History Graduate Certificate

Gene Preuss, PhD, Graduate Director
N1036, 713-222-5308

This graduate certificate program is designed to help prepare students to teach undergraduate-level coursework in U.S. History. The required 18 graduate semester credit hours are offered through the history program and under the auspices of UHD’s Masters of Arts in Teaching (MAT), in the College of Public Service. Prior to selecting their courses, students enrolled in the program should confer with their credentialing institution to ensure that their degree plan contains the appropriate blend of history content courses to suit their institution’s standards.

Graduate Certificate in History Learning Outcomes

The learning outcomes for this certificate program map onto select MAT learning outcomes in the following fashion.

MAT Learning Outcome #1: Be able to demonstrate competency in critical thinking and problem solving:

Certificate Learning Outcome #1, HISTORIOGRAPHY: Students will be able to recount major historical works and historiographical debates in at least two content areas

Certificate Learning Outcome #2, CRITICAL THINKING: Students will be able to generate explanations of the causes and consequences of historical events and place events into their proper historical context, based on their analysis of primary and secondary sources.

Certificate Learning Outcome #3, RESEARCH: Students will be able to independently collect and organize both primary and secondary sources using both electronic and print materials.

MAT Learning Outcome #2: Be able to write effectively:

Certificate Learning Outcome #4, WRITING: Students will be able to write clear and convincing essays, including formal research papers that follow standard academic convention within the field of history.

Admission

Admission is competitive and selective. Applicants must demonstrate that they possess the abilities, interests, and qualities necessary to successfully complete the certificate program. Applicants seeking admission will provide the following application materials for review by the director of the history graduate certificate program:

• Completed application at www.applytexas.org.
• A written personal statement of 250 words explaining why you want to pursue a graduate certificate in history
• Official transcript(s) that document a bachelor-degree conferral and the final 60 semester credit hours (or more) of undergraduate coursework.
• A history research paper of approximately 3,750 words in length. This writing sample should demonstrate the candidate’s competency in both writing and historical research.
• Submit TOEFL scores (if baccalaureate degree coursework was in a language other than English).
• Three letters of recommendation.

NOTE: Students who are admitted into the certificate program are conditionally admitted into the MAT program. In order to be fully admitted into the MAT program, students must satisfactorily complete all of their graduate certificate history coursework with a grade of B or better. Students interested in being fully admitted to the MAT degree program should consult Dr. Bernardo Pohl, Director of the MAT graduate program (713-221-5051).