10/30/2026
Online programs offer a way to study warfare, strategy, leadership, and historical research without attending a traditional campus-based program
Military history can take you from the American Revolution to World War I, World War II, the Cold War, and conflicts that continue to influence the world today. At the graduate level, the subject becomes increasingly research-driven. Students examine original sources, question established interpretations, and look closely at how military institutions, technology, leadership, and society have shaped armed conflict.
If you're wondering if you can study military history online, the answer is yes. American Military University (AMU), for example, offers an online Master of Arts in Military History with several areas of specialization.
Online programs might offer an alternative to traditional campus-based graduate study for working adults, military personnel, and other students with existing responsibilities. However, online military history programs differ in their curriculum, research requirements, course structure, and transfer policies, so it is worth looking closely at what each program involves.
What Does an Online Master's Degree in Military History Involve?
A military history program at the graduate level typically moves past broad historical surveys and into deeper research and analysis.
Students often work extensively with primary and secondary sources, examine competing historical interpretations, and construct evidence-based arguments. Depending on the master's degree program, coursework may explore armed forces & military leadership, strategy, technological developments, social structures, civil-military relations, and particular conflicts or periods.
What Can You Study in an Online Military History Degree Program?
Military history covers a huge span of time, so master's degree programs often give students the opportunity to narrow their research.
At AMU, students currently choose from five concentrations:
- American Military History
- American Revolution
- Civil War
- World War II
- War Since 1945
A student interested in World War II, for example, can choose the World War II concentration to focus their graduate study on that period. Someone drawn to modern conflict might prefer War Since 1945, which places their studies closer to the Cold War, Vietnam War, and later developments in warfare.
The wider program also examines technological advances in weaponry, military attitudes, relationships between officers and troops, and relationships between military members and civilians.
Research Is a Major Part of Graduate Study
A master's in military history involves learning how historians build an argument from evidence.
Graduate students often need to evaluate where a source came from, who created it, what perspective it represents, and how it fits alongside other historical evidence.
AMU's program specifically asks students to evaluate primary and secondary resources for credibility, position, and perspective. Students also use advanced research methods to develop original historical research and create persuasive arguments supported by suitable evidence.
The program culminates in a research paper developed with conference presentation or academic publication standards in mind. These requirements place substantial emphasis on historical research and writing throughout the degree.
Master's in Military History vs. a General History Degree
Graduate programs in history and military history may use many of the same historical research methods, but their subject matter differs.
Military history concentrates on armed conflict and the people, institutions, strategies, technologies, and societies surrounding it.
A general graduate history program commonly provides a wider choice of historical themes. AMU's online Master of Arts in History includes concentrations in American History, Ancient and Classical History, European History, Global History, and Public History.
The choice between the two depends on the subjects and historical periods a student wants to research. Students fascinated by warfare and military institutions can pursue that focus through military history, while those whose interests cross several aspects of human history may prefer the wider scope of a general history program.
Who Might Study Military History Online?
There is no single type of student behind the screen. Some graduate students already have a background in history. Others bring experience from military service, government, education, public history, or another field and want to deepen their historical knowledge.
The degree may also be of interest to students who want to conduct advanced research into warfare or who are considering additional graduate education.
AMU was founded to serve military members, and faculty in its military history program include military leaders and published historians. However, military service is not a requirement for studying military history.
What Are the Admission Requirements?
Admission requirements differ between universities, so avoid assuming that every online program asks for the same GPA, entrance exam, or undergraduate major.
For AMU's military history master's program, applicants need a bachelor's degree or higher from an institution with recognized accreditation, or its international equivalent.
AMU currently charges no application fee and requires no entrance exam for the program. Prospective students should review the current graduate admission requirements for any additional documentation that applies to them.
Transfer policies are also worth checking. AMU's 36-credit program accepts up to 15 eligible transfer credits following an evaluation.
Can Military Students Use Education Benefits?
Military service members and veterans may have access to education benefits that could apply toward graduate education, but eligibility and the amount available depend on the individual and the benefit involved.
Rather than assuming that Military Tuition Assistance, the Post-9/11 GI Bill®, or another program will cover a particular amount, students should check their current eligibility and the applicable rules before enrolling.
What Can You Do With a Master's in Military History?
Graduate study in military history involves advanced historical research, source analysis, writing, and interpretation of complex events.
Depending on additional qualifications and experience, graduates might explore work connected with:
- Historical research: Researching and interpreting people, conflicts, and military institutions
- Archives and records: Working with historical and military documents
- Public history: Developing historical material for museums, historic sites, and public audiences
- Government research: Historical research and analysis can be relevant to some public-sector settings
- Policy and intelligence research: Applying research and analytical skills to security or policy questions
- Education: Teaching or supporting historical education where the required qualifications are met
Individual positions can require additional education, professional experience, security clearances, certifications, or other credentials.
Choosing an Online Military History Master's Degree
Start with the curriculum rather than the word "online." Look at the topics covered, faculty member backgrounds, available concentrations, research expectations, credit hours, transfer-credit rules, course length, and final program requirements.
A program focused heavily on World War II could feel very different from one centered on military operations, global war, or civil-military relations.
Online learning changes where you study. The academic focus and research expectations are what determine what you will actually study once you are there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Get a Master's Degree in Military History Online?
Yes. Universities, including AMU, offer graduate degree programs specifically in military history. AMU's online Master of Arts in Military History requires 36 credits and offers five concentration options.
Is an MA in Military History Worth It?
That depends on your educational goals and the type of historical military work you want to pursue. A master's program can provide an opportunity to conduct advanced research and pursue focused study of a particular period or area of military history. Students should compare those outcomes with the qualifications commonly required for the work or further study they have in mind.
Is 30 Too Late for a Master's Degree?
Graduate education does not have a universal age limit. Admission requirements are generally based on academic and program-specific criteria rather than a student being a particular age.
Will the Military Pay for a Master's Degree?
Some eligible service members and veterans can use military or veterans' education benefits toward graduate study. Coverage varies according to the benefit, individual eligibility, school, and program, so students should verify their current benefits before assuming that a master's degree will be fully funded.