Graduate Certificate in American History

This is an archived copy of the 2017-2018 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit catalog.shsu.edu.

The 18-hour certificate program in American history will prepare graduate students to read, analyze, and write about the past in a way that is meaningful today. In keeping with this philosophy, the program will offer a unique experience, which allows students to participate in graduate education through online classes. Students in the program will find a broad-based education incorporating in-depth studies of American history, immersion in the latest historiographical theories, and training in advanced research methods.

The 18-hour graduate certificate program in history will allow secondary school teachers who already hold a master’s degree in another field to earn the credentials needed to teach courses for joint high school and junior college credit. 

Through this program teachers will be able to:

  • Participate in a Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)-accredited program;
  • Work with leading scholars from SHSU’s faculty members in history;
  • Complete the 18-hour program completely online from their homes or offices;
  • Finish the 18-hour program in a single year;
  • Apply coursework from this 18-hour program to a full MA degree in history at SHSU.

Teachers interested in pursuing the 18-hour graduate certificate program in history must:

  •  Complete the Apply Texas general application form.
  • Pay the requisite application fee of $45 through Apply Texas .
  • Currently hold an undergraduate and master’s degree from an accredited college or university.
  • Submit official transcripts from all institutions of higher education. 
  • Submit two letters of recommendation.
  • Submit an academic writing sample.

Inquiries may be directed to:

J. Ross Dancy, DPhil (Oxon)
Director of Graduate Studies in History
Assistant Professor of History
Telephone: (936) 294-3908
Email: jdancy@shsu.edu

Department of History
Sam Houston State University
Huntsville, TX 77341-2239

The six courses in the table below, for a total of 18 semester credit hours, are required for the Graduate Certificate in American History.

Graduate Certificate in American History
HIST 5370Colonial America3
HIST 5371Revolutionary America3
HIST 5372Early National America3
HIST 5373The Am Civil War & Reconstruct3
HIST 5375Recent America, 1876-19333
HIST 5376Contemporary Amer,1933-Present3
Total Hours18