The Students Before Profits Awards recognize non-profit colleges that put students before profits and education before the bottom line. This article features schools with the best online master’s degree history programs. Each school is a non-profit college or university. The best master’s in history programs are accredited by independent and trusted accreditation boards. Additionally, most of the listed programs have lower-than-average tuition costs.
Why Pursue an Online Master’s Degree in History?
College costs continue to rise, and people are entering the workforce at an earlier age. Many prospective students are looking for alternative ways to earn a college degree. Some individuals are choosing to pursue their higher education online. An online degree program offers greater flexibility. And it allows students to attend schools in a completely different geographical area. Plus, with the best online history master’s programs, you can save quite a bit of money.
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The reality of today’s economy is that many students are already working part or full-time. And this usually means they have limited time to pursue a college education. That’s one of the reasons distance education programs are so beneficial. By studying online, students can choose the degree programs that best suit them and still remain employed.
A master’s in history degree prepares students for exciting roles in museums, historical sites, and other educational centers. History graduates often find positions like archivist, curator, historian, or conservator. But there are also many other opportunities for those with a master’s degree in history.
See Also: BEST ONLINE HISTORY DEGREE: STUDENTS BEFORE PROFITS AWARD
Best History Masters Programs Methodology
Tuition varies widely among affordable non-profit colleges offering online master’s in history degrees. However, the ranking methodology for this review is simple. The programs are listed from the least to the most expensive. The tuition fees listed in this article are based on in-state graduate tuition per academic year. Note that the costs for out-of-state or online students may differ. All figures come from NCES College Navigator.
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Colleges With the Best Online History Graduate Programs
| College | Tuition | Score |
| Louisiana Tech University | $5,416 | 100 |
| Missouri State University | $5,760 | 99.75 |
| University of Louisiana Monroe | $6,490 | 99.50 |
| Eastern Illinois University | $7,691 | 99.25 |
| Indiana State University | $7,776 | 99.00 |
| Liberty University | $7,847 | 98.75 |
| Western Kentucky University | $12,140 | 98.50 |
| University of Massachusetts Boston | $18,433 | 98.25 |
| Southern New Hampshire University | $18,900 | 98.00 |
| Norwich University | $20,264 | 97.75 |
Ranking the Top Online Master’s Degree History Programs
#1. Louisiana Tech University
Online Master’s in History
Louisiana Tech University was established in 1894 and is located in Ruston, Louisiana. The Carnegie Classification labels it as a Level 2 High-Research Activity Institution. And Louisiana Tech is engaged in research for some of the nation’s most important government organizations. The school enrolls over 12,000 students at its five academic schools. Students can choose from dozens of undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Many of these can be accessed remotely.
LTU offers an online Master of Arts in History degree. This program is designed for students hoping to enter into doctoral studies. But it is also ideal for those pursuing careers in education and other fields. Some students even choose the masters of history online at LTU simply for cultural enrichment. The program is available entirely online and does not require any visits to the Louisiana Tech University campus. A minimum of 30 credits are required to complete the degree. Some of the courses in this online master’s program include:
- History of US Foreign Policy
- Modern Eastern Europe
- History of England to 1688
- Renaissance and Reformation
- Classical and Late Antiquity
- History of the Christian Church
- Europe in the Age of Monarchy
- History of the Ancient Near East
- Civil War and Reconstruction
- The American Frontier
- History of Mexico
- Early 20th Century America
- History of The Old South
- Vietnam, Watergate, and After
- African-American History
- History of American Popular Music
- Women in History
- History of American Sports
- Global History
Students may complete the degree under a thesis or a non-thesis plan. In addition, qualified students can apply for graduate assistantships. There are also several competitive fellowships and scholarships available.
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Tuition: $5,416
Score: 100
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#2. Missouri State University
Online Master’s in History
Missouri State University was established in 1905. It is located in Springfield and was originally a teacher’s college. Today, Missouri State boasts a student population of over 24,000. The college offers more than 175 undergraduate and graduate programs. Plus, it is one of the largest cooperative education programs in the Midwest.
MSU offers an online Master of Arts in History degree program with several options. The first is the traditional master’s degree in history program. It’s a 30-hour program that can be completed in a year and a half. Courses are offered in the evenings, on-campus, online, or in a blended format. This makes the traditional program highly flexible, especially for those who are working full time. The curriculum is broad, but students can also choose three specialized tracks. These include U.S. History, World History, or U.S. and World History.
A few of the courses offered by the history department include:
- American Religious History
- Colonial America
- Early American Republic
- Civil War and Reconstruction
- Global History
- Gilded Age/Progressive Era America
- Plagues and Pandemics
- African American Leaders and Movements
- History of Ancient Egypt
- History of the American West
- History of the American South
- Medieval Europe
- The Renaissance
- The Reformation
- History of Fascism
- History of the Holocaust
- Victorian and Edwardian England
MSU is home to a wide selection of historical collections and archives. Students can access a variety of rare books and literature collections. Plus, they can view historical documents. The college also houses a unique collection of Ozark history.
Another option for history students is the school’s accelerated master’s degree in history. This program allows undergraduates to gain preliminary acceptance to the history graduate program. Then, they can finish their bachelor’s and master’s degrees simultaneously within five years.
Financial aid is available for this online master’s program. In addition to financial aid, the History Department at Missouri State also offers numerous scholarship opportunities. And some of these are available to graduate students.
Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
Tuition: $5,760
Score: 99.75
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#3. University of Louisiana Monroe
Online Master’s in History
The University of Louisiana Monroe was founded in 1931 as the Ouachita Parish Junior College. The school underwent many name changes before it was finally named the University of Louisiana Monroe in 1991. It is one of nine schools in the University of Louisiana System. This public university enrolls just under 9,000 students. In 2021, U.S. News & World Report recognized the college as a Best National University.
ULM offers an online Master of Arts in History degree. A minimum of 30 credits are required to complete the degree. A thesis is not required for the online program. However, students must successfully pass comprehensive oral and written exams. Students in this program will learn history as it applies to law, politics, and citizenship. There are dozens of exciting history courses to choose from at LMA. A few of these include:
- The Rise of Southern Nationalism
- Civil War Military History
- History of Warfare
- The American Heritage
- The Makers of Europe
- Historiography
- Contemporary History
- The Holocaust
- World War II
- Native American History
- American Colonial
- Voodoo, Hoodoo, and Conjure
- The Old South
- The American Frontier
- Ancient Egyptian Religious Texts and Beliefs
- The Middle Ages
- Renaissance and Reformation
- Revolutionary France
Master of Arts in History applicants must meet specific admission requirements. For example, they will need a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 from an accredited university. They will also need 18 semester hours of social sciences or humanities. And at least half of those must be from history courses. Additionally, online students are required to submit a writing sample. This may be a research paper, book review, etc. Financial aid is available. Plus, a limited number of graduate assistantships are available for this program.
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Tuition: $6,490
Score: 99.50
#4. Eastern Illinois University
Online Master’s in History
History MA Online Option for Teachers
Eastern Illinois University is a public non-profit college established in 1895. Located in Charleston, Illinois, roughly 11,000 students attend EIU. The University is comprised of six separate colleges offering undergraduate and graduate degrees. Plus, Eastern Illinois Online offers over thirty online degree programs.
Students at EIU can choose from two online master’s programs in history. The first is the Master of Arts in History with three areas of study:
- American History
- Premodern World History
- Modern World History
Students can choose a thesis or non-thesis track for earning this degree. The M.A. with thesis is 30 semester hours, and the non-thesis path requires 32 semester hours. All students prepare a bibliography of the works they have read during their studies. And this forms the basis for their oral and written exams. The centerpiece of each program is Historiography. This course introduces participants to theories and methodologies employed by historians. Some of the other courses may include:
- Colonial America
- The American Revolution
- The Foundation of the American Constitutional and Political System
- History of American Violence
- Public History: Meaning and Method
- The Emergence of Industrial America
- History of Ideas in America
- The Vietnam War: An American and Vietnamese Ordeal
- Leadership in Museums
- Historical Interpretation
- Introduction To Archival Methods
- Research in American Local History
- American Architecture
- Historic Preservation in the United States
- Care and Management of Historical Artifacts
- History of Women, Gender, and Sexuality in the United States
- Material Life and Decorative Arts in America
- Slavery, Race, and Diaspora in the Americas
- Church and Society in Medieval Europe
- Historical Methods
The second online graduate history program is the Online Option for Teachers. It’s one of very few history graduate programs in the U.S. specifically designed for K-12 teachers. Courses are taught by a tenured and tenure-track faculty that are published experts in the field. The scholarly work is just as rigorous as the M.A. in History. However, this option is geared toward students’ professional goals as educators. Financial aid and other assistance is available.
Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
Tuition: $7,691
Score: 99.25
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#5. Indiana State University
Online Master’s in History
Indiana State University opened in 1870 as the Indiana State Normal School. There were 21 students and four faculty members at its founding. Today, the school enrolls over 13,000 students and is organized into six academic colleges. The University offers a wide range of undergraduate, graduate, and online programs.
ISO offers an online Master of Arts in History program. It is designed to prepare students for a variety of professional careers. And it also serves as an excellent foundation for students who want to pursue a doctoral degree in history. Students can choose a concentration in United States History, European History, or History of the Wider World. Classes are 100 percent online, and full-time students can graduate in two years. Part-time students can complete the program in three to five years. Students will need 33 credits to graduate. Some of the courses in this program include:
- Historical Research and Methods
- Social Movements in Historical Context
- History of Labor in the United States
- The Gilded Age and Progressive Era
- Race and Nationality in the United States
- Women in History
- Religion in American History and Culture
- History of the Modern Middle East
- The Rise and Fall of the Spanish World Empire
- United States Diplomacy
- Culture and Modernity in Japan
- Major Issues in United States History
- The History of Thought and Culture in the United States
Graduate students can access archival sources online at the university library. They have a wide range of periodicals, newspapers, and special collections. The library is also a U.S. government depository library. So students will have access to publications of the federal government. Additionally, ISU has cooperative agreements with other colleges for access to historical sources.
Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
Tuition: $7,776
Score: 99.00
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#6. Liberty University
Online Master’s in History
Online Master of Arts in Public History
Online Master of Arts in Military History
Liberty University is a prominent Christian liberal arts college founded in 1971. Based in Lynchburg, Virginia, it comprises 15 schools and offers more than 700 programs. Over 15,000 students attend school on campus. However, a majority of Liberty’s programs are offered at a distance. As a result, Liberty University Online enrolls an additional 94,000 students in its online programs.
Students at Liberty University can enroll in a 100 percent online Master of Arts in History program. It’s a 36-credit hour program that takes about 1.5 years to complete. Students can transfer in up to 50 percent of the credits needed to earn the degree. The online history master’s degree requires nine credit hours of fundamental courses. The Liberty University masters in history is a Christian program, so the school’s history courses are taught from a biblical perspective. Some of these include:
- Protestant Reformation
- Historical Methods
- Historiography
- American Christian Heritage
This degree program is flexible and designed for students to pursue their own historical interests. As a result, it can prepare students for many careers, including:
- History Teacher
- Historian
- Archivist
- Archaeologist
- Political Scientist
- Museum Curator
- Writer, Editor, or Publisher
This program can also prepare students who are interested in academia for Ph.D. in History programs.
In addition to the general history program, students at Liberty can choose from two other graduate degrees in history:
- Master of Arts in Public HistoryThis program teaches students the skills they need to convey historical information to the general public.
- Master of Arts in Military History This program offers an in-depth understanding of military history and contemporary military operations.
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Tuition: $7,847
Score: 98.75
#7. Western Kentucky University
Online Master’s in History
Western Kentucky University is a public non-profit university founded in 1906. It is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and enrolls over 15,000 students yearly. WKU offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degrees. Plus, the school has over 80 online programs—many of them nationally ranked.
Western Kentucky University offers an excellent online Master of Arts in History degree program. This program will prepare students to teach history in secondary schools or colleges. And it lays a foundation of graduate work for those who want to pursue a doctoral degree in history. Courses are available entirely online with no required visits to the WKU campus. A minimum of 36 credits are required to complete this degree. Some of the courses in this online history program include:
- History for Secondary Teachers
- Cultural Diversity in American History
- Approaches to World History
- History of Sexuality
- History of the US Civil Rights Movement
- Cultural History of Alcohol
- American Legal History
- History of American Popular Culture
- American Urban History
- Discovery and Interpretation of Local History
- Immigrants in American History
- History of Religion in America
- Ancient History
- British History
- World History
- Gender and Women’s History
- Environmental History
- Borderlands History
- Labor History
- Historical Methods
The History M.A. program includes four online asynchronous seminars in the fall and spring semesters. Class sizes are small, which allows students to interact closely with their peers and instructors. Online students can choose either a thesis or a non-thesis track. And there is no foreign language requirement.
Western Kentucky has been rated as having one of the best online history master’s programs in the U.S. The History Department at WKU also offers a Joint Undergraduate Master’s Program in History. This program lets students complete an undergraduate and graduate degree in history in five years. Interested students should reach out to the graduate program coordinator for information.
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Tuition: $12,140
Score: 98.50
#8. University of Massachusetts Boston
Online Master’s in History
The University of Massachusetts was founded in 1863 as a land-grant college in Amhurst. One hundred fifty years later, UMass comprises an extensive university system with locations throughout the state. It is a respected public research university serving over 75,000 students each year. In addition to four campuses, UMass has medical and public law schools. But the college also offers plenty of remote degree programs. Students at UMass online can choose from over 200 undergraduate and graduate degrees and certificates.
Students at UMass Boston can enroll in an online Master of Arts in History degree. This program is highly recommended for those pursuing a career in journalism, law school, education, and more. The program is available entirely online and does not require in-person visits to the Boston campus. A minimum of 30 credits are required to complete the master’s degree. Some of the excellent courses in the online history degree include:
- Introduction to Historiography
- World War Two
- Socialism: The International History of a Revolutionary Idea
- Theory and Practice of European Fascism
- Topics on the History of the American Revolution
- History of New York City
- Cold War America, 1945-1989
- Topics in European History
- Topics in American History
- Topics in Atlantic History
- Age of FDR: Depression, War, and the Birth of Modern America
UMass has one of the best online history master’s degree programs on our list. All of the online graduate history courses are taught by tenure-stream faculty in the History Department. The online master’s in history program is identical to what is taught on campus. And at the end of the two-year program, students are awarded a Master of Arts in History. Those who want to continue conducting research may wish to apply to the History Ph.D. program.
Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges
Tuition: $18,433
Score: 98.25
#9. Southern New Hampshire University
Online Master of Arts in History
Southern New Hampshire University was founded in 1932 as a two-room business school in Downtown Manchester. This non-profit college has seen rapid growth over the past two decades. As a result, there are around 3,000 students on campus and a whopping 60,000 students online. The college offers over 70 in-person programs and more than 200 remote programs. Students can choose from Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral Degrees online. SNHU also offers several online certificates.
Students at SNHU can enroll in an online Master of Arts in History degree. This is a 33- credit program that can be completed in as little as 15 months. The program teaches history-specific knowledge but also provides students with practical skills. For example, students will learn advanced research, presentation, analysis, and critical thinking techniques. These are transferable skills that can apply to many different fields. Students can choose from three concentrations with this online master’s degree in history online. These are American History, Military History, and Public History. Some of the courses may include:
- Early American Encounters
- Era of the Civil War
- The Gilded Age and Progressive Era
- America and the World Wars
- History of Military Thought
- America and the World Wars
- The Russian Revolutions
- Chinese Imperialism
- Public History Strategic Management
- Documentary Editing
- Archival Management
- Museum Collection Management
- Public History
SMHU offers one of the top history master’s programs we’ve found. Online students at this private, non-profit college all have a dedicated academic advisor. Your advisor provides practical help, encouragement, and guidance to help you stay focused on your goals. In addition, students can work with the school’s career services team. Together, they will help you take advantage of corporate partnerships and internship opportunities. Other services include an online library, 24/7 tech support, and tutoring.
Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges
Tuition: $18,900
Score: 98.00
#10. Norwich University
Online Master’s in History
Former Captain Alden Partridge founded Norwich University in 1819. Partridge was a former Superintendent of West Point Academy. And he created the school to be an alternative option to West Point. Located in Norwich, Vermont, the school is home to 21,000 students. Norwich University is a private, non-profit institution and the birthplace of ROTC.
Norwich University offers a Master of Arts in History degree program. A minimum of 36 credits are required to complete the master’s degree. On average, it takes about 18 months, and courses are completed entirely online. The class sizes for this online master’s in history are limited to 15 students. So participants get plenty of interaction with fellow students and faculty. There are four concentrations to choose from:
- Public History
- American History
- World History
- Legal and Constitutional History
Students in this program will improve their historical knowledge. But they will also develop strong research, analysis, writing, and presentation skills. These practical skills are not only relevant to a career in history. They are also transferable to business, education, government, and law. Some of the courses in the history program include:
- Museum Studies
- 20th Century America
- American Colonial, Revolutionary, and Early National History
- 19th Century America
- Hunter-Gatherer and Agrarian Eras
- World History from 1800 to 1991
- Global History
- Military Thought and Theory
- Non-Western Military History
- Race and Gender in Military History
- Chinese Military History
- Amphibious Warfare
- U.S. Military History
- Archival Studies
- Western Legal Traditions
Online students at this private, non-profit college all have a dedicated academic advisor. Your advisor provides practical help, encouragement, and guidance to help you stay focused on your goals. In addition, students can work with the school’s career services team. Together, they will help you take advantage of corporate partnerships and internship opportunities. Other services include an online library, 24/7 tech support, and tutoring.
Norwich students can take advantage of one of the top master’s in history online degree programs in New England. Students will learn from instructors who are active scholars with doctorate degrees. And they can customize their history studies based on their personal interests and career goals.
Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges
Tuition: $20,264
Score: 97.75
This concludes our ranking of the top online master’s degree history programs.
NPCO Staff
