Eastern Washington University

What you'll study

This master's pathway combines core graduate training in historiography and research methods with specialised courses on medieval and early modern European cultural history. You will engage with topics such as religious and intellectual change, court and urban cultures, gender and family life, material culture and book history, the Reformation and confessional cultures, and the development of early modern states and economies.

Typical modules and learning experiences include:

• Historiography and research methods: advanced workshops on archival research, historical argumentation and digital methods for historians.
• Medieval Europe: seminars covering political, religious and cultural developments from Late Antiquity through the High Middle Ages.
• Early Modern Europe: focused study on the Renaissance, Reformation, and early modern sociocultural transformations.
• Special topics in cultural history: courses on material culture, visual culture, book history, and performance and ritual.
• Language and palaeography: training in reading original-language sources (commonly Latin and one modern European language) and in palaeographic skills for working with manuscripts and early print.
• Thesis or capstone project: supervised original research leading to a thesis or an equivalent major research project; some students may complete a comprehensive examination depending on the chosen programme option.

The programme emphasises primary-source work, close faculty mentoring, and opportunities to develop both traditional and digital research skills. Cohort sizes are typically small, allowing for intensive seminar discussion and individual supervision.

Entry requirements

Applicants should hold an undergraduate degree in history or a closely related discipline, or demonstrate equivalent preparation through coursework and research experience. Typical requirements include a competitive undergraduate GPA, a statement of purpose outlining research interests in medieval or early modern European cultural history, and academic references that speak to the applicant's research potential.

Admissions commonly request a writing sample (such as an undergraduate essay or research paper) and a CV. Language preparation in Latin or a relevant modern European language is advantageous; conditional admission with a language study plan may be possible. The programme does not rely on any single test score as the sole criterion for admission; applicants should contact the department for details about any optional or programme-specific assessments.

Career prospects

Graduates from this specialised MA typically pursue a range of further study and professional pathways. Common directions include:

• Progression to PhD programmes in history or related fields, supported by the research training and thesis experience.
• Careers in public history, museums and archives, where skills in archival research, interpretation and curation are valued.
• Roles in libraries, heritage organisations, and cultural resource management, including conservation, collections management and education.
• Positions in publishing, research consultancy, cultural policy, and education, including secondary-school teaching with appropriate certification.

The programme’s emphasis on source-based research, languages and palaeography also prepares graduates for interdisciplinary work in digital humanities and for roles that require strong critical thinking and writing skills.

Why study at Eastern Washington University

Eastern Washington University offers a close-knit graduate environment with personalised supervision and regular engagement with faculty working on European history. The department supports original-source research and encourages students to develop language and palaeographic competencies that are essential for medieval and early modern studies.

EWU’s location provides practical advantages: access to the university’s library holdings and special collections, and proximity to regional archives and cultural institutions in the Spokane area where students can secure internships and hands-on curatorial or archival experience. Small seminar sizes and an academic culture that values mentorship make the programme well suited to students seeking rigorous training while receiving direct support for research and professional development.