Academic Catalog 2026-2027

Department of History

The mission of the History Graduate Program at Texas Southern University is to expand student's knowledge  of history and to develop the research, analytical, and critical skills that will prepare them for careers in academia, education, law, non-profit organizations, government, or public history. Students in this program will enhance their research and reading and writing skills.

Master of Arts in HISTORY -- Degree Plans

The Department of History offers two options leading to the Master of Arts degree:

  1. Masters of Arts in History (thesis option)  
  2. Masters of Arts in History (non-thesis option) 

The M.A. degree may be earned either in person or fully online through Texas Southern University's Canvas platform.

Graduate Certificate in HISTORY

The Department of History offers two graduate certificates:

  • Graduate Certificate in African American History and the Diaspora 
  • Graduate Certificate in History 

Each Certificate in History requires the successful completion of 18 credit hours at the graduate 
level. Students who complete the certificate program may apply to the M.A. Program, and 
successfully completed hours will be applied to the M.A. in History. 

The degree paths for the M.A. degree are designed to prepare students for entry to the professional world or further graduate study.

Advanced Undergraduate/Graduate

(These courses can be taken for graduate credit only with the permission of the graduate advisor)

HIST 421  Topics in African Diaspora  (3 Credits)  
Lecture: 3  
Topics in African Diaspora (3) Directed readings course that may be repeated for up to six hours credit. Topics examine the history of the peoples of the African Diaspora. Three hours of lecture per week.
College/School: Liberal Arts & Behavioral Scie
Department: Dept of History & Geography
HIST 430  Topics In History  (3 Credits)  
Lecture: 3, Lab: 0  
Intensive study with reading and discussion of special topics in United States, African American, and world history. Special attention will be focused on selected national and international topics. May be repeated for up to 9 credits as topics vary.
Prerequisite(s): ((HIST 231 or HIST 1301) and (HIST 232 or HIST 1302))
College/School: Liberal Arts & Behavioral Scie
Department: Dept of History & Geography
HIST 432  Topics in World History  (3 Credits)  
Lecture: 3  
Directed readings course that may be repeated for up to six hours credit. Topics examine themes in the history of societies and cultures throughout the world.
Prerequisite(s): ((HIST 231 or HIST 1301) and (HIST 232 or HIST 1302))
College/School: Liberal Arts & Behavioral Scie
Department: Dept of History & Geography
HIST 439  The United States SInce 1945  (3 Credits)  
Lecture: 3, Lab: 0  
Examination of the rapid social and political changes experienced by the United States since World War II with particular attention given to America's involvement in foreign affairs.
Prerequisite(s): ((HIST 231 or HIST 1301) and (HIST 232 or HIST 1302))
College/School: Liberal Arts & Behavioral Scie
Department: Dept of History & Geography
HIST 447  Mod African-American Hist  (3 Credits)  
Lecture: 3, Lab: 0  
Examination of the background and events of the struggle for legal, political, and economic equality by African Americans up to the present day. May be repeated as topics vary.
Prerequisite(s): ((HIST 231 or HIST 1301) and (HIST 232 or HIST 1302))
College/School: Liberal Arts & Behavioral Scie
Department: Dept of History & Geography
HIST 478  Slavery  (3 Credits)  
Lecture: 3, Lab: 0  
Examination of the political, social, economic, and cultural impact of slavery on the Western world.
Prerequisite(s): ((HIST 231 or HIST 1301) and (HIST 232 or HIST 1302))
College/School: Liberal Arts & Behavioral Scie
Department: Dept of History & Geography
HIST 479  Urban Hist Of U S  (3 Credits)  
Lecture: 3, Lab: 0  
Examination of the process of urbanization in American history with special emphasis on the role of ethnic minorities, Blacks, and Browns, in an urban nation.
Prerequisite(s): ((HIST 231 or HIST 1301) and (HIST 232 or HIST 1302))
College/School: Liberal Arts & Behavioral Scie
Department: Dept of History & Geography
HIST 481  Topics In African Hist  (3 Credits)  
Lecture: 3, Lab: 0  
Series of specialized topics in African history. Topics include ancient African kingdoms, history of South Africa, and the Atlantic slave trade. May be repeated up to 6 credits as topics vary.
Prerequisite(s): ((HIST 231 or HIST 1301) and (HIST 232 or HIST 1302))
College/School: Liberal Arts & Behavioral Scie
Department: Dept of History & Geography

Graduate Courses

HIST 531  Readings in US History  (3 Credits)  
Lecture: 3, Lab: 0  
HIST 531 READINGS IN U. S. HISTORY (3) Directed readings in selected areas of U.S. history to introduce the student to the themes and concepts of U.S. history. (This course may be taken more than once, but no more than three [3] times, as topics vary, with the permission of the instructor.)
College/School: Liberal Arts & Behavioral Scie
Department: Dept of History & Geography
HIST 532  Readings in African Amer Hist  (3 Credits)  
Lecture: 3, Lab: 0  
HIST 532 READINGS IN AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY (3) Directed readings in selected areas of African American history to introduce the student to the themes and concepts of African American history. (This course may be taken more than once, but no more than three [3] times, as topics vary, with the permission of the instructor.)
College/School: Liberal Arts & Behavioral Scie
Department: Dept of History & Geography
HIST 533  Readings in World Europe  (3 Credits)  
Lecture: 3, Lab: 0  
HIST 533 READINGS IN EUROPEAN/WORLD HISTORY (3) Directed readings on specified topics in European or world history. (This course may be taken more than once, but no more than three [3] times, as topics vary, with the permission of the instructor.)
College/School: Liberal Arts & Behavioral Scie
Department: Dept of History & Geography
HIST 581  Readings in African History  (3 Credits)  
Lecture: 3  
HIST 581 READINGS IN AFRICAN HISTORY (3) Directed readings in selected areas of African history to introduce the student to the themes and concepts of African history. (This course may be taken more than once, but no more than three [3] times, as topics vary, with the permission of the instructor.)
College/School: Liberal Arts & Behavioral Scie
Department: Dept of History & Geography
HIST 582  Spec Problems in African Hist  (3 Credits)  
Lecture: 3  
HIST 582 SPECIAL PROBLEMS IN AFRICAN HISTORY (3) Intensive study with reading and discussion of special problems in African history. (This course may be taken more than once, but no more than three [3] times, as topics vary, with the permission of the instructor.)
College/School: Liberal Arts & Behavioral Scie
Department: Dept of History & Geography
HIST 630  Spec Probs in Amer Hist  (3 Credits)  
Lecture: 3, Lab: 0  
HIST 630 PROBLEMS IN U. S. HISTORY (3) Directed readings on specified topics in U. S. history. (This course may be taken more than once, but no more than three [3] times, as topics vary, with the permission of the instructor.)
College/School: Liberal Arts & Behavioral Scie
Department: Dept of History & Geography
HIST 631  Historiography I  (3 Credits)  
Lecture: 3, Lab: 0  
HIST 631 HISTORIOGRAPHY I (3) A survey of Western historical methods and thought from the Greeks through the 19th Century.
College/School: Liberal Arts & Behavioral Scie
Department: Dept of History & Geography
HIST 632  Historiography II  (3 Credits)  
Lecture: 3, Lab: 0  
HIST 632 HISTORIOGRAPHY II (3) A survey of twentieth century and non-Western historical methods and thought.
College/School: Liberal Arts & Behavioral Scie
Department: Dept of History & Geography
HIST 633  Problems in African Disp  (3 Credits)  
Lecture: 3, Lab: 0  
HIST 633 PROBLEMS IN AFRICAN DIASPORA HISTORY (3) Directed readings on specified topics in the history of the peoples of the African Diaspora. (This course may be taken more than once, but no more than three [3] times, as topics vary, with the permission of the instructor.)
College/School: Liberal Arts & Behavioral Scie
Department: Dept of History & Geography
HIST 635  Civil War Reconst Nat Develop  (3 Credits)  
Lecture: 3, Lab: 0  
HIST 635 THE CIVIL WAR AND RECONSTRUCTION (3) An analysis of the social and political crisis of the Civil War and the social and political readjustments of the period of Reconstruction
College/School: Liberal Arts & Behavioral Scie
Department: Dept of History & Geography
HIST 640  United States Since 1900  (3 Credits)  
Lecture: 3, Lab: 0  
HIST 640 UNITED STATES SINCE 1900 (3) An examination of the history of the United States in the twentieth century, with particular emphasis on the economic and social problems of contemporary America.
College/School: Liberal Arts & Behavioral Scie
Department: Dept of History & Geography
HIST 734  Seminar In American History  (3 Credits)  
Lecture: 3, Lab: 0  
HIST 734 SEMINAR IN AMERICAN HISTORY (3) Readings, discussion, and research in selected topics in American history.
College/School: Liberal Arts & Behavioral Scie
Department: Dept of History & Geography
HIST 736  Seminar In Afro-American Hist  (3 Credits)  
Lecture: 3, Lab: 0  
HIST 736 SEMINAR IN AFRO-AMERICAN HISTORY (3) Readings, discussion, and research in selected topics in Afro-American history.
College/School: Liberal Arts & Behavioral Scie
Department: Dept of History & Geography
HIST 750  Historical Research  (3 Credits)  
Lecture: 3, Lab: 0  
HIST 750 HISTORICAL RESEARCH (3) A survey of historical research methodology.
College/School: Liberal Arts & Behavioral Scie
Department: Dept of History & Geography
HIST 790  Thesis in History  (3 Credits)  
Lecture: 3  
HIST 790 THESIS IN HISTORY (3) Directed work in the research and writing of a master’s thesis in history. (Open only to students choosing the Thesis Option. This course must be taken for a total of six semester hours in consecutive semesters).
College/School: Liberal Arts & Behavioral Scie
Department: Dept of History & Geography