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History

Application to the M.A. Program

Please note:

For prospective students applying for admission in the Fall 2022 season, the application deadline is June 1, 2022. Should you have any questions, please contact the program coordinator, Dr. Lori Clune.

Admission to the Master of Arts degree program in History assumes undergraduate preparation equivalent to a CSU, Fresno major in History. Majors from other disciplines may qualify for admission depending on grade point average and other factors deemed pertinent for success in historical studies. The department determines in each case whether the applicant needs additional preparation before receiving classified standing. A student may be admitted standing if he or she meets these minimum requirements:

  1. An acceptable Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution;
  2. A 3.0 GPA or above in the last sixty semester (90 quarter) units of study.

Cal State Apply Application | Additional Program Requirements:

Application to the University

In order to apply to the History M.A. program, students must apply directly to the University Graduate Admissions Office. Apply online at www.calstate.edu/apply.

You will be required to:

  1. Fill out the online application
  2. Supply transcripts as requested
  3. Pay a processing fee ($70).

Any delay in the receipt of the required documents will result in the holding back of your application.

For further information on the university application process, please visit the Division of Graduate Studies admissions page.

International applicants should visit the International Students Office website

Additional Program Application Requirements:

The History Department's requirements for admission are higher than basic university ones. Failure to meet the History Department's minimum requirements will result in an admissions denial from the History department.

Also, please note that you must submit to the History Department a number of documents in addition to those required for general university admission. Concurrently with those, students should submit the items listed below directly to the Graduate Coordinator:

  1. a 2-3 page application essay in which you explain: 

    • why you want to pursue a graduate degree in History.
    • what you plan to do with your degree.
    • what area of study you would like to focus on for your thesis project.
  2. three (3) letters of recommendation (we strongly recommend that these come from current and/or former professors who can speak to your quality as a student.) Please list the names and email addresses of your letter writers at the end of your personal statement.

Upon receipt of the student's file from the University Graduate Admissions Office and the student's letters and application essay, the History Department's Graduate Committee, following the university guidelines outlined above, will then decide whether the student should be admitted with a classified or conditionally classified standing.  In some cases, we will decide which undergraduate courses, if any, the student needs to take to make up any deficiencies he or she may have.

These dates are subject to change. Students should verify application deadlines by visiting the Division of Graduate Studies website