How to Apply to the MA History Program

Below are the application requirements for the MA History graduate program at SUNY Geneseo. Applications will not be reviewed until all required materials are submitted.

Please contact Graduate Admissions at gradadmissions@geneseo.edu or 585-245-5040 with any questions.

An advanced undergraduate student may apply to take up to six hours of 500-level graduate coursework related to the student’s degree program. Permission requests should be made to Justin Behrend, the graduate program coordinator. A decision will be made based on (1) the student’s academic progress, grade-point average, and rationale for enrolling in graduate courses, and (2) the availability of space in the course. If the student is within 12 credit hours of graduation when enrolling in graduate courses, and if the student graduates within one calendar year of completing the courses, the graduate coursework will appear on a graduate transcript; otherwise, it will appear on the student’s undergraduate transcript.

Application Requirements for MA History

Online application

Please apply for admission online. Here is the link to the online application.

$50.00 application fee

• We accept payment by check, money order, credit and debit card.
• You may pay online using a credit or debit card.
• You may pay by phone using a credit or debit card by calling 585-245-5148.
• Send checks and money orders, made payable to SUNY Geneseo, to the address at the top of this page.
• Contact the Office of Graduate Admissions to find out how to receive an application fee waiver.

Official Transcript(s)

• Required from all institutions of higher education attended.
• If you are a SUNY Geneseo student or alumnus, the Office of Graduate Admissions will obtain your transcript for you.
• If you have transferred credit to the institution you received your degree from and it appears on your transcript, we do not need a transcript from the transfer institution.
• Must possess a cumulative GPA of 3.0.

Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation from two persons who can attest to the academic potential for graduate study and personal character of the applicant, one of which must be completed by a faculty member who has taught you.

The Office of Admissions does not require a particular form for letters of recommendation. If you already have a digital placement file established through an online vendor such as Interfolio, or if you are a Geneseo alumnus with a graduation date of 2012 or earlier and had established a placement file with the SUNY Geneseo Career Design Center before you graduated, you need to contact either Interfolio or the Career Design Center, respectively, to facilitate the transfer of your placement file to the Office of Admissions.

Resume or curriculum vitae (CV)

Include relevant work history, skills, and educational background.

Personal statement

In one to two double-spaced pages, briefly discuss your reasons for pursuing a master’s degree and your preparation for the program.

Academic writing sample

Please submit an academic paper of no more than 15 pages. It does not need to be a history paper or history focused. It should give the admissions committee a sense of your preparation for graduate level study.

Proof of English proficiency (international students only)

The International Admission Committee requires that all students must demonstrate proficiency in English. Official results from the following English proficiency exams are accepted:

• TOEFL (Internet-based minimum score: 75)
  • Institution Code: 2540
• IELTS (minimum score of 6.5 overall; no section can be below 6.0)
• PTE (minimum 58)
• iTEP (minimum 3.7)
• MET (minimum  53)
• Eiken Grade Pre-1
• Duolingo English Test (minimum 105)
• Cambridge English
• Skills for English (CEFR B2 w/ merit)

If you are transferring from a college or university within the United States, successful completion of at least 2 full semesters of academic coursework (24 credit hours) with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 may be a sufficient demonstration of English proficiency.

Instructions and Deadlines

Where to send supplemental application materials

Application materials can be hand-delivered, mailed, emailed or faxed. Applications will not be reviewed until all required materials are submitted.

Address:
Office of Admissions
SUNY Geneseo
1 College Circle
Doty Hall, Room 200
Geneseo, NY, 14454

Email: GradAdmissions@geneseo.edu

Fax: 585-245-5550

Application deadlines

The application deadlines for the MA in History are as follows:

April 1 - recommended for Summer Session I admittance*
March 1 - required for assistantship application
June 1 - recommended for Summer Session II admittance*
July 1 - recommended for Fall admittance*
November 1 - recommended for Spring admittance*

* Applications received after the published deadlines will be reviewed on a space-available basis.