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School of Arts, Humanities & Education

Civil War Studies

Online Graduate Certificate in Civil War Studies

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$0 Application Fee
$0 Transfer Credit Evaluation
0 Entrance Exams
No GRE/GMAT Required

About This Program

To satisfy your interests in the Antebellum South, Civil War years, and Reconstruction, enroll in the online graduate certificate in Civil War studies at American Public University (APU).

This comprehensive six-course Civil War certificate covers the social, cultural, economic, and political developments in the North and South during the Civil War era. The program also studies military strategy, the operational command structure, and the evolution of tactical command and control in the years leading up to and following the war. Additionally, you will explore slavery, sectionalism, and presidential decision making and leadership.

This program challenges you to 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
$425 | $250*
*with military grant
Save with one of our many grant options
Courses Start Monthly
Online
and vary from 8 to 16 weeks

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Program Requirements Printable Catalog Version

Must take all courses for this section.

Course ID: 2656

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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
01/30/23 - 06/30/23 07/03/23 - 08/27/23 Summer 2023 Session B 8 Week session
02/27/23 - 08/04/23 08/07/23 - 10/01/23 Summer 2023 Session I 8 Week session
03/27/23 - 09/01/23 09/04/23 - 10/29/23 Summer 2023 Session D 8 Week session
04/24/23 - 09/29/23 10/02/23 - 11/26/23 Fall 2023 Session B 8 Week session
05/29/23 - 11/03/23 11/06/23 - 12/31/23 Fall 2023 Session I 8 Week session
06/26/23 - 12/01/23 12/04/23 - 01/28/24 Fall 2023 Session D 8 Week session

Course ID: 2659

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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
01/30/23 - 06/30/23 07/03/23 - 08/27/23 Summer 2023 Session B 8 Week session
03/27/23 - 09/01/23 09/04/23 - 10/29/23 Summer 2023 Session D 8 Week session
05/29/23 - 11/03/23 11/06/23 - 12/31/23 Fall 2023 Session I 8 Week session

Course ID: 2661

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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
02/27/23 - 08/04/23 08/07/23 - 10/01/23 Summer 2023 Session I 8 Week session
04/24/23 - 09/29/23 10/02/23 - 11/26/23 Fall 2023 Session B 8 Week session
06/26/23 - 12/01/23 12/04/23 - 01/28/24 Fall 2023 Session D 8 Week session

Course ID: 3252

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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
01/30/23 - 06/30/23 07/03/23 - 08/27/23 Summer 2023 Session B 8 Week session
02/27/23 - 08/04/23 08/07/23 - 10/01/23 Summer 2023 Session I 8 Week session
03/27/23 - 09/01/23 09/04/23 - 10/29/23 Summer 2023 Session D 8 Week session
04/24/23 - 09/29/23 10/02/23 - 11/26/23 Fall 2023 Session B 8 Week session

Course ID: 2657

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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
03/27/23 - 09/01/23 09/04/23 - 10/29/23 Summer 2023 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
02/27/23 - 08/04/23 08/07/23 - 10/01/23 Summer 2023 Session I 8 Week session
04/24/23 - 09/29/23 10/02/23 - 11/26/23 Fall 2023 Session B 8 Week session

Courses Start Monthly

Next Courses Start Aug 7
Register by Aug 4
Apply Now Request Info

Admission Requirements

  • All APU 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 APU admission application. View steps to apply.

CHEA® is a registered trademark of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. 

Materials Cost

Technology fee: $85 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 APU admissions representative at 877-755-2787 or [email protected].

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*Cost Per Credit Hour

U.S. active-duty servicemembers, National Guard members, Reservists, and military families, including parents, spouses, legal partners, siblings, and dependents, receive a tuition grant that caps undergraduate, master's degree, and graduate certificate tuition at $250/credit hour. 
See all military student benefits.