2027 Accredited Online History Degree Programs With No GRE or GMAT Requirements
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Choosing an online history degree is harder when admissions policies vary by school, especially if you want to avoid the GRE or GMAT. This guide explains how accredited no-test online history programs work, who they fit, and how to compare quality beyond admissions convenience.
College Board's 2024 Trends in College Pricing reported average published tuition and fees of $11,610 at public in-state four-year colleges and $43,350 at private nonprofit four-year colleges. Understanding program price, accreditation, and outcomes can help you choose a degree that supports your goals without adding unnecessary application barriers.
Key Things You Should Know
- Most online history programs that skip the GRE or GMAT are master's degrees; bachelor's programs generally do not use graduate admissions tests, while fully online history doctorates remain limited and more selective.
- No-GRE does not mean no standards: admissions committees usually weigh GPA, writing samples, academic fit, recommendation letters, résumé strength, and prior humanities or social science coursework more heavily.
- Use cost and outcome data, not test policy alone: College Board's 2024 tuition benchmarks show that institutional price differences can outweigh the savings from avoiding a standardized test.
Which Accredited Online History Degree Programs Do Not Require the GRE or GMAT?
Accredited online history degree programs with no GRE or GMAT requirement are usually designed for working adults, teachers, military-affiliated students, museum professionals, and students preparing for doctoral study. "No GRE" normally means the school does not require Graduate Record Examination scores for admission; "no GMAT" is less relevant to history because the GMAT is primarily a business-school exam, but some universities still state that neither exam is required.
The table below summarizes examples of accredited U.S. institutions that have offered online history programs with no GRE or GMAT requirement or with standardized tests not listed as required for general admission. Because admissions policies can change, applicants should confirm the current requirement directly with the graduate admissions office before applying.
| Institution | Online history-related program | Degree level | Accreditation type to verify | GRE/GMAT position to confirm | Best fit |
| Arizona State University Online | MA in History | Master's | Institutional accreditation through the Higher Learning Commission | Standardized test scores are not typically central to published admission materials | Students seeking a research-focused online history master's from a large public university |
| Southern New Hampshire University | MA in History | Master's | Institutional accreditation through the New England Commission of Higher Education | No GRE or GMAT is commonly required for many graduate programs | Adults seeking flexible scheduling and broad historical study |
| American Public University | MA in History | Master's | Institutional accreditation through the Higher Learning Commission | No GRE or GMAT is commonly required | Military-affiliated students, public history learners, and working adults |
| Liberty University | MA in History or PhD in History | Master's or doctoral | Institutional accreditation through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges | GRE or GMAT may not be required for many applicants, but doctoral rules should be confirmed | Students seeking faith-integrated study with online delivery |
| University of Nebraska at Kearney | MA in History | Master's | Institutional accreditation through the Higher Learning Commission | GRE requirements may be waived or not required depending on current department policy | Teachers and students seeking a public university option |
| Sam Houston State University | MA in History | Master's | Institutional accreditation through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges | Applicants should confirm whether test scores are required, optional, or waived | Students interested in U.S., public, or regional history pathways |
When comparing these options, distinguish between three admissions models. A test-free program does not use GRE or GMAT scores at all. A test-optional program allows you to submit scores if they strengthen your file. A test-waiver program may excuse the exam only if you meet conditions such as a minimum GPA, prior graduate credits, professional experience, or a completed master's degree.
Why Have Accredited Online History Degree Programs Eliminated GRE and GMAT Requirements?
Many accredited online history programs have reduced or removed GRE requirements because standardized tests are not always the strongest predictor of success in writing-heavy graduate study. History faculty often care more about whether you can read critically, evaluate sources, write sustained arguments, and explain why the program fits your research or professional goals.
Another reason is access. Online graduate programs increasingly serve adults who are returning to school after years in the workforce. Requiring a standardized test can add preparation time, test fees, and scheduling friction without necessarily giving the department better evidence than transcripts, writing samples, or professional experience.
There is also a competitive enrollment factor. Universities know that online students compare programs quickly. Removing the GRE can shorten the application timeline and make programs more accessible to qualified applicants who might otherwise delay enrollment. That does not mean schools have abandoned rigor; it means they have shifted the evidence they use to judge readiness.
What Admissions Criteria Matter Most Without GRE or GMAT Scores?
Without GRE or GMAT scores, admissions committees look more closely at the parts of the application that show writing ability, academic consistency, and fit with the curriculum. For history programs, the strongest applicants usually prove they can handle graduate reading loads and develop evidence-based arguments.
These criteria matter most because they replace the signaling role that standardized tests once played:
- Undergraduate GPA and transcript pattern: Committees may look for strong performance in history, humanities, social sciences, education, or writing-intensive courses rather than only the cumulative GPA.
- Statement of purpose: A focused statement should explain your academic interests, career goals, and why the program's courses or faculty expertise match your plans.
- Writing sample: This may be the most important non-test document because it shows research skill, argument structure, citation habits, and readiness for graduate-level work.
- Recommendation letters: Letters from professors, supervisors, department chairs, museum professionals, or school administrators can validate your writing, discipline, and professional maturity.
- Résumé or professional background: Teaching, archival work, military service, museum experience, journalism, public administration, and nonprofit work can all support a history application when clearly connected to your goals.
If a program is test-optional, submit GRE scores only if they add new evidence. For example, scores may help if your undergraduate GPA is older or uneven, but they may be unnecessary if you already have a strong transcript, a polished writing sample, and relevant experience.
No-GRE and no-GMAT online history programs are not automatically easier to enter. They are easier to apply to because you can avoid the time, cost, and stress of standardized testing, but the admissions committee still evaluates whether you are likely to succeed in a graduate humanities program.
The practical difference is that the burden of proof shifts. Instead of relying on a test score, you need to show readiness through your academic record and application materials. This can benefit strong writers, experienced teachers, museum staff, and career changers who have relevant skills but do not want to prepare for an exam.
The comparison below shows how admissions flexibility differs from academic selectivity:
| Admissions model | What it means | Applicant advantage | Possible limitation |
| Test-required | GRE or another standardized test must be submitted | High scores can offset weaker areas of the file | Adds cost, preparation time, and scheduling pressure |
| Test-optional | You may submit scores, but they are not required | Applicants choose whether scores improve the application | Unclear strategy if the school does not explain how scores are weighed |
| Test-waiver | The exam is waived only if you meet the stated conditions | Strong GPA or experience can remove the testing requirement | Applicants who miss waiver criteria may still need scores |
| Test-free | The program does not use GRE or GMAT scores | Application focuses on history readiness and fit | Weak writing materials are more noticeable |
If you are deciding between a selective test-required program and a no-GRE program, do not assume one is better. Compare faculty expertise, thesis or capstone options, tuition, student support, online format, and whether the curriculum fits your career plan.
Skipping the GRE or GMAT does not reduce academic quality by itself. Accreditation, faculty qualifications, curriculum design, assessment standards, and student support matter much more than whether a standardized test appears in the admissions checklist.
For history degrees, institutional accreditation is the baseline quality marker. It means the college or university has been reviewed by a recognized accreditor for governance, academic resources, student learning, financial stability, and institutional effectiveness. History programs usually do not have a separate specialized accreditor the way nursing, counseling, business, or education programs may.
Before applying, verify the school's accreditation status through the institution and the U.S. Department of Education's recognized accreditor listings. Be cautious if a school promotes "accreditation" from an organization that is not recognized, avoids naming its accreditor, or makes unrealistic promises about job placement, transferability, or doctoral admission.
Online history programs without GRE or GMAT requirements are especially useful for students whose strongest evidence is not a standardized test score. They can also help applicants move faster if they are applying for career advancement, teacher salary-lane movement, museum roles, or preparation for further graduate study.
These applicant profiles often benefit most from no-test admissions:
- Working teachers: A history master's can support deeper content knowledge, dual-enrollment teaching goals, or district advancement plans, although requirements vary by employer and state.
- Military-affiliated learners: Online history programs often align with interests in military history, public service, archives, and national security contexts.
- Career changers: Applicants moving from journalism, government, law, nonprofit work, or communications may be able to use writing and research experience as evidence of readiness.
- Students with older academic records: A strong résumé, recent writing sample, or completed graduate coursework can help show current readiness.
- Applicants balancing family or full-time work: Avoiding test preparation can reduce time pressure and make the application process more realistic.
Students should avoid choosing a history degree only because it is test-free. If your main goal is a licensed clinical role, a business credential, or a technical career change, another path may fit better. For example, students comparing humanities and human behavior pathways may also research a psychology degree online before committing to history.
No-GRE online history programs are not necessarily cheaper than test-required programs. The admissions process may cost less because you can skip exam registration and preparation materials, but total degree cost depends on tuition rate, credits required, fees, transfer policies, books, residency requirements, and time to completion.
College Board's 2024 tuition data is a useful reminder that the institution you choose can affect cost far more than the test policy. Public in-state options often have lower published tuition than private nonprofit colleges, but online programs may use special per-credit pricing that differs from campus rates.
When estimating total cost, ask the school for a full program cost sheet rather than relying only on the per-credit rate. Important cost factors include:
- Total credits required: A 30-credit program can cost much less than a 36-credit program at the same per-credit rate.
- Online course fees: Technology, distance learning, library, graduation, and transcript fees can add to the final cost.
- Transfer or prior graduate credit: Some schools allow limited transfer credits, but policies vary and may exclude older coursework.
- Residency or travel requirements: A mostly online program may still require campus visits, thesis defenses, or intensives.
- Financial aid eligibility: Federal aid generally requires enrollment in an eligible accredited institution and program, but aid amounts depend on student status and federal rules.
If affordability is your top priority, compare history programs the same way you would compare the cheapest accredited online college: use total net cost, accreditation, completion support, and transfer policy rather than sticker price alone.
Career outcomes for history graduates vary because the degree builds transferable research, writing, analysis, and communication skills rather than training for one licensed occupation. Graduates may work in education, museums, archives, publishing, public history, government, law-related support roles, nonprofit administration, cultural resource management, or doctoral study.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in its 2024 occupational data that education, training, and library occupations had a median annual wage above the median for all occupations. For history students, this matters because many related roles sit in education or cultural institutions, but salary depends heavily on job title, location, degree level, union or public-sector pay scales, and whether the role requires additional certification.
The table below connects common history-degree goals with typical requirements and cautions. Use it to test whether a no-GRE online history program aligns with your intended outcome.
| Goal | How a history degree may help | Additional requirement to check | Best program feature to look for |
| K-12 teaching advancement | May deepen content knowledge and support salary-lane or dual-credit goals | State licensure, district approval, and graduate-credit rules | Courses aligned with U.S., world, or regional history teaching needs |
| Museum or public history work | Builds historical interpretation, research, and exhibit-context skills | Internship experience, collections knowledge, or public history portfolio | Public history, digital history, oral history, or archival coursework |
| Archives or library-adjacent roles | Supports historical research and source evaluation | Some roles prefer a library science degree or archival certification | Archival methods, digital preservation, and primary-source training |
| Doctoral preparation | Can develop historiography, methodology, and graduate writing skills | Language preparation, thesis work, faculty references, and research fit | Thesis option and faculty expertise in your intended field |
| Government, nonprofit, or policy work | Strengthens analytical writing and context-based decision-making | Role-specific experience, security clearance, grant writing, or policy skills | Flexible electives and opportunities for applied research projects |
Some students may decide that a shorter credential fits their career goal better than a full history degree. For example, someone seeking immediate administrative or small-business skills might compare degree options with accredited bookkeeping courses instead of enrolling in a graduate humanities program.
No-test admissions can make applying feel simple, but weak application choices still reduce your chances. The most common mistake is treating the missing GRE or GMAT requirement as the main reason to apply, rather than showing why you are a strong match for the program.
Avoid these mistakes before submitting your application:
- Using a generic statement of purpose: Name the historical periods, methods, or professional goals that explain why the program fits you.
- Submitting an unfocused writing sample: Choose work that shows research, argument, evidence, and citation quality, not just personal interest in history.
- Ignoring prerequisite expectations: Some programs prefer prior history coursework even if they accept students from other majors.
- Assuming "online" means self-paced: Many online history programs still use weekly deadlines, discussion boards, group work, and term-based schedules.
- Overlooking thesis versus non-thesis tracks: A thesis can help doctoral applicants, while a capstone or coursework track may fit teachers and working professionals better.
- Failing to verify accreditation: Admissions convenience is not useful if the credential has limited recognition by employers, districts, or doctoral programs.
- Comparing only tuition per credit: Total credits, fees, transfer limits, and time to completion can change the real cost.
The best way to strengthen a no-GRE application is to make every document do a specific job. Your transcript shows academic preparation, your writing sample shows skill, your statement shows fit, and your recommendations show credibility.
Meanwhile, students interested in culture, community work, and human-centered practice may compare a history master's with an art therapy degree, since the better choice depends on whether the goal is historical research, education, museum work, or a credentialed helping profession.
How Should Students Compare Accredited Online History Degree Programs Without GRE or GMAT Requirements?
To compare accredited online history degree programs without GRE or GMAT requirements, start with your end goal and work backward. A program that is ideal for a teacher seeking graduate credits may not be ideal for a student aiming for a funded PhD program, and a low-cost program may not be the best value if it lacks the courses or faculty expertise you need.
Use this step-by-step process to narrow your list:
- Confirm accreditation first: Verify institutional accreditation through a recognized accreditor before reviewing tuition or curriculum.
- Identify the exact test policy: Ask whether the program is test-free, test-optional, or waiver-based, and whether the policy applies to all applicants.
- Match curriculum to your goal: Look for coursework in public history, teaching, military history, digital history, archival studies, or historiography depending on your plan.
- Check faculty and research fit: If you plan to write a thesis or pursue doctoral study, faculty expertise matters more than brand recognition alone.
- Compare total cost: Add tuition, fees, books, travel, transfer-credit limits, and expected time to completion.
- Ask about online support: Strong programs should provide library access, writing support, advising, career services, and technical support for distance learners.
- Review outcomes cautiously: Look for transparent student success indicators, but avoid programs that imply guaranteed jobs or doctoral admission.
If doctoral study is part of your long-term plan, compare the timeline and format carefully. Some students researching advanced online pathways also review the shortest doctoral programs, but history doctorates usually require deep research preparation and should not be chosen based on speed alone.
Other Things You Should Know About History
Yes, many programs consider applicants from other majors, especially if they show strong writing, research ability, and academic purpose. However, some schools may prefer prior history coursework or ask for additional preparation.
A master's degree commonly takes about one to three years depending on credit load, transfer credits, and whether you study full time or part time. Bachelor's completion timelines depend heavily on transfer credit.
Not always. Some programs offer thesis, capstone, portfolio, or coursework-only tracks. A thesis is often better for doctoral preparation, while non-thesis options may fit teachers and working professionals.
Usually, diplomas from accredited institutions do not specify online delivery, but policies vary by school. You can ask the registrar how the degree, transcript, and concentration will appear before enrolling.
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