History & Political Science
Master of Arts in History
The
- Fully online and fully onground
- 30 credit hour program
- Thesis and non-thesis tracks offered
- Start dates in fall, spring, summer
- Full and part-time options available
- Can be completed in as few as 18 months
Each graduate class is taught from a Christian perspective by full-time faculty with doctorates. The program is designed for those wanting to enter academia, teach history or social studies, or work as historians, archivist, archaeologists, museum curators, lawyers, journalists and in many other fields. The curriculum is flexible with a focus on historical analysis and research skills.
Accelerated Option
The accelerated track makes it possible for qualified students to complete both a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in history in five years or less. Students with 90 hours of undergraduate coursework and a minimum 3.25 GPA may take up to 12 hours of approved 5000-level graduate history classes to fulfill their undergraduate requirements. In addition to 12 dual-credit hours, the Master of Arts requires completion of an additional 18 graduate hours, including the 9-hour core, for a total of 30 hours. To be admitted to the accelerated program, students must have at least 12 history credit hours and SOCS 2600; these courses must have been passed with a B or higher.
The following programs have an accelerated pathway to the Master of Arts in history:
Bachelor of Arts in American Studies
The Loading... is an interdisciplinary approach to the study of American culture. Students engage in the disciplines of culture, economics, ethnicity, history, literature, politics, race and religion in an effort to trace the influence and interconnection of the American experience. This eye-opening liberal arts education gives majors many facets of expertise that can be parlayed into a variety of professions.
Bachelor of Arts in Social Science
Students who Loading... achieve a deep understanding in responsible and engaged citizenship through interdisciplinary study. Through the mastery of topics in economics, geography, global studies and history, social science majors will acquire a broader perspective of society and the human condition. They will also develop critical thinking skills perpetually in demand by employers.
Bachelor of Arts in Social Science (Teacher Licensure)
The Loading... is for students who plan to teach civics, history and social science at the secondary level. They will take a variety of courses in history, political science, geography, sociology and economics as well as courses within the College of Education. Students who complete this program may receive certification to teach grades 7-12 in the state of Arkansas, a license that easily transfers to many other states.
Bachelor of Arts in History
The Loading... is a study of the places, people, populations and processes of the past. The keener awareness of the past that comes through the study of history provides students with an understanding of important figures within their own historical context. Through the study of culture, economics, politics and religion, history majors acquire a firm knowledge of the past and a greater understanding of the present world
Meet our Faculty

Admissions Requirements
- Completed application
- Bachelor’s degree from an institution accredited by an agency nationally recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
- Minimum GPA of 3.0
- Three letters of recommendation (professional or academic)
- CV or resume
- Statement of purpose
- One writing sample
- Official copies of all transcripts (Harding transcripts are not required of Harding students or alumni as those records are on file.)
Scholarship
A competitive graduate assistantship is available. Contact history@harding.edu for more information.
Honors Society
The Eta Phi chapter of the Phi Alpha Theta history international honor and professional society has won the National Best Chapter Award eleven times since 2009. The purpose of Phi Alpha Theta is to promote the study of history through the encouragement of research, good teaching, publication, and the exchange of learning and ideas among historians.
Contact Us
History & Political Science Department is part of the College of Arts & Sciences
501-279-4427
Fax: 501-279-4626