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Fall 2026 Admission Guidelines

• The applicant must hold a B.A. degree in either history or in one of the social sciences, humanities, or fine arts disciplines from an accredited college or university.
• The applicant must have achieved a grade point average of at least 3.00 in history, social science, fine arts, and humanities course work.
• The applicant must submit an application at calstate.edu/apply by April 1, 2026.
• The statement of purpose included in the online application should address the applicant's reasons for pursuing a graduate degree and should add address his or her post-baccalaureate work experience and plans for the future.
• The applicant must request THREE confidential letters of recommendation from professors and/or supervisors (K-12 teachers may submit letters from the applicant's principal and two colleagues). Letters of recommendation are required even if the applicant was an undergraduate history major at Cal Poly Pomona.
• The letters of recommendation should be submitted by April 1, 2026. Recommenders will be asked to submit their letters electronically via Calstate Apply.
• Fall 2026 applicants: If you have any questions or would like more information about the program, please e-mail Dr. Rachel Van (rtvan@cpp.edu)

The degree requirements consist of:

• 14-19 semester units of the following required 5000 and 6000 level core courses:
  • HST 5540, Readings in World History to 1500 (3 units)
  • HST 5541, Readings in World History from 1500 (3 units)
  • HST 5544 Graduate Digital Research Project in World History (1 unit, may be repeated for credit) or HST 5564 Graduate Digital Research Project in US History (1 unit, may be repeated for credit)
  • HST 5560, Readings in Early US History (3 units)
  • HST 5561, Readings in Modern US History (3 units)
  • HST 6970, Comprehensive exam preparation (1 unit) or HST 6940, Master’s Thesis Research (3-6 units)*
• A minimum of 6 semester units of elective graduate courses in history, such as:
  • HST 5501, Graduate History Methods (3 units)
  • HST 5502, Graduate Digital Research Project in History Methods (1)
  • HST 5562 Readings in California History (3)
  • HST 5570 Contemporary Historiography (3)
  • HST 5571 Graduate Digital Research Project in Historiography (1)
•  A maximum of 11 semester units of undergraduate 3000 and 4000 level courses in history, social sciences or humanities.
• Total: at least 31 semester units of course work.
• Comprehensive Examinations.

*Note that a Master’s thesis may only be attempted with permission. Almost all students will be expected instead to complete comprehensive examinations.

Master’s Exam

All students will take comprehensive exams in their final semester at the end of either their second year of the two-year program, or their third year of a three-year program in order to qualify for the MA degree. The comprehensive exams will be offered for all the students on the same dates.

Progress Toward Degree

Students are expected to demonstrate consistent progress toward their degree. The Master’s Degree is designed to take two years for a student who takes 15-16 semester units a year, and three years for a student who takes 8-12 semester units a year. All MA students should complete their degrees by the end of the third year.

Fields

All students will take courses in both US and World history; it is not possible to specialize in one field.

Course Load

Two-year students will usually take three graduate seminars, three accompanying digital research projects, and one upper division course each year.  Three-year students will usually take three graduate research seminars and three accompanying digital research projects in the first year, two graduate research seminars and accompanying digital research projects in the second year, and one graduate seminar and accompanying digital research project plus two upper division courses in the third year.

Scheduling

Graduate courses are offered in the late afternoons and evenings so as to accommodate teachers’ schedules. The 5000 and 6000 level courses will be taken by all the MA students as a cohort, although students have a few options for elective courses. If the graduate roadmap is followed, students will be able to complete their degrees in two years and will need to be on campus two days a week.

Click the link below for the detailed road maps for our graduate program, specific to each entering cohort!

• • Graduate Program Road Map Cohort 13 (Entering Fall 2025) (Word document) 
  • Graduate Program Road Map Cohort 12 (Entering Fall 2024) (Word document)
  • Graduate Program Road Map Cohort 11 (Entering Fall 2023) (Word document)

HST 5501: Advanced Graduate Methods

Advanced historical research methods, including research in electronic databases and digital archives. Current historiographical approaches. Choosing a topic and the process of research, writing, annotating and presenting the research. 3 semester units.

HST 5502: Graduate Digital Research Project in History Methods

Advanced research project in the methods and theories of history using digital resources for research and presentation, under faculty supervision. 1 semester unit.

HST 5540: Readings in World History to 1500

In-depth study and analysis of common themes, issues, and documents in world civilizations to 1500 CE. 3 semester units.

HST 5541: Readings in World History from 1500

In-depth study and analysis of common themes, issues, and documents in world civilizations from 1500 CE. 3 semester units.

HST 5544: Graduate Digital Research Project in World History

Advanced research project in the world history using digital resources for research and presentation, under faculty supervision. 1 semester unit, may be repeated for credit.

HST 5560: Readings in Early US History

In-depth graduate study and analysis of major themes, problems, and trends in U.S. history from Colonial times to the Civil War. 3 semester units.

HST 5561: Readings in Modern US History

In-depth graduate study and analysis of major subjects, themes, problems, and trends in U.S. history from 1877 to present. 3 semester units.

HST 5562: Readings in California History

Seminar in California history. Graduate level readings and analysis of major episodes and epochs of California history. 3 semester units.

HST 5564: Graduate Digital Research Project in US History

Advanced research project in the United States history using digital resources for research and presentation, under faculty supervision. 1 semester unit, may be repeated twice for credit.

HST 5570: Contemporary Historiography

Close reading and analysis of recent trends in historiography, including social history, feminist and gender theory, cultural studies, post-colonial studies, post-structuralism, memory studies, transnational and entangled histories. 3 semester units.

HST 5571: Graduate Digital Research Project in Historiography

Advanced research project in historiography using digital resources for research and/or presentation, under faculty supervision. 1 semester unit.

HST 6960: Master’s Thesis Research

Research and writing the MA thesis under faculty supervision. 3 semester units, may be repeated for credit.

HST 6970: Comprehensive Exam Preparation

Individual study for the comprehensive examination. 1 semester unit.