Undergraduate Students
Undergraduate Research Opportunities
The Department of History encourages undergraduates to engage in research, either by a short-term independent project or completion of a Senior Thesis. Many internships in history also involve significant research in a real-world setting.
Students interested in pursuing their own short-term independent research project (HISTORY 496) under the guidance of a faculty member and earn credit hours towards their degree should consult with undergraduate faculty mentor for details.
Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship
Participating in undergraduate research and creative scholarship not only helps students develop critical-thinking, artistic, experimental design, and presentation skills but, it can also open a world of endless possibilities. Students can take classes with a research focus, apply for research grants, and share their research at campus symposia, and earn recognition for their work.
Students interested in pursuing undergraduate research and creative scholarship should consult with their undergraduate faculty member for details before enrolling in HISTORY 499WI or HONORS 495J.
Graduate Students
Additional forms for graduate students can be found on School of Graduate Studies webpage.
All Master of Arts in history students, regardless of emphasis, must have a Program of Study (POS) on file with the department and the School of Graduate Studies (SGS).
All Interdisciplinary Ph.D. students must have an IPh.D. POS on file with the department and the School of Graduate Studies (SGS). The form can be found here.
Declare a Public History Emphasis
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 major during their first enrolled semester.
Graduate Teaching and Research Assistantships
Graduate assistantships provide students with the opportunity to gain professional experience, academic training, and financial support while pursing advanced degrees. Prospective students are encouraged to submit their assistantship applications by March 1st for position considerations for the upcoming academic year.
Types of Assistantships Available with the Department of History
Additional graduate assistantships positions may appear throughout the academic year at which time announcements will be sent out to active graduate students via their university issued email. Such announcements will include position details and instructions for how to apply.
Whether interning with the National WWI Museum and Memorial, working for the Missouri Humanities Council, or creating award-winning documentaries in the Kemper Humanities Digital Laboratory, UMKC history students find success in a variety of workplaces. For our historians, success beyond academia is the expectation; not the exception.
As such, the Department of History is committed to preparing students for success in a broad range of fields by providing these initiatives.
Prizes and Awards
The Department of History awards two annual paper prizes for graduate students:
Students are encouraged to submit their papers to the department by May 1st of each year for consideration. For more information regarding these scholarship opportunities please contact the Department.
Students are encouraged to seek external funding through internships, grants, and fellowships. Many local, state, and national historical organizations offer fellowships for graduate students, as well as travel grants to archives and presidential libraries.