MA Curriculum

A full account of degree requirements and procedures is contained in the Historical Studies student handbook.

To earn the MA in Historical Studies, a student must complete a total of 30 credits with a minimum grade point average of 3.0.

A maximum of three credits taken at another university may be granted toward the credit requirement for the master's degree. Twenty-seven credits must be completed at The New School for Social Research.

Graduate Minors
Students can use elective courses toward completing one of the university’s graduate minors. These structured pathways of study immerse master's and doctoral students in disciplines outside their primary field and expose them to alternative modes of research and practice. Completed graduate minors are officially recorded on students' transcript.

Master's Thesis
At the end of their first year of coursework, after completing both required courses, students submit a proposal for an MA Thesis project to their primary faculty advisor. If the proposal is approved, students work on their Thesis Projects in their second year. Students will write their thesis as an independent study under the supervision of their thesis advisor.

Students in their second year of the MA in Historical Studies (or thereafter while still in residence) may apply for admission to the PhD in Politics or PhD in Sociology with a specialized minor in Historical Studies at The New School for Social Research.

The aim of the specialized minor in Historical Studies within the PhD in Politics or Sociology is to provide integrated training in history and social science for scholars with a strong interest in both fields. Students accepted for doctoral studies by both the Committee on Historical Studies and the other department must work closely with both faculty advisors to design a coherent program of study and prepare qualifying examinations that will cover their work in both fields.

Acceptance is not automatic but is at the discretion of either the Politics or Sociology department as well as Historical Studies. Applicants must apply to the PhD program in either department, inform their Historical Studies faculty advisor and the chair of the department of their plans, and provide a letter of intent, explaining their scholarly interests and rationale for pursuing a PhD in either program with a specialized Historical Studies minor. Students whose applications for the PhD program have been accepted by both faculties must file a change-of-status petition with the NSSR Office of Academic Affairs.

The sequential Bachelor's-Master's (BAMA) program allows qualified New School undergraduate students to complete two degrees in as little as five years while saving up to 75 percent on tuition costs. Through the program, students delve deep into subjects they care about, gain expertise early on in their education, and improve their job prospects with a graduate degree.

Every Master of Arts program at NSSR is paired with related New School bachelor’s programs, with established pathways and timelines for students to earn both undergraduate and graduate degrees. The following undergraduate programs are paired with the NSSR Historical Studies MA program:

• Global Studies (BA) through Lang or BPATS
• History (BA)
• Liberal Arts (BA or BS) through Lang or BPATS

To learn more, visit the Bachelor’s-Master’s program page. Interested undergraduates should talk with their undergraduate advisors about specific BAMA requirements for their programs and application information and deadlines.