The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

The Pace–Gilder Lehrman MA in American History Program is a fully online, fully accredited, 30-credit degree program. Following the completion of 10 three-credit courses, including the thesis/capstone course, students are awarded a master’s degree in American history, and can participate in the Pace University graduation ceremony at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

K–12 educators (including teachers, district supervisors, librarians, museum professionals, and National Park Service employees) who are affiliated with the Gilder Lehrman Institute and possess a bachelor’s degree are all eligible for the program. Refer to the Eligibility section at the bottom of the page for more information.

In order to complete the program, you will need to pass, with a grade of B or higher, 10 three-credit courses. Students are required to complete Historiography and Historical Methods and the Thesis/Capstone course. Historiography and Historical Methods is a prerequisite to enrollment in the Thesis/Capstone course. It is recommended, but not required, that you take Historiography and Historical Methods early in the program, as it will help you succeed in other courses.

The MA must be completed within five years. If you are unable to complete your degree in five years, you can apply for an extension.

For information about applying for graduation, please visit Pace’s website.

Step 1: If you are a K–12 educator who is already affiliated with the Gilder Lehrman Institute, log in to gilderlehrman.org and go to step 2. If you are K–12 educator who is not yet affiliated with the Institute, please register with the Gilder Lehrman Institute, and proceed to step 2.

Step 2: After you have logged in, proceed to the “To Apply” page to begin the application process. Read the list of requirements. Make sure to download and save your Gilder Lehrman Letter of Affiliation from the “To Apply” page.

Step 3: Click the checkbox affirming that you have read the corresponding privacy policy, then click the “Click Here to Continue” button at the bottom of the page.

Step 4: You will be redirected to the Pace graduate application page.

Step 5: While accessing the Pace online application, please select “First-Time User” to create an account. A user-specific pin number will be sent to the email address provided (please use the email address associated with your Gilder Lehrman account). You will use this pin number to activate your Pace account.

Step 6: While completing the Pace online application, you will have an opportunity to upload the following documents:

• The Gilder Lehrman Letter of Affiliation you downloaded previously on the GLI “To Apply” page
• A Letter of Intent describing your reasons for pursuing this degree
• An up-to-date resume

For reference, supporting documents may also be uploaded via your Status Page, which will become available after submission of the application.

Note about transcripts: Transcripts from every post-secondary institution attended (not just the degree-granting institution) must be sent to the university. Although the Office of Graduate Admission may review your application for admission using unofficial transcript copies, admitted students must provide all official copies prior to the start of the semester. Please note that official transcripts are only accepted in one of the following ways:

1. Electronically: Pace University participates with several electronic transcripts networks: Credentials, Parchment Exchange, National Student Clearing House, and eSCRIP-SAFE. Whenever possible, Pace prefers to receive transcripts electronically. Confirm with the prior institution to determine if they participate in any of these networks. If a send-to email address is required, please use gli@pace.edu.
2. Via Mail: Hard copies of transcripts should be addressed to:
   Pace University Graduate Admissions Office, GLI
   1 Pace Plaza
   New York, NY 10038

Official transcripts must be received by Pace from their corresponding institutions or one of the third-party transcript networks listed above, not applicants themselves.

Note about previous/maiden names: In the application field “Maiden or Other Last Names Used,” please indicate any former last names that your transcripts may arrive under. Failure to do so will result in the delayed processing of your documents.

Note about English proficiency: Applicants with degrees from non-English-speaking colleges must take the TOEFL iBT Test and submit a score of at least 88. NOTE: If you have taken the TOEFL within the last two years and passed with a score of at least 88, you can submit this score in lieu of retaking the TOEFL.

All admitted candidates who enroll in the program will become students of Pace University, and will be subject to and must comply with all program, school, and university policies and procedures applicable to students, including but not limited with respect to core course requirements, academic standing, degree requirements, academic integrity, behavioral standards, withdrawal policies, and use of university-provided information technology, as set forth in Pace’s catalogs and/or on its website, including but not limited to the policies and procedures included in the Pace Student Handbook.

Visit the following link to Pace’s student handbook in order to read about their policies in depth: https://www.pace.edu/student-handbook.

In addition, you can download a PDF version of the handbook at the following link: http://www.pace.edu/sites/default/files/files/Student-Handbook-090914.doc

Yes. Graduate participants can take up to four courses (or twelve credits) as non-matriculated students. To attend as a non-degree participant, please select the non-degree option from the program drop-down menu on the online application.

No. Currently, we are unable to offer Advanced Certificates. We hope to offer them in several subfields of American history in the near future, so check back soon!

Applications are open and are reviewed on a rolling basis until the start of the semester on February 10, 2022. In order to ensure a timely processing of your application and supporting documents, as well as a seamless enrollment process, we encourage all students to begin the application process as early as possible.

A decision is typically made within 4 to 6 weeks following Pace University’s receipt of all application materials, including transcripts.

Registration begins December 6, 2021 and ends February 16, 2022.

The Spring 2022 semester begins February 10, 2022 and ends May 4, 2022.

• Before and during Week One of term: 100% refund
• During Week Two of term: 70% refund
• During Week Three of term: 20% refund
• After Week Three of term: 0% refund

Each Pace–Gilder Lehrman course is led by a professor from the Gilder Lehrman Institute’s network of scholars. These eminent historians create syllabi and reading lists, present lectures, and hold live Q&A sessions.

Each section of a course has an adjunct instructor to guide day-to-day course work and communication. These Pace University instructors are well versed in distance-learning best practices and are dedicated to student success. They assess all student work, prompt and moderate discussion boards, and help students with course material and questions.

The typical workload for online courses is five 1- to 2-page response papers, a 15-page research paper or project of equivalent length completed in stages during the semester, and weekly posts to course discussion boards. (Note: Students must gain instructor approval to pursue the project option.) Reading assignments are approximately 50–150 pages per week, and consist of primary and secondary sources. Participants are also required to attend three of the five live Q&As led by the course’s lead scholar.

Students must complete 24 credits before they can sign up for the thesis/capstone project course.

Click here to view a video by Dr. Laura Ping for information about the Capstone course and how to prepare for it. Contact onlinecourses@gilderlehrman.org to learn more about the thesis/capstone project.

Lectures are posted to Classes every Thursday and can be viewed asynchronously. Five live Q&A sessions are held with the course’s lead scholar over the course of the semester. Students are expected to attend (at least) three of these.

Each three-credit course costs $750 for the 2021–2022 academic year.

The tuition deadline for the Spring 2022 semester is January 7, 2022. For students registering after the deadline, payment is due within 24 hours of registration.

No. Students are expected to purchase, rent, or borrow books. We do attempt to keep total book costs below $100 per course and post readings to Blackboard course sites whenever possible.

Yes. Students can apply for federal financial aid. Additionally, all students in this program may apply for scholarships from the Gilder Lehrman Institute. Students in the program are not eligible for Pace University graduate assignments or Pace University scholarships.

Financial Aid

You may be eligible for Federal Direct Stafford Unsubsidized Loans and private education loans to cover tuition and other education-related costs. Students who apply for federal loans receive their financial aid award letters via mail within two to four weeks of FAFSA submission. Notification times for private education loans vary by lender. Please contact Pace’s Financial Aid Office for more information.

You also can find student loan information on the US Department of Education’s Financial Student Aid website. In order to start the process, you will need to file the free application for federal student aid (known as FAFSA) listing Pace University as the school of choice. This can be done online at www.fafsa.gov. The FAFSA school code for Pace University is 002791.

Please note that if you do not receive your FAFSA approval before the Spring 2021 registration deadline and you are ultimately approved for financial aid, you can apply the aid toward courses for the following summer term.

Gilder Lehrman Abraham Lincoln Scholarships

All students in this program may apply for a scholarship through the Gilder Lehrman Institute. We offer one hundred $500 scholarships per academic year. You can access our scholarship application form here. The deadline to apply is January 20, 2021. Scholarship recipients will be notified on February 3, 2022. Note: Awards are sent out during the semester; please pay for courses by the tuition deadline or within 24 hours of registration.

Veterans’ Benefits

Eligible students can receive tuition benefits offered by the GI Bill®. For general information about veterans’ benefits, please contact Miguel Gonzalez at veteranaffairs@pace.edu or (914) 773-3173.

Payment Plans

All students are eligible to take advantage of Pace University’s interest-free payment plans. These plans are available for the fall and spring terms in monthly installments, and there is a weekly plan option available for summer terms. For more information visit Pace University’s Billing and Payment webpage.

You should speak to your academic advisor about the academic and financial penalties associated with withdrawing from a course. For the directions to withdraw from a course, visit Pace University’s Office of Student Assistance page.

When withdrawing from courses, the following financial penalties apply:

Before and during Week One of term: 100% refund
During Week Two of term: 70% refund
During Week Three of term: 20% refund
After Week Three of term: 0% refund

NOTE: Newly admitted students are required to submit a non-refundable deposit of $200 in order to reserve a place in the class. This deposit will be applied toward your tuition.

Yes. Gilder Lehrman online graduate courses are generally eligible for CEU and PDP credits, but it is your responsibility to verify eligibility with your school administration or state PD office prior to enrolling in a course. If you need more information to determine eligibility than is available on the course information page, please email us at onlinecourses@gilderlehrman.org.

Pace University online courses are on the Brightspace Learning Management System (LMS), referred to as Classes. When you enroll, you will receive a username and password for both your Pace email and your Classes account. That account will stay valid for all subsequent courses, but you may be asked to change your password from time to time.

You should be comfortable using your computer for email and web browsing. There is an asynchronous new-student webinar that takes place in the two weeks before courses begin. This webinar will teach you to use Classes as well as Pace’s library databases.

Note: This webinar is accessible online throughout the semester.

Most recent computers with a good Internet connection can be used to access the courses. You do not need any special equipment to participate in the course. You will need headphones or onboard speakers to listen to and watch the lectures. In order to participate in the live Q&A sessions, you will need a webcam or, at least, your computer’s onboard microphone.

Note: Almost all computers have an onboard microphone. If you do not have a webcam or onboard microphone, and cannot attend Q&A sessions as a result, you will be able to complete a separate assignment in lieu of participating in Q&A sessions.

Mobile devices such as phones and tablets can be used in limited capacity to access Blackboard.

Use this link to learn about recommended hardware and software for students: https://www.pace.edu/its/it-services-and-support/computing-software-and-hardware/supported-hardware.

K–12 educators (including teachers, district supervisors, librarians, museum professionals, and National Parks Service employees) who are affiliated with the Gilder Lehrman Institute and possess a bachelor’s degree are all eligible for the program.

No. In order to pursue graduate credit through the Pace–Gilder Lehrman MA program, participants must already have an undergraduate degree.

In order to be eligible for the Pace–Gilder Lehrman MA program, applicants/students must maintain their affiliation with the Gilder Lehrman Institute as a K–12 educator. In the event that a student individually or through their employer discontinues his/her Gilder Lehrman affiliation, such individual will no longer be eligible to participate in the program following completion of the semester in which the student is enrolled at the time of cessation of the GLI affiliation.

If you are a K–12 educator who is not affiliated with a particular school (for instance, if you’re a retired, substitute, temporary, or part-time teacher), please email onlinecourses@gilderlehrman.org. You may be eligible to participate in this program.

Yes. You will need to apply to Pace University. You can access Pace’s application portal by clicking the “To Apply” item on the navigation menu.

Yes. Through Summer 2021, all matriculated credits (and up to 12 non-matriculated credits) earned with a grade of B or better through the ASU MA in Humanities will be accepted into the new Pace–Gilder Lehrman program.

After Summer 2021, students of the ASU MA in Humanities program will only be able to transfer six credits earned with a grade of B or better.

Credits earned outside of the ASU MA in Humanities will be eligible for transfer on a case-by-case basis and are limited to a maximum of six credits on coursework for which a student has earned a B or better. After an official admission decision has been rendered, students may request consideration via email to gli@pace.edu. Please note that a course syllabus will be required for department evaluation.

If you have not yet begun your thesis, you may enroll at Pace University in order to complete it and receive your degree.

If you have already started your thesis, and would like to continue working on it, you will need to enroll in the thesis/capstone course at Pace and have your existing work approved by the chair of the history department before continuing work with your new advisor. If not approved, you will need to begin work on a new thesis with your Pace advisor. Ensure that you are able to withdraw from your current ASU thesis course with a grade of “W.” Failing to do so could negatively impact your GPA and prevent you from being admitted to the Pace–Gilder Lehrman program.