Skip Navigation
 
School of Arts, Humanities & Education

Civil War Studies

Online Graduate Certificate in Civil War Studies

Apply Now Request Info
Program Requirements Related Programs Admission Requirements Paying for School

Save @ AMU

$0 Application Fee
$0 Transfer Credit Evaluation
72%Have Graduated with No APUS-incurred Student Loan Debt1

About This Program

American Military University’s (AMU) graduate certificate in Civil War studies examines the sectional conflicts that preceded the Civil War, the military strategy of the Union and Confederacy, and the technological advances that produced an evolution in tactical command.

This online program offers a fascinating exploration into the Antebellum period and sectionalism, as well as in-depth study of the Civil War and Reconstruction.

AMU’s program covers:

  • Social, cultural, economic, and political developments in the North and South
  • Slavery and sectionalism
  • Political challenges
  • Presidential decision making
  • Military strategy and leadership

You will analyze and synthesize historical interpretations presented in the writings of prominent and influential historians.

What You Will Do

  1. Assess social, cultural, economic, and political similarities and differences in the North and South during Antebellum, Civil War, and Reconstruction periods
  2. Determine the political, economic, cultural, social, and military matters that caused the Civil War and impacted its conduct and aftermath
  3. Critique select land battles to show the operational contributions of Union and Confederate military leaders and their strategies and tactics
  4. Analyze the writings of prominent historians and their diverse interpretations of the Antebellum, Civil War, and Reconstruction eras

Program at a Glance

Number of Credits
18
Transfer up to 9 credits
Cost Per Credit
$370 | $250*
*with military grant
Courses Start Monthly
Online
and vary from 8 to 16 weeks

Program Requirements Printable Catalog Version

Must take all courses for this section.

Course ID: 2656

|
This course is a study of the political, economic, cultural, and social aspects of the Civil War as a seminal event in our nation’s history. Students explore the causes of the war, how a nation coped with the struggle across multiple dimensions, and how we dealt with the conflict's aftermath. Special emphasis is on the continuing debate that the impact of the Civil War had on both the North and the South.
Registration Dates Course Dates Session Weeks
04/26/21 - 10/01/21 10/04/21 - 11/28/21 Fall 2021 Session B 8 Week session
05/21/21 - 10/29/21 11/01/21 - 12/26/21 Fall 2021 Session I 8 Week session
06/28/21 - 12/03/21 12/06/21 - 01/30/22 Fall 2021 Session D 8 Week session
07/27/21 - 12/31/21 01/03/22 - 02/27/22 Winter 2022 Session B 8 Week session
08/31/21 - 02/04/22 02/07/22 - 04/03/22 Winter 2022 Session I 8 Week session
09/28/21 - 03/04/22 03/07/22 - 05/01/22 Winter 2022 Session D 8 Week session

Course ID: 2659

|
This course is an analysis of the conditions existing in the United States in the first half of the 19th century. The course focuses on the political, cultural/social, economic, security, leadership, and other issues that played roles in starting and shaping the Civil War. Students will analyze the issues in the context of war and peace to determine whether or not such conflicts as civil wars can be avoided prior to their inception.
Registration Dates Course Dates Session Weeks
05/21/21 - 10/29/21 11/01/21 - 12/26/21 Fall 2021 Session I 8 Week session
07/27/21 - 12/31/21 01/03/22 - 02/27/22 Winter 2022 Session B 8 Week session
09/28/21 - 03/04/22 03/07/22 - 05/01/22 Winter 2022 Session D 8 Week session

Course ID: 2661

|
This course is designed to examine the interrelationship between the Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson and the U.S. Congress, compare/contrast the Reconstruction plans developed by both, and determine why the Reconstruction Period played out in the manner that it did.
Registration Dates Course Dates Session Weeks
04/26/21 - 10/01/21 10/04/21 - 11/28/21 Fall 2021 Session B 8 Week session
06/28/21 - 12/03/21 12/06/21 - 01/30/22 Fall 2021 Session D 8 Week session
08/31/21 - 02/04/22 02/07/22 - 04/03/22 Winter 2022 Session I 8 Week session

Course ID: 3252

|
This course examines the military heritage of the United States from the colonial period to the present time. Through an in-depth study of the extensive literature in American military history, students assess the key individuals, military policies, postures, organizations, strategies, campaigns, tactics, and battles that define the American military experience.
Registration Dates Course Dates Session Weeks
05/21/21 - 10/29/21 11/01/21 - 12/26/21 Fall 2021 Session I 8 Week session
07/27/21 - 12/31/21 01/03/22 - 02/27/22 Winter 2022 Session B 8 Week session
09/28/21 - 03/04/22 03/07/22 - 05/01/22 Winter 2022 Session D 8 Week session

Course ID: 2657

|
This course is a study of the American Civil War with emphasis on operational contributions of Union and Confederate military leadership. Students examine Civil War battles on two levels: the strategic doctrine as formed by the major commanders and tactical developments that affected the conduct of battle at a lower echelon of command. Special emphasis is on the interplay between these levels in order to gain a comprehensive view of strategy and tactics in both armies from 1861-1865.
Registration Dates Course Dates Session Weeks
06/28/21 - 12/03/21 12/06/21 - 01/30/22 Fall 2021 Session D 8 Week session
09/28/21 - 03/04/22 03/07/22 - 05/01/22 Winter 2022 Session D 8 Week session

Course ID: 2658

|
This course is a study of national, theater, and operational command structures of the Union and Confederacy, the leadership styles of key military leaders on both sides, and the evolution of command and control in the war. Major themes include the relationship between the commanders in chief and the generals who led the armies in the field, the relationships between the generals themselves, and the ways in which the relationships described above either served to facilitate or debilitate the causes those commanders served.
Registration Dates Course Dates Session Weeks
05/21/21 - 10/29/21 11/01/21 - 12/26/21 Fall 2021 Session I 8 Week session
06/28/21 - 12/03/21 12/06/21 - 01/30/22 Fall 2021 Session D 8 Week session
08/31/21 - 02/04/22 02/07/22 - 04/03/22 Winter 2022 Session I 8 Week session

Courses Start Monthly

Next Courses Start Oct 4
Register by Oct 1
Apply Now Request Info

Admission Requirements

  • All AMU master's degree/graduate certificate programs require a bachelor’s degree (or higher) from an institution whose accreditation is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
  • Please read all graduate admission requirements before applying to this program and be prepared to submit the required documentation.
  • There is no fee to complete the AMU admission application. View steps to apply.

Materials Cost

Technology fee: $65 per course | $0 for active-duty military, National Guard members, and Reservists.

Need Help?

Selecting the right program to meet your educational goals is a key step in ensuring a successful outcome. If you are unsure of which program to choose, or need more information, please contact an AMU admissions representative at 877-755-2787 or [email protected].

Quality Education Should Be Affordable

So you can focus on the opportunities ahead, without the financial burden of more expensive schools who are not as invested in your success. Learn more about paying for school.

Consumer Information

Department of Education and State Disclosures

For information on costs, median debt, state licensure requirements and more, view the gainful employment disclosures and the program disclosures for Maryland residents.

1Alumni Graduated with No APUS-incurred Student Loan Debt As of December 31, 2020

Includes alumni who graduated with an associate, bachelor's, or master's degree from APUS. Student loan debt is defined as student loans and private education loans used for tuition, fees, living expenses, and book costs associated with courses taken at APUS. Many APUS students receive military tuition assistance and veterans education benefits, which are not student loan debt.

*Cost Per Credit Hour

To minimize out-of-pocket costs, U.S. active-duty servicemembers, their spouse/dependents, National Guard members, and Reservists receive a tuition grant that caps undergraduate, master's degree, and graduate certificate tuition at $250/credit hour. In addition, a university book grant provides no-cost textbooks and ebooks for all undergraduates and military-tuition-grant-eligible master’s-level students.
See all military student benefits.