Online Education
Revolutionize your classroom with National History Day®!
National History Day has a full range of online graduate courses for middle and high school educators who want to implement our project-based curriculum into their classrooms using the framework of the National History Day Contest.
All National History Day courses provide practical advice as well as pedagogical strategies.
Along with creating classroom-ready materials customized to the needs of their students, participants also have the options of earning a certificate of professional development hours or (for an additional cost) graduate credit from the University of San Diego.
Upcoming Courses
2017-2018 Course Schedule
Upcoming Courses
These online courses are designed to allow participants to work on independently-paced modules with pre-set deadlines. This allows completion at any pace, any time of day, from anywhere in the world.
Recently added!
Fall 2017 - Introduction to Project Based Learning
Back by popular demand, this course takes teachers and librarians through the NHD process from choosing a topic to evaluating final products. This course is designed for middle and high school teachers who are seeking ways to engage their students in project-based learning. Teachers are grouped into small learning communities (about 10-12 teachers) who teach similar subject areas. A veteran NHD teacher serves as a mentor to each section and teachers develop and refine classroom ready materials with this framework.
Dates: September 11 to December 11, 2017
Course Structure: 90 hours of professional development OR 3 graduate credits
Deadlines: twice weekly
Cost: $625 (graduate credit option), $400.00 (audit option), both include course materials
Registration Deadline: Tuesday, August 18, 2017
Dates: September 11 to December 11, 2017
Course Structure: 90 hours of professional development OR 3 graduate credits
Deadlines: twice weekly
Cost: $625 (graduate credit option), $400.00 (audit option), both include course materials
Registration Deadline: Tuesday, August 18, 2017
Fall 2017 - Conducting Historical Research in the National History Day Model
This course helps teachers dive into the NHD research process using the twentieth century Civil Rights Movement as a research focus. Teachers will choose their own topic related to the 2018 Conflict and Compromise in History theme. Teachers are grouped into small learning communities of teachers with similar students, providing opportunities to network, share ideas, and work through various strategies to find historical sources and help students analyze documents. Specific strategies for writing historical papers are also addressed in this course.
Dates: September 11 to December 11, 2017
Course Structure: 90 hours of professional development OR 3 graduate credits
Deadlines: weekly
Cost: $725 (graduate credit option), $500.00 (audit option), both include course materials
Prerequisite: Introduction to Project-Based Learning in the National History Day Framework OR 5+ years of NHD experience.
Registration Deadline: Monday, August 18, 2017
Dates: September 11 to December 11, 2017
Course Structure: 90 hours of professional development OR 3 graduate credits
Deadlines: weekly
Cost: $725 (graduate credit option), $500.00 (audit option), both include course materials
Prerequisite: Introduction to Project-Based Learning in the National History Day Framework OR 5+ years of NHD experience.
Registration Deadline: Monday, August 18, 2017
2017-2018 Course Schedule
National History Day has graduate courses all year. See the entire course listing below. If you have any questions about when a course will be offered again or when registration will open, please email programs@nhd.org.
Summer 2017 - Introduction to Project-Based Learning Using the National History Day Curriculum Framework
Back by popular demand, this course takes teachers and librarians through the NHD process from choosing a topic to evaluating final products. This course is designed for middle and high school teachers who are seeking ways to engage their students in project-based learning. Teachers are grouped into small learning communities (about 10-12 teachers) who teach similar subject areas. A veteran NHD teacher serves as a mentor to each section and teachers develop and refine classroom ready materials with this framework.
Dates: July 3 to August 20, 2017
Course Structure: 90 hours of professional development OR 3 graduate credits
Deadlines: twice weekly
Cost: $625 (graduate credit option), $400.00 (audit option), both include course materials
Registration Deadline: Friday, June 9, 2017
Dates: July 3 to August 20, 2017
Course Structure: 90 hours of professional development OR 3 graduate credits
Deadlines: twice weekly
Cost: $625 (graduate credit option), $400.00 (audit option), both include course materials
Registration Deadline: Friday, June 9, 2017
Registration is Closed.
Summer 2017 - Developing Exhibits to Facilitate Historical Thinking Skills
This course is designed to help teachers use historical exhibits to teach historical thinking and critical thinking skills to students. Teachers will learn practical skills needed to construct an exhibit and develop a model to share with their students. The course combines practical skills with hands-on experience focusing on developing a thesis statement and supporting it with historical evidence over that meets the National History Day Contest criteria.
Dates: August 14 to October 9, 2017
Course Structure: 30 hours of professional development OR 1 graduate credit
Deadlines: weekly
Cost: $425 (graduate credit option), $350.00 (audit option), both include course materials
Prerequisite: Introduction to Project-Based Learning in the National History Day Framework OR 5+ years of NHD experience.
Registration Deadline: Tuesday, August 1, 2017
Dates: August 14 to October 9, 2017
Course Structure: 30 hours of professional development OR 1 graduate credit
Deadlines: weekly
Cost: $425 (graduate credit option), $350.00 (audit option), both include course materials
Prerequisite: Introduction to Project-Based Learning in the National History Day Framework OR 5+ years of NHD experience.
Registration Deadline: Tuesday, August 1, 2017
Summer 2017 - Developing Websites to Facilitate Historical Thinking Skills
This course is designed to help teachers use website creation to teach historical thinking and critical thinking skills to students. Teachers will learn practical skills needed to build a website using the Weebly platform and develop a model to share with their students. The course combines practical skills with hands-on experience focusing on developing a thesis statement and supporting it with historical evidence over a website that meets the National History Day Contest criteria.
Dates: August 14 to October 9, 2017
Course Structure: 30 hours of professional development OR 1 graduate credit
Deadlines: weekly
Cost: $425 (graduate credit option), $350.00 (audit option), both include course materials
Prerequisite: Introduction to Project-Based Learning in the National History Day Framework OR 5+ years of NHD experience.
Registration Deadline: Tuesday, August 1, 2017
Dates: August 14 to October 9, 2017
Course Structure: 30 hours of professional development OR 1 graduate credit
Deadlines: weekly
Cost: $425 (graduate credit option), $350.00 (audit option), both include course materials
Prerequisite: Introduction to Project-Based Learning in the National History Day Framework OR 5+ years of NHD experience.
Registration Deadline: Tuesday, August 1, 2017
Fall 2017 - Conducting Historical Research in the National History Day Model
This course helps teachers dive into the NHD research process using the twentieth century Civil Rights Movement as a research focus. Teachers will choose their own topic related to the 2018 Conflict and Compromise in History theme. Teachers are grouped into small learning communities of teachers with similar students, providing opportunities to network, share ideas, and work through various strategies to find historical sources and help students analyze documents. Specific strategies for writing historical papers are also addressed in this course.
Dates: September 11 to December 11, 2017
Course Structure: 90 hours of professional development OR 3 graduate credits
Deadlines: weekly
Cost: $725 (graduate credit option), $500.00 (audit option), both include course materials
Prerequisite: Introduction to Project-Based Learning in the National History Day Framework OR 5+ years of NHD experience.
Registration Deadline: Friday, August 18, 2017
Dates: September 11 to December 11, 2017
Course Structure: 90 hours of professional development OR 3 graduate credits
Deadlines: weekly
Cost: $725 (graduate credit option), $500.00 (audit option), both include course materials
Prerequisite: Introduction to Project-Based Learning in the National History Day Framework OR 5+ years of NHD experience.
Registration Deadline: Friday, August 18, 2017
Fall 2017 - Introduction to Project-Based Learning Using the National History Day Curriculum Framework
Back by popular demand, this course takes teachers and librarians through the NHD process from choosing a topic to evaluating final products. This course is designed for middle and high school teachers who are seeking ways to engage their students in project-based learning. Teachers are grouped into small learning communities (about 10-12 teachers) who teach similar subject areas. A veteran NHD teacher serves as a mentor to each section and teachers develop and refine classroom ready materials with this framework.
Dates: September 11 to December 11, 2017
Course Structure: 90 hours of professional development OR 3 graduate credits
Deadlines: weekly
Cost: $625 (graduate credit option), $400.00 (audit option), both include course materials
Registration Deadline: Friday, August 18, 2017
Dates: September 11 to December 11, 2017
Course Structure: 90 hours of professional development OR 3 graduate credits
Deadlines: weekly
Cost: $625 (graduate credit option), $400.00 (audit option), both include course materials
Registration Deadline: Friday, August 18, 2017
Fall 2017 - NEW! Developing Documentaries to Facilitate Historical Thinking Skills
This course is designed to help teachers use documentary creation to teach historical thinking and critical thinking skills to students. Teachers will learn practical skills needed to create a documentary and develop an example to share with their students. The course combines practical skills with hands-on experience focusing on developing a thesis statement and supporting it with historical evidence in a documentary that meets the National History Day Contest criteria.
Dates: October 2 to November 20, 2017
Course Structure: 30 hours of professional development OR 1 graduate credit
Deadlines: weekly
Cost: $425 (graduate credit option), $350.00 (audit option), both include course materials
Prerequisite: Introduction to Project-Based Learning in the National History Day Framework OR 5+ years of NHD experience.
Registration Deadline: Tuesday, September 15, 2017
Dates: October 2 to November 20, 2017
Course Structure: 30 hours of professional development OR 1 graduate credit
Deadlines: weekly
Cost: $425 (graduate credit option), $350.00 (audit option), both include course materials
Prerequisite: Introduction to Project-Based Learning in the National History Day Framework OR 5+ years of NHD experience.
Registration Deadline: Tuesday, September 15, 2017
Fall 2017 - NEW! Developing Performances to Facilitate Historical Thinking Skills
This course is designed to help teachers use performances to teach historical and critical thinking skills to students. Teachers will learn practical skills needed to create a historical performance and develop an example to share with their students. The course combines practical skills with hands-on experience focusing on developing a thesis statement and supporting it with historical evidence in a performance that meets the National History Day Contest criteria.
Dates: October 2 to November 20, 2017
Course Structure: 30 hours of professional development OR 1 graduate credit
Deadlines: weekly
Cost: $425 (graduate credit option), $350.00 (audit option), both include course materials
Prerequisite: Introduction to Project-Based Learning in the National History Day Framework OR 5+ years of NHD experience.
Registration Deadline: Tuesday, September 15, 2017
Dates: October 2 to November 20, 2017
Course Structure: 30 hours of professional development OR 1 graduate credit
Deadlines: weekly
Cost: $425 (graduate credit option), $350.00 (audit option), both include course materials
Prerequisite: Introduction to Project-Based Learning in the National History Day Framework OR 5+ years of NHD experience.
Registration Deadline: Tuesday, September 15, 2017
Spring 2018 - Writing and Editing for National History Day
One of the challenges of participating in the National History Day Contest is to help students craft and edit their writing. This course will focus on specific, classroom-ready strategies to help readers and writers at all levels craft and revise writing for ALL NHD project categories.
Dates: January 22 to March 19, 2018
Course Structure: 30 hours of professional development OR 1 graduate credit
Deadlines: weekly
Cost: $425 (graduate credit option), $350.00 (audit option), both include course materials
Prerequisite: Introduction to Project-Based Learning in the National History Day Framework OR 5+ years of NHD experience.
Registration Deadline: Monday, January 8, 2018
Dates: January 22 to March 19, 2018
Course Structure: 30 hours of professional development OR 1 graduate credit
Deadlines: weekly
Cost: $425 (graduate credit option), $350.00 (audit option), both include course materials
Prerequisite: Introduction to Project-Based Learning in the National History Day Framework OR 5+ years of NHD experience.
Registration Deadline: Monday, January 8, 2018
Download the Graduate Course Flyer
This flyer lists the courses for 2017-2018