The M.A. Concentration in History and Media

The 36-credit M.A. concentration in history and media allows students to learn about and apply specialized media skills — digital history and web authoring, photography and photo-analysis, documentary filmmaking, oral/video history, and aural history and audio documentary production — to the study and expression of the past. The concentration prepares students for work in academic and non-academic settings that rely on digital technologies and traditional and new media in their efforts to research, preserve, and communicate about the past.

Coursework in History: 28 credits (minimum). This should include:

• Two courses from HIS 602, 604, 605, 606, and 610 (or approved equivalents)
• At least one thematic or geographically-focused research seminar
• At least on thematic or geographically-focused reading seminar
• HIS 607
• HIS 698 (History and Media Master’s Project) OR HIS 699 (Master’s Thesis)

Supporting Coursework: 0-8 credits (as advised)

Foreign Language Requirement:

M.A. candidates writing Master's theses or working on media projects on non-U.S. topics are required to demonstrate reading knowledge of one foreign language appropriate to the student's major field. This requirement can be fulfilled by an examination in the Department, by an examination administered by a language department with approval of the History Department, or by satisfactory completion of a graduate level language course that has been approved by the History Department.

Current and Upcoming Courses

History Department graduate course descriptions for Spring 2013 are available for downloading here, as a Word document, or you may pick up a hard copy from the History Department office in 145 Social Sciences.  These descriptions are more current and specific than what is printed in the University at Albany’s Graduate Bulletin. M.A. students concentrating in History and Media are encouraged to explore the History Department’s offerings in Public History as well as graduate courses offered by the Department of Information Studies.

Course Offerings Specific to History and Media

• HIS 595: Introduction to Historical Documentary Media
• HIS 602: Readings in Visual Media and Culture
• HIS 604: Readings & Practicum in Oral/Aural History
• HIS 605: Readings in the History and Theory of Documentary Film
• HIS 606: Readings & Practicum in Digital History and Hypermedia
• HIS 607: Research Seminar & Practicum in History and Media
• HIS 610 (course number not yet permanent; see “topics course” HIS 530): Practicum in Historical Documentary Filmmaking
• HIS 612 (course number not yet permanent, see ‘topics course” HIS 530): Narrative and Historical Media

Spring 2013 Course Offerings Include:

• HIS 530* (8459) Topics in US History: Practicum in Historical Documentary Filmmaking, T/Th 11:45am–1:05 pm (Roth) – COUNTS AS HIS 610
• New!  HIS 530* (10138) Topics in US History: History and Practice of Documentary Photography, Thu 5:45-8:35 pm (Van Acker)
• HIS 606 (9553): Readings & Practicum in Digital History and Hypermedia, Tu/Th 10:15 – 11:35 am (Garrigue)
• HIS 607 (5892): Seminar and Practicum in History & Media, Tu 5:45-8:35 pm (Zahavi)

*More than one HIS 530 may be taken provided the content is different.