MA History/MLIS

The Milwaukee metropolitan area is endowed with a natural history museum, historical and art museums, governmental and university archives, and special libraries which serve as laboratories and fieldwork sites for the students.

Prospective Careers

This combination of two coordinated degrees normally builds upon an undergraduate background in the discipline of history and provides training for those who will seek employment in large libraries, archives, historical agencies, and fields related to digital history.

In order to complete the program in 48 credits, students must take specified archival studies courses specified below and choose to take the proficiency or comprehensive exam in both programs rather than a thesis option. Students will need to take more than 48 credits if they choose to not take archives courses, or select the thesis option in either program. Both degrees will be awarded simultaneously.

Credit Requirements

The MA History/MLIS program can be completed in 48 credits, of which 18 credits must be in History graduate courses and 30 credits must be taken in the School of Information Studies.

Required SOIS Courses (30 credits)

• L&I SCI 501 Foundations of Library and Information Science
• L&I SCI 511 Organization of Information
• L&I SCI 571 Information Access and Retrieval
• L&I SCI 591 Research in Library and Information Science
• Appropriate electives selected in consultation with advisor (18 credits)

Students wishing to complete the coordinated degree program in 48 credits must take two of the following Archival Studies Courses, which will count as both SOIS electives (toward the 18 needed to complete the degree), and history electives.

• L&I SCI 650 An Introduction to Modern Archives Administration*
• L&I SCI 750 Arrangement and Description in Archives
• L&I SCI 752 Archival Outreach: Programs and Services
• L&I SCI 759 Fieldwork in Archives and Manuscripts
• L&I SCI 850 Seminar in Modern Archives Administration
  *L&I SCI 650 is a prerequisite to all other archival studies courses.

Students pursuing the MS History / MLIS degree can also pursue the Archival Studies Concentration by taking five courses in the approved archival studies concentration curriculum as part of their SOIS electives.

Required History Courses (18 credits)*

*M.A./M.L.I.S. students who take the archival studies courses specified above may earn the M.A. in History by taking 18 credits in history graduate courses. An M.A. in history is normally 24 credits but if the specified archival studies courses listed above are taken in SOIS, they will count as 6 credits toward history electives and will reduce the total number of credits needed for the history M.A. to 18 credit.)

• Choose one of the following (3 credits):
• • HIST 712 Historiography and Theory of History
  • HIST 713 Historical Research Methods
• Two graduate colloquia (History 800-850) (6 credits)
• Two graduate seminars (History 900-970) (6 credits)
• One elective graduate course in history selected in consultation with advisor (3 credits)

The Department offers graduate courses in public history that may be of special interest to MA in History/MLIS students.Completion of the Public History specialization in History requires completion of additional required credits beyond the 48 credits discussed here. For more information, consult the Director of Graduate Studies in the History Department.   more than 48 credits. Cross-listed archives management courses and Public History Internships cannot be used to fulfill the History requirement of 18 graduate credits for the MA/MLIS degree program.

Additional Requirements for the M.A. in History

(See the Graduate Student Handbook for the History Department for a full description of these and other requirements.)

• Academic Review
• Comprehensive Examination
  

Coordinated MA History/MLIS Program Admissions

SOIS Deadlines:

• Fall admission, February 1st
• Spring admission, September 1st

History Deadline

• Fall admission, December 1st
  

Return to The School of Information Studies

•  School of Information Studies Application for Admission (pdf)
•  Letters of Recommendation - 2 required (pdf)
•  For students seeking scholarships, submit an Application for SOIS Scholarships (pdf) at the same time. NOTE: Most scholarships are awarded for the Fall semester.

Return to The History Department

Before completing this portion of the application, consult Student Handbook to the History Graduate Program.

•  Letters of Recommendation – 2 required (pdf)
•  Writing Sample
•  Scores on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) - general test only
•  For applicants seeking funding, submit a Teaching Assistant Application (Word, PDF) at the same time. NOTE: TAships are typically not available to students applying for the Spring semester.

Return to The History Department

•  UWM Graduate School Online Application
Upon submitting your application you will receive an e-mail from the university, that explains how to check the status of your application on our PAWS online student information system.
•  GRE scores
•  One transcript from each institution of higher education that you have attended
•  Application Processing Fees

Contact Information

More Coordinated Degree Options