Online History Degree Overview
History is a broad field and many different undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the field are available in an online format. Many of these programs allow students to focus their studies on a particular area of interest and may include culminating experiences to allow students to apply what they have learned throughout a program. Dual degree programs may also be an option at some schools, allowing students to graduate with two degrees faster than normal. Explore the different levels of online programs in history below.
The Top Online Bachelor's Degree Programs in History
| School | Tuition* | Acceptance Rate | Graduation Rate | Financial Aid % | Placement Services | Career Services | Accepts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Nebraska at Kearney | $7701 | 85% | 56% | 94% | Yes | Yes | AP / NCCRS Credits |
| 2 | Sam Houston State University | $8536 | 83% | 54% | 86% | Yes | Yes | AP Credits |
| 3 | Southern New Hampshire University | $31136 | 88% | 44% | 77% | Yes | Yes | AP / ACE / NCCRS Credits |
| 4 | Oregon State University | $11715 | 82% | 67% | 85% | Yes | Yes | AP Credits |
| 5 | University of Idaho | $8304 | 78% | 56% | 96% | Yes | Yes | AP Credits |
| 6 | Utah State University | $7659 | 91% | 54% | 86% | Yes | Yes | AP / ACE Credits |
| 7 | Southern Utah University | $6770 | 78% | 50% | 95% | Yes | Yes | AP Credits |
| 8 | Washington State University | $11841 | 76% | 60% | 89% | Yes | Yes | AP / ACE Credits |
| 9 | Westfield State University | $10849 | 87% | 61% | 86% | Yes | Yes | AP Credits |
| 10 | University of Missouri-St Louis | $11079 | 73% | 52% | 97% | Yes | Yes | AP Credits |
| 11 | Florida International University | $6565 | 58% | 63% | 90% | Yes | Yes | AP Credits |
| 12 | University of Arizona | $12379 | 85% | 65% | 91% | Yes | Yes | AP / ACE Credits |
| 13 | University of Central Florida | $6368 | 44% | 72% | 92% | Yes | Yes | AP Credits |
| 14 | Clayton State University | $5538 | 51% | 30% | 88% | Yes | Yes | AP Credits |
| 15 | Nicholls State University | $7898 | 88% | 49% | 96% | Yes | Yes | AP / NCCRS Credits |
| 16 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | $9598 | 77% | 44% | 78% | Yes | Yes | AP Credits |
| 17 | Troy University | $8908 | 88% | 47% | 92% | Yes | Yes | AP / NCCRS Credits |
| 18 | Arkansas Tech University | $7668 | 95% | 38% | 96% | Yes | Yes | AP / NCCRS Credits |
| 19 | University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth | $14358 | 75% | 59% | 98% | Yes | Yes | AP Credits |
| 20 | Northern Kentucky University | $10296 | 90% | 46% | 99% | Yes | Yes | AP / ACE Credits |
| 21 | Mississippi State University | $8910 | 54% | 61% | 95% | Yes | Yes | AP Credits |
| 22 | Dickinson State University | $7784 | 100% | 41% | 93% | Yes | Yes | AP / NCCRS Credits |
| 23 | Liberty University | $16118 | 51% | 47% | 99% | Yes | Yes | AP / NCCRS Credits |
| 24 | University of Louisiana at Monroe | $8974 | 80% | 47% | 98% | Yes | Yes | AP Credits |
| 25 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | $9512 | 66% | 43% | 95% | Yes | Yes | AP / ACE / NCCRS Credits |
| 26 | University of North Alabama | $10620 | 89% | 49% | 96% | Yes | Yes | AP Credits |
| 27 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | $8768 | 82% | 44% | 97% | Yes | Yes | AP / ACE Credits |
| 28 | University of Alaska Fairbanks | $8757 | 76% | 35% | 88% | Yes | Yes | AP / ACE / NCCRS Credits |
| 29 | Indiana University-Southeast | $7527 | 82% | 36% | 83% | Yes | Yes | AP Credits |
| 30 | Southwest Minnesota State University | $8874 | 64% | 50% | 97% | Yes | Yes | AP Credits |
| 31 | The University of Tennessee-Martin | $9748 | 64% | 47% | 98% | Yes | Yes | AP Credits |
| 32 | Valley City State University | $7707 | 76% | 50% | 98% | Yes | Yes | AP / NCCRS Credits |
| 33 | Idaho State University | $7872 | No Available Data (2019-2020) | 36% | 92% | Yes | Yes | AP / NCCRS Credits |
| 34 | University of Michigan-Flint | $11860 | 66% | 40% | 96% | No | Yes | AP Credits |
| 35 | University of Memphis | $9912 | 85% | 53% | 97% | Yes | Yes | AP / ACE Credits |
| 36 | Regent University | $18620 | 86% | 57% | 99% | Yes | Yes | AP / NCCRS Credits |
| 37 | Indiana University-South Bend | $7527 | 78% | 38% | 93% | Yes | Yes | AP Credits |
| 38 | Baldwin Wallace University | $33530 | 73% | 65% | 98% | Yes | Yes | AP Credits |
| 39 | Maryville University of Saint Louis | $28470 | 83% | 71% | 99% | Yes | Yes | AP / NCCRS Credits |
| 40 | Norfolk State University | $9622 | 92% | 36% | 78% | Yes | Yes | AP Credits |
| 41 | Mary Baldwin University | $31110 | 84% | 38% | 99% | Yes | Yes | AP / NCCRS Credits |
| 42 | Indiana University-Northwest | $7527 | 75% | 35% | 85% | Yes | Yes | AP / ACE Credits |
| 43 | Fayetteville State University | $5274 | 69% | 34% | 95% | Yes | Yes | AP / ACE Credits |
| 44 | Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus | $6450 | 58% | 36% | 97% | Yes | Yes | AP Credits |
| 45 | Indiana University-East | $7527 | 63% | 40% | 92% | Yes | Yes | AP Credits |
| 46 | Chaminade University of Honolulu | $26134 | 95% | 59% | 99% | Yes | Yes | AP Credits |
| 47 | King University | $30616 | 62% | 59% | 92% | Yes | Yes | AP / NCCRS Credits |
| 48 | Buena Vista University | $35194 | 57% | 60% | 100% | Yes | Yes | AP / NCCRS Credits |
| 49 | Jackson State University | $8445 | 68% | 38% | 98% | Yes | Yes | AP / ACE Credits |
To get a more in-depth look at our school ranking methodology, please visit our ranking methodology page.
Tuition information is based on published tuition and required fees, per data by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).
Types of Online Degrees in History
Online Associate Degrees in History
Online associate's degree programs in history are typically offered as Associate of Arts (AA) degrees. Students may be required to complete between 50 and 64 credits or more and some programs can be completed in as little as 1.5 years. Coursework may cover a range of historical topics, including American history and world history, as well as general education courses. Usually, these degree programs are designed as transfer degrees to allow students to transfer credit and continue their studies at a 4-year institution.
Online Bachelor's Degrees in History
Students can choose from an online Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in history. These programs commonly require around 120 credits and may allow students to further focus their studies in a particular geographical location (like Asian or European history) or type of history (military history, economic history) through electives and/or concentration areas. Some programs may also provide students with the opportunity to earn an accelerated bachelor's and master's degree. Depending on the program, students may need to complete a final capstone experience, which may be in the form of a history research seminar. There are also some programs available that include an internship experience for hands-on learning.
Online Master's Degrees in History
Online master's programs in history are usually available as Master of Arts (MA) degrees. Students may need to complete between 30 and 36 credits of coursework and some programs may offer a non-thesis option and/or have a final capstone experience. Most of these programs can be completed in 2 years or less, with some programs taking as little as 15 months. Coursework is usually customizable with various electives and/or concentration areas to allow students to pursue their personal interests.
Online Doctoral Degrees in History
Doctoral programs in history are not usually available in online formats, but there is at least one online Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program in the field. This online program takes about 4 years to complete and requires 72 credits of coursework. As with other doctoral degree programs, students are expected to complete a final dissertation. Students also need to complete comprehensive exams and may have the choice to participate in an internship experience for hands-on learning.
Online Certificates in History
Online certificate programs in history are most common at the graduate level, but there are some undergraduate certificates available in specific areas, such as public history. Graduate certificates may require between 18 and 20 credits and provide students with an overview of different concepts in history. Some of these certificate programs may allow credits from the certificate to be counted towards a master's degree. Some of these programs may also be ideal for students wishing to teach dual credit courses in history.
History Specializations/Concentrations
Many online bachelor's degree programs in history allow students to focus their studies through the electives they take or set concentrations and specializations. This allows students to study personal areas of interest and/or begin specializing in a particular time period, geographic location, or type of history. This may help students prepare for specific types of careers. Usually, students with a concentration will take multiple courses within that given area of concentration. A few examples of available concentrations for online bachelor's programs in history include:
- Military history
- American history
- European history
- Global history
- Middle Eastern history
- Latin America
- Africa
- Asia
Curriculum/Coursework for a History Degree
While there are some colleges and universities that offer free online history courses in various areas, including free online American history courses, the curriculum in an online bachelor's program in the field aims to provide students with a well-rounded overview of multiple areas of history. Most of these programs explore multiple geographic locations, time periods, and types of history. In addition to core history classes and/or concentration and elective courses, students are also required to take general education courses to round out their learning. Although it varies by program, some students may be required to complete a final research seminar and/or capstone experience, which may involve completing a research project. Some common history courses and topics for these online programs include:
- U.S./American history
- Historical methodology
- Western civilization
- Geography
- World Wars
- History of Africa
- History of the Middle East
- European history
How Long Does it Take to Get an Online Bachelor's in History?
Online bachelor's degree programs in history are usually designed to take the traditional 4-years that most bachelor's programs require, but some may take students on average less time to complete, such as 3.5 years. There are also some additional ways to reduce the time to degree completion. For example, there are many online bachelor's degree programs that allow students to transfer in credits from other institutions that may have been completed while earning an associate degree or performing other postsecondary studies. Some bachelor's programs may allow students to transfer in up to 90 credits of the required 120 credits. This may allow students to complete their 4-year degree in 2 years or less.
Accreditation for Online Bachelor's in History Degrees
Accreditation is one indicator of the quality of an institution and/or program, and it can also affect factors like transferability and/or financial aid eligibility. Accreditation is usually available at the institutional level and/or at the program level for specific subject areas. In the case of online bachelor's degree programs in history, there is not a history-related organization that oversees accreditation. However, many schools that offer these online programs are regionally accredited by organizations like the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) or the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. This accreditation indicates that all of the school's degree programs have met set academic standards to ensure that the programs are of high quality and able to prepare students for the real-world.
History Licensure & Certification
Working in the field of history as a historian typically does not require any licensure or certification. Students are qualified for these positions based more on their level of education and expertise in a particular area. However, there are many other careers for a graduate with a history degree that may require additional licensure and/or certification.
For instance, another fairly common career option for history graduates is to work as a high school history teacher. High school teachers in public schools are required to have a state license or certification to teach their specific grade levels, which is typically 7th through 12th grade for high school teachers. Each state has its own requirements, but generally, aspiring teachers must have a bachelor's degree, complete a student-teaching program, and pass a background check and certification exam. To maintain their license or certification, teachers may need to complete professional development experiences and/or some states may require that teachers go on to earn their master's degree. Many states offer alternative routes to teacher certification for students who do not have a bachelor's degree in education, such as those with a history degree. These alternative routes may pair students with an experienced teacher and/or require additional coursework.
History Career Information
Due to its diverse nature and focus on reading, writing, and research, graduates with a history degree are qualified to work in a wide range of careers in numerous fields. For example, in the field of education, graduates may become a high school history teacher or history professor. In the field of communications, graduates may pursue positions as journalists or editors. While the specific education and training requirements may vary by position, students with a bachelor's degree in history may be qualified to work positions like:
- Historian
- Congressional aide
- Grant writer
- Media specialist
- Market research analyst
- Intelligence analyst
- Museum director
- Lobbyist
- Campaign worker
- Foreign service officer
How to Become a Historian
Students who want to be a historian must have at least a bachelor's degree for entry-level positions. These entry-level positions are not usually traditional roles as historians. Many historian positions require a master's degree and advanced research positions require a doctorate. It is beneficial for students wishing to become a historian to gain hands-on learning experience in the field through an internship or other real-world experience. This training may help students learn how to create an exhibit, preserve artifacts, and/or otherwise apply their knowledge to real life.
Historians may work for museums, businesses, nonprofit organizations, the government, and more. Their primary responsibilities are researching and studying historical sources and presenting their findings to the public. They may also be involved in educational programs and/or preservation issues concerning different topics in history. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that historians made a median annual salary of $63,680, as of 2019, and had a job outlook of 3% from 2019 to 2029.
How to Become a High School Teacher
Those wondering how to become a history teacher first need to earn a bachelor's degree. Students who major in history may need to pursue alternative routes for teacher licensure or certification in their state or may be able to find a history for a secondary education program that qualifies them for licensure. Aspiring teachers also usually need to complete a student-teaching program prior to taking the exam for a state teaching license or certification.
High school teachers usually focus their teaching on a particular subject area, such as history, but may teach multiple courses within the field. This requires them to plan lessons and assignments, grade students' work, enforce classroom rules, and communicate with parents of students as needed. As of 2019, the BLS stated that high school teachers made a median annual salary of $61,660 and had a job outlook of 4% from 2019 to 2029.
Financial Aid and Scholarship Information for History Degrees
Some students may need assistance to help pay for their post-secondary education. To see what types of federal aid students may qualify for, students should first fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). After determining if there are any loans or grants that are available to them at the federal level, students should pursue additional grants and/or scholarships from outside sources, like professional organizations, local groups, and/or colleges and universities.
Many colleges and universities have their own scholarships specifically for students studying history that are available through their history departments. These scholarships may vary by applicant qualifications and award amounts. A few examples of history scholarships available at different schools include:
- Anna Knoll Scholarship- Available to undergraduate or graduate history majors at Fort Hays State University who are from Kansas and are interested in ethnic studies.
- Donald Bechtel Scholarship- Awarded to a history major with at least a 3.0 GPA at the University of South Dakota.
- William Roosen History Scholarship- Named after a prior faculty member, this award is for juniors or seniors majoring in history with an interest in European history. Students must be nominated by European history faculty and submit a writing sample.
How to Choose a History School and Program
One of the first factors students should consider when choosing an online bachelor's degree in history should be the type of program that will best align with their personal career goals. There are several different kinds of programs available, including determining between a BA or BS degree. BA degrees tend to include more liberal arts courses, while a BS degree is more technical in nature. Students may also need to think about finding a program that offers a route to teacher certification if they are sure they want to become a history teacher and/or consider a dual bachelor's and master's degree program if they want to further their education for advanced historian positions. It may also be important to find a program that offers a specific concentration area to allow students to focus their studies on areas of personal interest.
Once students have determined what kind of degree they want to pursue, they may need to compare schools by several different factors. Students may need to consider the tuition rates at different institutions and/or scholarship opportunities and find one that fits their budget. Attending an accredited institution is also important as it allows students to receive financial aid and may be preferred by some employers. Finally, students may need to find a flexible program that meets their personal scheduling needs.
Professional Organizations in History
Professionals working in the field of history can benefit from participating in a professional organization in the field. These organizations provide historians and others working in history to network, share resources, and further their education and experience. There are several different professional organizations available in history, including:
- American Historical Association- The AHA provides membership to professionals in the field of history, as well as a wide range of resources, including publications, teaching resources, a career center, mentoring opportunities, and virtual events. The group also provides a range of awards, fellowships, and grants to help professionals in the field, like child-care grants and annual meeting travel grants.
- The National Coalition for History- The National Coalition for History focuses on leadership and advocacy in the field. The organization does offer membership and provides several reports, policy issues, and news through its website.
- Organization of American Historians- The OAH works to promote teaching, scholarship, and presentation of American history through various advocacy programs, professional development programs, and meetings. The group does offer membership, as well as different awards and resources, like publications and podcasts.
