Indiana State University Newsroom

Indiana State University will offer master's degrees in history via distance education this fall as part of an ongoing effort to make completion of advanced degrees more accessible and affordable.

"We are excited to be able to offer our graduate degree via distance," said Christopher Olsen, professor and chair of Indiana State's history department. "The master's degree in history is a rigorous program that focuses on developing students' skills in critical reading, writing, and historical research, as well as deepening their knowledge of United States and world history. With a diverse, world-class faculty we offer students a great variety of concentrations of study, and have particular strengths in modern U. S. and world history."

The department also has a special concentration available for students interested in the history of labor and social reform movements, Olsen noted.

The online master's degree programs in history are designed to fulfill a variety of academic and professional objectives, including entry into doctoral programs, post-secondary teaching, and a variety of professional careers. A Master of Arts degree is geared toward students who intend to pursue doctorates in history while a Master of Science degree is designed for students pursuing professional careers or already working in professions where they might benefit from an advanced degree.

"Our MS in history is unique in that it is focused on practitioners such as teachers, public historians, librarians, archivists or museum curators," said Ken Brauchle, dean of extended studies at Indiana State. "We are pleased to add to the growing number of extended learning programs aimed at those who, for reasons of time and/or distance, are unable to attend traditional classes."

Both master's degree programs in history include 33 credits that can be completed entirely on-line in three to five years of part-time study, but students can take up to seven years to earn their degree. Students who have the flexibility to blend on-campus and on-line coursework can complete the program in two years of full-time study, Brauchle said.

Details about the new online master's degree programs in history by contacting isu-historyonline@mail.indstate.edu and information about this and other extended learning opportunities at Indiana State are at www.indstate.edu/distance.

Contact: Christopher Olsen, professor and chair, department of history, Indiana State University, 812-237-2710 or isu-historyonline@mail.indstate.edu; Richard Scheirov, graduate coordinator, department of history, Indiana State University, 812-237-2719 or Richard.schneirov@indstate.edu

Writer: Dave Taylor, media relations director, Office of Communications and Marketing, Indiana State University, 812-237-3743 or dave.taylor@indstate.edu