MA in Atlantic History & Politics
Page Content
Unlocking the Atlantic World
The MA in Atlantic History & Politics spans centuries and continents in steeping students in study of the connections and conflicts between the diverse peoples of Africa, Europe, and the Americas. The degree includes coursework at Oxford and Mizzou, multiple different funding opportunities, an array of experiential learning options, and a vibrant community of scholars.
Apply to Be a Part of the 2026-27 MA Cohort
Applications are now open for the 2026-27 MA in Atlantic History & Politics and will be reviewed on a rolling basis through March 31, 2026.
What You’ll Study (and Where)
Fittingly, MA students traverse the Atlantic Ocean in completing the coursework outlined below for the degree’s 30-credit hour curriculum.
The MA kicks off with a month at Oxford, where students lay the foundation for studying Atlantic History through a coordinated series of seminars taught by British faculty that takes them from the dawn of European empires through the “American Century.”
- History 8041: The Making of the Atlantic World, 1600-1800
- History 8042: The Atlantic World from the Age of Revolutions to the Age of Nation-States, 1760-1900
- History 8050: Britain and the World
While at Oxford, students live and dine in Corpus Christi College’s graduate housing, and through the Britain and the World seminar, attend guest lectures delivered by Oxford faculty and visit historic sites relevant to their studies, including Blenheim Palace, central London, and the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool.
Building off their time at Oxford, MA students continue to hone their base of knowledge and disciplinary skillset through 12-credit hours of required MU coursework.
- Constitutional Democracy 8045: Advanced Seminar in Atlantic History & Politics
- History 8480: Historiography
- An additional Political Science seminar at the 9000-level
The final three credit hours come from History 8060, a yearlong class that immerses students in the expansive range of topics that presenters at the Kinder Institute’s Friday Colloquium series introduce to the community of scholars on the fourth floor of Jesse Hall.
MA students fill their final nine credit hours of coursework through self-designed courses of study that can include graduate seminars in History, Political Science, English, Black Studies, Women’s and Gender Studies, Public Affairs, and more. At least one of these courses must focus on a topic outside the United States and modern Britain.
MA students also have the option to devote three of their nine elective credit hours to an approved experiential learning opportunity. This might include an independent study with a Kinder faculty member, studying abroad at University of the Western Cape in Cape Town through the “Race & Politics in South Africa” course, an internship at a museum, archive, or political organization, or completion of a self-curated, for-credit public history project.
Funding Opportunities
All students who apply by the priority deadline (usually in early-to-mid January) will be considered for bespoke scholarships, graderships, teaching assistantships, and program-related fellowships offered by the Kinder Institute.
MA Graduates, Where Are They Now?
As our MA students’ post-Mizzou paths show, the degree helps candidates develop skills that allow them to thrive both in and outside the academy. Included among the places they have gone on to study and work are:
- PhD programs at Stanford, University of Warwick, Boston University, Penn State University, and more
- The Jack Miller Center’s Civics Outreach Division
- Biteback Publishing
- The Missouri House of Representatives
- The United Nations’ Department of Global Communications
MA-JD in Atlantic History & Politics
MU Law students interested in expanding their academic field of vision are invited to apply for the joint MA-JD in Atlantic History & Politics, a course of study that allows them to obtain both degrees in three years plus one extra semester of summer study. Students must apply separately to the Law School and the MA.
Admissions Criteria
Per the University of Missouri Graduate School regulations, all candidates for the Atlantic History MA must meet the following criteria and provide the following materials:
- BA or equivalent degree from an accredited institution
- 3.0 GPA or higher in the final 60 hours of baccalaureate coursework
- Two letters of recommendation
- An academic writing sample of 5-20 pages
- A personal statement of no more than 1,000 words detailing their interest in graduate study
- In addition, international candidates must meet Mizzou requirements, including TOEFL score.
Life on the Fourth Floor of Jesse Hall
All Atlantic History candidates are provided with office space in the MA bullpen in Jesse 415 as well as ample opportunities to interact with the professors and visiting speakers who bring the fourth floor of Jesse Hall to life. In addition, they are encouraged to apply for the Kinder Institute’s bespoke grant awards that support graduate student archival research and conference travel.
