Written by Bane Lane // Graphic by Cooper Turman
This semester marked the beginning of a new master’s degree within the Department of History and Political Science, which is among the latest of graduate programs added to the University.
“The 30-hour M.A. in history emphasizes historiographical analysis and research skills, while offering students a flexible curriculum in the history of Europe and the United States,” the department’s website said.
Dr. Nate Wiewora, associate professor of history and director of the new program, said the program is designed for students entering academia or teaching history or social studies, but the program benefits those entering professional occupations like archaeology, museums, law and journalism as well as others because the aim of the program is to teach students how to research, how to interpret the past and how to critically think. The flexible curriculum allows students to choose which classes — outside of core classes — they take, allowing them to choose topics of interest.
The program’s flexibility extends beyond the coursework as students have numerous ways to participate in the program. Individuals may enroll in fully-remote and completely on-ground options. A thesis and non-thesis track is offered. Students may enter in the fall, spring or summer as full or part-time, and the program can be completed in 18 months. There is also an accelerated option in which students may complete a B.A. from select programs and the M.A. in five years or less.
“The kind of bigger picture thing is it’s good in a way — because I particularly mean graduate degrees in the humanities — the average time to complete a Ph.D. program in history is eight years, and that’s not necessary. I think anything you can do to find ways to have a good, solid, rigorous program and shorten that time frame is beneficial.”
In the previous five years, 10 graduate programs have been added as areas of study. Three programs — master’s in history, architecture and cardiac function and interventional technology — were added this school year. A number of accelerated programs were among those added in previous years. Dr. Will Perkins, graduate registrar, said “accelerated programs are designed to help students get ahead of their graduate work,” and that they are increasingly popular as students and higher education attempt to reduce cost.
Graduate student Noah Haile, who is participating in the program, enrolled online and works full time in the marketing department at Arkansas State University-Beebe. Haile, who obtained his undergraduate degree at Williams Baptist University in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, said he was unaware of the program until he found it while searching the internet after unsatisfactory experiences in graduate courses at a different school.
“So, seeing that Harding had [the M.A. in history],” Haile said, “and knowing that it’s going to be filtered through a Christian lens, that is very appealing.”
