MASTAHG Course of Study
The Master of Arts with a Specialization in Teaching American History and Government (MASTAHG) requires a total of 33 semester credit hours. Coursework is divided between 9 hours of coursework in the latest educational theory and 24 hours of content study in American history and government. Additionally, all students must pass a written qualifying examination to demonstrate mastery of the key historical concepts mastered in the student’s history and government coursework.
Each history and government course in the program (those courses with an HIST/POLSC prefix) is offered for two (2) semester credit hours. These courses are offered in two formats:
- As residential Weeklong Summer courses during the months of June and July at our Ashland, Ohio campus.
- As Live Online webinar courses offered on various schedules throughout the academic year.
Each course in the education core is offered for three (3) semester credit hours. These courses are offered in the following formats:
As traditional on-campus courses offered at the main campus and at Ashland’s regional centers located around Ohio.
As hybrid courses which meet partly at the main campus or one of the regional centers and partly online.
As fully-online courses with no on-campus attendance requirement.
Students may complete the degree in two to three years, depending upon their desired course load. A typical course load during the fall and spring semesters is to take one to two courses at a time. During the summer semester, students may take no more than one HIST/POLSC-prefix course at a time, but may take one HIST/POLSC course and one education course simultaneously. Students should consult with their program advisor to discuss their semester-by-semester load. Students may take up to ten (10) years from the date of their first course to complete the degree.
The Education Core (9 hours)
The Education Core is based on four standards: Curriculum Foundations, Inquiry, and Diversity. MASTAHG candidates are free to choose a course in each category which best meets their professional needs. Information about course offerings, including semester rotations, course offering times, locations, and delivery methods may be found at the M.Ed. program website.
CURRICULUM FOUNDATIONS
Choose one.
| Course Number | Course Title | Hrs | Available Online? |
|---|---|---|---|
| EDCI 522 | Teaching and Learning in the 21st Century Classroom | 3 | Yes |
| EDCI 523 | Reading and Literacy Curriculum | 3 | Yes |
| EDFN 521 | The Theory and Practice of Curriculum Development | 3 | Yes |
INQUIRY
Choose one.
| Course Number | Course Title | Hrs | Available Online? |
| EDFN 504 | Action Research for Educational Improvement | 3 | Yes |
| EDFN 506 | Qualitative Research | 3 | Yes |
| EDFN 507 | Understanding Statistical Research for Classroom Professionals | 3 | Yes |
DIVERSITY
Choose one.
| Course Number | Course Title | Hrs | Available Online? |
| EDFN 533 | Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners | 3 | Yes |
| EDFN 510 | The World in Your Classroom: Multicultural and Global Education | 3 | Yes |
| EDIS 550 | Social and Educational Perspectives of Disability | 3 | Yes |
Note: Not all education courses are available online, nor are all online courses offered every semester. See chart above to determine which courses are offered online and during which semester it will be offered. Schedules are subject to change each semester. Courses not offered online are available as hybrid or fully on-campus courses at the Ashland University main campus, or at the university’s regional centers in Columbus, Elyria, Cleveland, and Massillon/Stark County.
The American History and Government Core
The full 12 semester credit hour core is required for all degree students.
| Course Number | Course Title | Hrs | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|---|
| HIST/POLSC 501 | The American Revolution | 2 | None |
| HIST/POLSC 502 | The American Founding | 2 | None |
| HIST/POLSC 503 | Sectionalism and Civil War | 2 | None |
| HIST/POLSC 505 | The Progressive Era | 2 | None |
| HIST/POLSC 506 | Rise of Modern America, 1914-1945 | 2 | None |
| HIST/POLSC 507 | Lincoln | 2 | None |
| HIST/POLSC 693 | Qualifying Examination | 0 | Permission |
Elective Courses
Choose 12 hours from the following courses.
| Course Number | Course Title | Hours | Prerequisites |
| HIST/POLSC 510 | Great American Texts | 2 | None |
| HIST/POLSC 601 | Sources of the American Regime | 2 | None |
| HIST/POLSC 602 | European Discovery and Settlement | 2 | None |
| HIST/POLSC 603 | Colonial America | 2 | None |
| HIST/POLSC 604 | The Early Republic | 2 | None |
| HIST/POLSC 605 | The Age of Enterprise | 2 | None |
| HIST/POLSC 606 | America between World Wars | 2 | None |
| HIST/POLSC 607 | America during the Cold War | 2 | None |
| HIST/POLSC 608 | Civil War and Reconstruction | 2 | None |
| HIST/POLSC 609 | World War II | 2 | None |
| HIST/POLSC 610 | American Foreign Policy | 2 | None |
| HIST/POLSC 611 | The American Way of War | 2 | None |
| HIST/POLSC 613 | Postwar America, 1945 to 1973 | 2 | None |
| HIST/POLSC 614 | Contemporary America, 1974 to present | 2 | None |
| HIST/POLSC 620 | The Reform Tradition in America | 2 | None |
| HIST/POLSC 621 | Race and Equality in America | 2 | None |
| HIST/POLSC 622 | Religion in American History and Politics | 2 | None |
| HIST/POLSC 623 | Gender and Equality in America | 2 | None |
| HIST/POLSC 624 | American Society and Culture | 2 | None |
| HIST/POLSC 630 | American Statesmen | 2 | None |
| HIST/POLSC 631 | American Political Rhetoric | 2 | None |
| HIST/POLSC 632 | The American Presidency I, Washington to Lincoln | 2 | None |
| HIST/POLSC 633 | The American Presidency II, Johnson to Present | 2 | None |
| HIST/POLSC 640 | The Congress | 2 | None |
| HIST/POLSC 641 | The Supreme Court | 2 | None |
| HIST/POLSC 642 | Political Parties | 2 | None |
| HIST/POLSC 643 | Constitutional Rights and Powers | 2 | None |
| HIST/POLSC 660 | Topics in American History and Government | 2 | None |
Qualifying Examination
All MASTAHG students must pass the qualifying examination. Students may take the exam upon completion of all 24 hours of core and elective AHG-prefix courses. At the time the student registers for his or her final AHG-prefix courses the student should contact his or her academic advisor to schedule and prepare for the qualifying examination.
The qualifying examination is composed of essay response questions based upon the core and elective courses taken by the student as part of their curriculum. Students may repeat the examination once. If the student fails to successfully pass the exam after their second attempt, the student may face dismissal from the program.
Take the first step.
Learn more about MASTAHG and how you can be the expert teacher your students need. Admission is conducted on a rolling basis.