At UMKC, our faculty hold professional degrees and are publishing scholars who teach a wide variety of history courses. Small, upper-level class sizes are a hallmark of our programs. They promote discussion and individual attention from faculty, which provides a greater breadth of knowledge and a deeper understanding of course material.

Master of Arts in History

Students within the graduate programs of the Department of History receive rigorous instruction in historical scholarship, research methods and practical skills training through their work with varied source materials. The Department of History offers two options leading to the Master of Arts degree.

• Master of Arts in History
• Master of Arts in History with a Public History emphasis

In both options, students will develop a personalized research agenda and will be supported by a community of award-winning scholars.

Declaring Your Major

Any Master of Arts in history students interested in pursuing the Public History emphasis must have a Declaration of Major (DOM) on file with the department and School of Graduate Studies. Ideally, students will declare a Public History emphasis during their first enrolled semester.

Please note that the form must be initiated by the student's academic advisor or academic program contact. PDF versions of the form are no longer accepted.

Sample Major Map

Admissions

Admission into the Master of Arts in History, or Master of Arts in History with a Public History emphasis is based on the prospective student’s academic record, letters of recommendation, statement of purpose, writing sample, and favorable judgment by the Department of History’s Graduate Committee and Master of Arts Program Coordinator.

Prospective students should review the graduate and professional program application process through UMKC Admissions and the graduate admissions requirements set forth by the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) prior to completing their application. In addition, prospective students are strongly encouraged to consult with the Department of History’s Master of Arts program coordinator before applying.

Admissions at a Glance

The application process is competitive. Satisfying the admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the program.

Applicants will be asked to submit the following materials with their online application:

1. Academic information, including institutions attended, degrees earned, GPA, foreign language experience, honors and awards, and relevant work experience.
2. Writing sample that demonstrates the applicant’s writing abilities in the humanities in up to 15-pages of recent academic prose (upload file).
3. Statement of purpose (500-600 words) that describes the applicant’s academic and professional objectives, discusses in detail their area of research interest, and identifies a current faculty member (non-adjunct) with whom they would like to work under. View our current listing of departmental faculty.

*Consider pursuing a Graduate Certificate to round out your degree and enhance your career opportunities, such as:

• College Teaching and Career Preparation
• English Language and Literature
• Geographic Information Systems
• Historic Preservation
• Medieval and Early Modern Studies
• Nonprofit Management & Innovation
• Urban Policy and Management

All students interested in the Master of Arts in History will need to meet with a representative from the program. Application deadlines for enrollment to the Fall 2026 Semester is Dec. 15.

Learn more about MA in History

Graduate Program Faculty Coordinators

Massimiliano Vitiello
Professor of History and Classics and Master of Arts Program Coordinator
Email
Phone Number:816-235-6118 x9

Sandra Enriquez
Associate Professor of History and Director of the Public History Emphasis
Email
Phone Number: 816-235-6118 x3

Ph.D. in Humanities — History

The Doctor of Philosophy in Humanities: History Emphasis consists of foundational courses, advanced coursework, research seminars, and a comprehensive doctoral dissertation. Students will also purse coursework in a secondary area of emphasis (English, Digital and Public Humanities, or General Humanities). All coursework in both main emphasis and secondary emphasis areas must be approved prior to registration by the student's committee chair.

Before you apply to the program, review the faculty directory to identify faculty members who conduct research in your area of interest and who may be willing to serve on your dissertation committee.

Application deadline is Jan. 15 for Fall Semester enrollment. Rolling applications will be considered for the fall semester for domestic students. Application deadline for international students is April 15 for Fall Semester enrollment.

Learn more about Ph.D. in History

Doctoral Faculty Coordinator

Matthew Osborn
Associate Professor of History
Email
Phone Number: 816-235-6118 x8