Find out more about Sam Houston State University

The online Bachelor of Arts in History degree program from Sam Houston State University is designed for students who have an interest in becoming an educator, researcher, curator, archivist, records manager, documentary editor, corproate historian, or contract historian. In addition to a solid foundation of courses in communication, mathematics, natural sciences, creative arts, political science, foreign language, and social and behavioral sciences, the curriculum offers studies in:

• American History
• European History
• World History

The online Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies degree program from Sam Houston State University is interdisciplinary, allowing students to design a curriculum that suits individual goals by connecting three minors, a capstone general studies course, a core curriculum, and appropriate supporting elective courses. Minors offered include American Studies, Art History, Business Administration, Business Education, Communication Studies, Criminal Justice, Ethics, Health, History, Film Studies, Finance, Forensic Science, French, General Business Administration, Geography, Political Science, Public Administration and Public Policy, Psychology, Sociology, Spanish, and Technical and Professional Writing. 

The online Master of Arts in History degree program from Sam Houston State University is designed for aspiring young professionals interested in secondary teaching, professional programs, the military, civil service, public history, and community college faculty positions, as well as students who plan to pursue a Ph.D. 
The degree may be completed either by defending a portfolio of written work or by completing a thesis. Additionally, students select one of the following tracks, which represent the mainstays of the human experience:

• Rights & Identity
• War & Violence
• Encounters & Exchanges

The online MA in Political Science degree program from Sam Houston State University appeals to students preparing for doctoral studies or law school, high school teachers seeking to improve their professional credentials, individuals wanting to teach in community colleges, and individuals preparing for careers or advancement in nonprofit organizations and the public sector. Offered as either a thesis or non-thesis option, the curriculum covers topics in:

• American Politics
• Comparative Politics
• International Relations

To be prepared for a career in virtually any field, the online Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Communication Studies teaches students how to engage in interpersonal, small group, and organizational communication. Students will learn the different types of communication such as nonverbal, persuasion, intercultural, as well as theories and rhetoric of communication. Students will also have ongoing research studies in subjects such as visual persuasion and relationship repair.

The bachelor’s degree in communication studies can lead to career opportunities such as:

• Teacher
• Attorney
• Consultant
• Pastor

Experienced faculty actively participate in various organizations to stay at the forefront of the ever-evolving communications field. Students may choose to continue their education with a graduate degree. The online bachelor’s degree in communication studies allows graduates to bring exceptional skills and talent into the business world.

Sam Houston State University offers an online Bachelor of Business Administration / General Business degree. Students will take coursework in finance, marketing, public relations, management, sales, and production - all the essential areas of business.

The online Executive Master of Business Administration program with a concentration in Banking & Financial Institutions is a unique, quality-based program.  This program focuses on banking and financial institutions in a program designed to develop and enhance the skills necessary for leadership positions in financial institutions or regulatory agencies.  Coursework emphasizes the integration and synthesis of various disciplines.  This develops the students’ abilities to function and make sound administrative decisions in a dynamic financial institution environment.  The program offers a challenging and robust academic curriculum that can be completed over a two-year period.  Classes are kept small with a cap of 25 students in each cohort.

Sam Houston State University offers an online Master of Arts in Communication Studies for students and professionals looking to advance their career. Topics included in the program are conflict resolution, gendered communication, organizational communication, family communication, and more.

• Accounting for management
• Statistical analysis
• Managerial communication
• Financial management

Sam Houston State University offers an online Master of Public Administration degree. The online learning environment allows students to engage with classmates and professors to learn the field. There is a concentration offered in Disaster & Emergency Management.

Sam Houston State University offers an online Master of Science in Project Management. Students will engage in the project lifecycle within organizations, and learn how to face challenges related to new products and services.

Earn a Master of Science degree in Information Assurance and Cybersecurity through Sam Houston University online.  This program is designed for those with an undergraduate Computer Science or Management Information Systems, or a degree in a related field.  Studies will cover topics including but not limited to:

• Database Security
• Security Planning
• Risk Assessment

Students will develop marketable skills in assessment, planning, and problem solving as well as enhanced knowledge in commercial, industrial and governmental information assurance.  With this advanced degree, there comes opportunity for pay increase as well as career networking with peers and professionals.  Expand professional competencies and knowledge with an online master’s with SHSU.

With an online Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice and Victim Studies from Sam Houston State University, you have the opportunity to pursue a career in almost any discipline of the justice system.  From security to customs, from law enforcement to victim advocacy, this degree can launch your future in any direction you’d like to go, whether it is with a local organization or a federal agency.  To help you ultimately decide on your career path, Sam Houston State offers Criminal Justice internships during your last year of study.  These are hands-on opportunities offered by local, national and international organizations. The Bachelor or Arts in Criminal Justice and Victim Studies combines your foreign language skills with prerequisite classes.  

Some electives offered at Sam Houston State University in the BA of Criminal Justice and Victim Studies, include:

• White-collar crime
• Global terrorism
• Cyber crime Forensic science

The online Bachelor of Arts in Homeland Security Studies from Sam Houston State University centers on the theory and practice of protecting the public from manmade and natural disasters, alike.  Ever since the September 11th attacks in the United States, institutes of higher education have developed programs to create critical thinkers required to keep the public safe.  If you are dedicated to the ultimate in public safety, this degree may be for you.  It combines coursework in a foreign language with subjects such as public health and transportation security.  Other class examples include:

• Intelligence analysis
• Border security
• Global terrorism
• Water security

The online BA in Homeland Security from Sam Houston State allows you some flexibility with course customization, based upon your career path.

You have a choice where to earn your degree. Why not choose a long-established university with a prestigious reputation to gain career training with the Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State University? The online criminal justice degree offers such benefits as:

• Expert faculty
• State-of-the-art facilities
• A close-knit learning environment

Through the online criminal justice bachelor’s degree program, you focus on the social sciences with courses in psychology, political science, sociology, and the like. Other core coursework explores topics like cyber crime, ethics, correctional systems, and victimology.

You can train to defend against large-scale threats to the US with the Bachelor of Science in Homeland Security Studies from Sam Houston State University. The online homeland security degree focuses on such areas as:

• Cybersecurity
• Border security
• Emergency management
• Strategic communications and more

Through the online homeland security bachelor’s degree program, you also learn methods to protect critical infrastructure and to counter terrorism. Your online studies develop leaders, thinkers, and analysts to keep our citizens safe.

You can benefit from quality programming to advance your career with the Master of Science in Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State University. The online criminal justice degree leads to work in such sectors as:

• Security
• Corrections
• Social services
• Law enforcement

Through the online criminal justice master’s degree program, you can complete your graduate degree in two years. Graduates find success in such roles as:

• Judges
• Victim advocates
• Police administrators
• Federal law enforcement agents

As a mid-management professional, you can advance your career with the Master of Science in Criminal Justice Leadership & Management from Sam Houston State University. The online administration degree offers graduate-level expertise from one of the country’s most prestigious criminal justice programs. 

Through the online administration master’s degree program, you learn from a leader in academic research and professional development, especially in leadership skills.

At Sam Houston State University, computer science and criminal justice blend to form the online Master of Science degree in Digital Forensics. This program will prepare you to manage and develop secure information systems related to forensic data. Your master’s work will focus on the life of digital evidence – from collection to preservation, sometimes utilizing the department’s dedicated, state-of-the-art forensic center.

The Master of Science in Digital Forensics at SHSU requires a knowledge foundation gained through a relevant undergraduate degree and/or technical or on-the-job experience. You may be required by the master’s program to take additional core classes to broaden your knowledge base.

Together, the Departments of Security Studies and Criminal Justice at Sam Houston State University offer an online Master of Science in Homeland Security Studies.  As a relatively new discipline, rising from the 9/11 US attacks, this master’s program is both conceptual and practical. The degree follows the Homeland Security Enterprise model and employs internationally and nationally renowned faculty. Courses involve emergency management, pandemics and cybersecurity to name a few.  Not only is Homeland Security intended to protect the public-at-large from disasters, but also to protect critical infrastructure.  Your Master of Science in Homeland Security Studies can lead to professional positions in areas such as:

• Water supply
• Energy supply
• Transportation
• Food and agriculture

Sam Houston State University offers the Master of Science in Victim Services Management, an online criminal justice degree.  Although this program is beneficial for all individuals, the ideal students will have experience in the victim services field.  This online master’s in human services degree prepares students to work in various areas of victim services, providing a better understanding of the services available.  You will study rape crisis centers and other victim service providers while gaining the tools to provide aid to victims.  Graduates are prepared to work in such victim services areas as direct service provision, organizational management, and social policy development. 

The curriculum offers a variety of courses, such as:

• Gender and Criminal Justice
• Human Sex Trafficking
• Elder Abuse and Victimization
• Interpersonal Violence
• Neurobiology of Trauma

You can train to develop programs for underprepared students in higher education with the Doctor of Education in Developmental Education Administration. This online higher education doctoral degree emphasizes original research to advance leaders in developmental education.

The interdisciplinary higher education doctoral degree continues your intellectual growth. Your online coursework imparts such knowledge as:

• Designing learning environments in developmental education
• Academic writing and research
• Contemporary issues in higher education administration and leadership
• Leadership of higher education institutions

You can prepare as a scholar of learning technologies with the Doctor of Education in Instructional Systems Design & Technology from SHSU. This online instructional design doctoral degree allows you to lead your organization in the integration of technology. Benefits of this program include:

• Lead learning analysis research in various contexts
• Integrate technology into diverse learning environments
• Create instructional materials for training, education, or performance improvement programs
• Evaluate learning management systems

Graduates of this online instructional design doctoral program find success in K-12 settings, higher education, businesses, and military training. Roles range from instructional design to educational networking to implementation of learning technologies and more.

You can prepare for mid-level leadership and administrative positions in higher education with the Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration from SHSU. This online higher education master’s degree enhances your career-related leadership skills. It focuses on student services, academic affairs, and such areas as:

• Enrollment management
• Student success
• Governance and organization
• Educational technology

Candidates of this online education administration master’s program can select whether to complete a thesis or not. Students can also pursue academic advising certification within this program.

You can be a change leader in student achievement with the Master of Education in Curriculum & Instruction from SHSU. This online curriculum and instruction master’s degree focuses on the following:

• Theoretical applications
• Pedagogy
• Curriculum methodology

With the help of an advisor, you design your individual study program to align with your career goals and personal interests. Graduates can teach dual credit courses as well as classes at the community college level.

You can gain expertise in instructional technology with the Master of Education in Instructional Systems Design & Technology from SHSU. This online instructional design master’s degree prepares you for leadership in training, instructional, learning, and educational environments. Your marketable skills from this program include the following:

• Ability to identify instructional program problems and needs
• Use of technology to solve educational program problems
• Develop creative applications for educational technology

All students of this online instructional design master’s program complete a culminating research project. Students undertake the design, research, implementation, and evaluation of an online training course.

Have it your way with the Master of Education in Reading / Language Arts from SHSU. This online reading and literacy master’s degree provides for a Reading Specialist Certificate—or not.

Educators seeking a Texas Reading Specialist certificate may do so through this online reading and literacy master’s program. This option benefits certified teachers in Texas with at least two years of experience.

The option that does not lead to a Reading Specialist certificate appeals to practitioners who want to develop expertise in literacy for application in the classroom or other learning environments. Both programs follow the same degree plans. Through the online reading and literacy coursework, you gain such outcomes as:

• Develop reflective practitioners for young children through secondary learners
• Design interventions to meet the varied learning needs of students
• Become a literacy advocate for all levels of literacy development

You can gain principal certification with the Master of Education in School Leadership from SHSU. This online education administration master’s degree emphasizes such factors as:

• School organization and administration
• Effective leadership strategies
• Campus business management
• Federal, state, local, and school regulations

Candidates of this online education administration master’s program may enter in the spring, summer, or fall semesters. Graduates learn to improve student outcomes through program evaluation, data analysis, and knowledge of how diverse populations and special programs impact a school and the community.

You can gain advanced competencies in special education with the Master of Education in Special Education from SHSU. This online gifted and special education master’s degree imparts the necessary knowledge, dispositions, and skills to effectively assess and instruct learners with special needs.

Through the online special education coursework, you learn teaching practices and delve into innovative research for learners with disabilities. Other learning outcomes include the ability to:

• Enact and assess research-based practices
• Find solutions to systemic injustice
• Explore varied cultural perspectives on disabilities
• Assess and mend disability policies through current research

Graduates can maximize their professional competence and advance their careers. They enjoy success in leadership roles where they can use their competencies in advocacy and systems change.

You can gain expertise in teaching English language learners with the Master of Education in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). This online ESL master’s degree incorporates best practices and addresses language instruction theories. Outcomes include:

• Mastery of the principles and processes of second language acquisition
• Examination of the psychological, cognitive, sociocultural, and linguistic foundations of language and literacy
• Use of assessments to develop reading and literacy plans
• Integration of technology to optimize learning

Upon completing this online ESL graduate degree, students can earn a Second Language Instruction certificate from SHSU. Graduates find success teaching all ages, from the early years through adulthood.

Sam Houston State University offers an online Master of Library Science degree. For students who wish to work in a school library, this program provides professional skills in managing media and maintaining collections. The program has a focus on new technologies as well, so students are up-to-date on research methods and skills.

This online mathematics degree is primarily intended for secondary mathematics teachers. Prepare to teach mathematics at the community college level or to teach dual-credit and/or AP courses at the high school level. Others may choose to pursue a doctorate in Mathematics Education.  

As you earn this mathematics degree online you will be able to continue working. Study wherever it is convenient without spending the time and money commuting to campus.

This is a non-thesis program.

The online Master of Science in Sustainable Agriculture & Food Environment program focuses on sustainable agriculture and food systems. The curriculum is designed to prepare graduate-level students for advanced studies in agriculture while integrating the framework of sustainable practices. Topics include applied knowledge of plants, animals, and soils, with a blend of eco-friendly practices and problem-solving skills to advocate for the role of agriculture in building healthy communities.

Sam Houston State University offers an online sociology degree in either the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Sociology.  The Department of Sociology, considered one of the prominent departments for the study of Globalization, is committed to providing high quality instruction and research.  This online bachelor’s in sociology provides ways to understand how society works as well as a greater understanding of why things happen.  Courses teach practical skills that help students succeed in the global world and provide the tools needed to analyze social issues and their place within a larger context.  You will understand techniques of sociological research, social statistics, sociological theory, and major substantive areas in sociology.  There are three concentrations available:

• Social Change and Economy and Society
• Culture and Social Institutions
• Inequality and Society

While most of the courses are the same for both the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees, there are a few course differences.  The Bachelor of Science degree requires courses in Mathematics and the Natural Sciences while the Bachelor of Arts requires Foreign Language and Communication courses.

Sam Houston State University offers the Master of Arts in Sociology, an online sociology degree designed to provide students with advanced and up-dated instruction.  You will study quantitative and qualitative techniques of sociological research, statistics, and theory.  Students develop advanced professional skills necessary to analyze social issues in applied settings.  These skills include research grant writing, program evaluation, impact assessment, and community-based research. 

Students pursuing this degree may specialize in one of the following:

• Environment & Social Change & Development
• Stratification, Culture & Institutions
• Applied Sociology