If you love history and want to share your knowledge of historical trends and events with students, then earning a master’s degree in history education may be worth your consideration. As a history education graduate, you have the opportunity to instill a lifelong love of learning in your students while nurturing their curiosity about the world around them. Earning your MA in History can also put you on the path to doctoral studies, where you can strive for advanced competencies in research and education.  

The master’s in history: education emphasis is designed for those who wish to teach history at the postsecondary level. Employer requirements can vary from one institute to the next. In general, however, a master’s degree may be all that’s needed to teach at community colleges. If you would like to teach at a four-year college or university, then earning the master’s degree in history can be a useful steppingstone toward pursuing a doctoral degree, which is typically the minimum requirement at four-year institutions.¹

To apply for the online master’s in history with an education emphasis at GCU, you must present either a bachelor’s degree from an accredited, approved school or program with the minimum required GPA or a graduate degree from an accredited, approved school or program. GMAT or GRE scores may be requested as supplementary requirements. Speak with a university counselor for more details.

As a history teacher, you can help students grow in their knowledge of past events and guide them in applying what they’ve learned to the present time. If you’re a history aficionado who is committed to lifelong learning and wishes to foster the same attitude in others, then being a history professor can be a meaningful choice. As education continues to evolve, you may also have the choice of which modality — online, classroom or hybrid — fits best with your schedule and career goals.

Becoming a history teacher requires a passion for the subject and an eagerness to examine historical events, trends and cultural changes over time. Employment requirements depend on which setting you would like to teach in. If you would like to become a postsecondary professor, you may only need a master’s in history: education emphasis to pursue employment at a community college. A doctoral degree is the usual requirement for aspiring professors at four-year colleges and universities.¹

If you would like to become a history teacher at public secondary schools, you will need to earn a degree that leads to initial teacher licensure and meets the teacher licensure or certification requirements for the state in which you plan to work.³

The master’s in history: education emphasis degree program requires 34 credits for completion. Most of the online courses are eight weeks in length. To better understand how long it might take you to earn your master’s degree, you can fill out the form on this page to request a consultation with a university counselor.