information regarding when applications are considered and offers are made as well as important deadlines for those seeking to apply for scholarships and/or graduate assistantships.

Dates

Summer and Fall Semester Admissions

The following information is relevant to applicants seeking admission to the United States History Certificate in EITHER the Summer OR Fall Semester.

First date of consideration (February 1). The first date of consideration for admission into the program in either the Summer or Fall Semester is February 1. All applications received by February 1 for admission into the program in the following Summer or Fall semesters will be reviewed with offers being made in the first week of February.

Applicants seeking to apply for scholarships should ensure that they apply by the first date of consideration (February 1).

Second Date of Consideration (March 1). The second date of consideration for admission into the program in either the Summer or the Fall Semester is March 1. All applications received after February 1 and before March 1 for admission into the program in the following Summer or Fall Semester will be reviewed with offers being made in the first week of March.

Students seeking a Graduate Assistantship should apply by the second date of consideration at the latest (March 1).

Late Applications (April 15 onwards). All applications received after March 1 for admission into the program in the following Summer or Fall Semester will be reviewed on a rolling basis from April 15 until all places in the program are filled. Late applications received after all places in the program have been filled will automatically be rolled over to the following Spring’s application pool.

Spring Semester Admissions

The following information is relevant to applicants seeking admission to the United States History Certificate in the Spring Semester.

First date of consideration (September 1). The first date of consideration for admission into the program in the Spring Semester is September 1. All applications received by September 1 for admission into the program in the following Spring semester will be reviewed with offers being made in the first week of September.

Applicants seeking to apply for scholarships should ensure that they apply by the first date of consideration (September 1).

Second Date of Consideration (October 1). The second date of consideration for admission into the program in the Spring Semester is October 1. All applications received after September 1 and before October 1 for admission into the program in the following Spring Semester will be reviewed with offers being made in the first week of October.

Students seeking a Graduate Assistantship should apply by the second date of consideration at the latest (October 1).

Late Applications (November 15 onwards). All applications received after October 1 for admission into the program in the following Spring Semester will be reviewed on a rolling basis from November 15 until all places in the program are filled. Late applications received after all places in the program have been filled will automatically be rolled over to the following Summer’s application pool.

Notification of Application Status

Applicants who submit completed applications by either the first or second date of consideration will be notified as to the status of their application within 7 working days of the days of the relevant date. Complete late applications will be considered on a rolling basis. However, generally, applicants will be notified as to the status of their application within approximately 14 working days of submission.

Please note, that while the Department of History encourages prospective students to apply as early as possible, applications will only be reviewed as part of the relevant application pool. For example, an application for application for entry into the program in the Summer Semester received in September will not be reviewed until the first date of consideration for Summer and Fall Admissions (February 1).

Method of Notification

Applicants will be notified as to the status of their application via email. Successful applicants will receive emails pertaining to their offer from both the Graduate College and the Department of History. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified by the Graduate College.

Please be aware that occasionally emails from the university are directed to the applicant’s spam folder. Applicants who do not hear from the university as to the status of their application when they expect to are encouraged to check their spam folder before contacting Graduate Admissions .

Admission to the Master of Arts in History

Students enrolled in the United States History Certificate program may apply directly for admission into the Master of Arts in History MA program. Credits earned toward the requirements of the United States History Certificate may also count towards the requirements of the Master of Arts in History.

Students enrolled in the United States History Certificate program will be granted admission to the Master of Arts in History provided they meet the MA following criteria:

• Have completed at least 15 credit hours of the United States History Certificate program.
• Obtained a B grade or above in HST 701.
• Possess a GPA of 3. 0 or above.

Word History Certificate program students intending to apply for admission to the Master of Arts in History should contact the Graduate Program Director.

Current Master of Arts in History Students

Students enrolled in the Master of Arts of History degree program may add the United States History Certificate to their course of study. To do this, students must follow the instructions pertaining to “Adding a Graduate Certificate? ” found on the Graduate Admissions webpage. Credits earned towards the requirements of the Master of Arts in History may also count towards the Certificate. Students must be formally admitted into both requirements of the MA and the United States History Certificate.