phd history courses

Department of History

Ph.d. programs.

The Department of History’s doctoral degree program seeks to train talented historians for careers in scholarship, teaching, and beyond the academy. The department typically accepts 22 Ph.D. students per year. Additional students are enrolled through various combined programs and through HSHM.  All admitted Ph.D. students receive a  full  financial aid package  from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. 

History of Science and Medicine

The  Program in the History of Science and Medicine  (HSHM)  is a semi-autonomous graduate track within the Department of History. HSHM students receive degrees in History, with a concentration in the History of Science and Medicine.  There is a separate admissions process for students interested in the History of Science and Medicine. For more information, please see the  HSHM website . 

Combined Doctoral Programs

Joint ph.d. programs.

Graduate Students

Learn more about our  students' research interests and dissertation projects.

CURRENT STUDENTS

Ph.D. Program

Stanford Ph.D. Program in History aims to train world-class scholars.

Every year we admit 10-12 promising students  from a large pool of highly selective applicants. Our small cohort size allows more individual work with faculty than most graduate programs in the United States and also enables funding in one form or another available to members of each cohort.

Fields of Study

Our graduate students may specialize in 14 distinct subfields: Africa, Britain, Early Modern Europe, East Asia, Jewish History, Latin America, Medieval Europe, Modern Europe,  Ottoman Empire and Middle East, Russia/Eastern Europe, Science, Technology, Environment, and Medicine, South Asia, Transnational, International, and Global History, and United States. Explore each field and their affiliates . 

The department expects most graduate students to spend no less than four and no more than six years completing the work for the Ph.D. degree. Individual students' time to degree will vary with the strength of their undergraduate preparation as well as with the particular language and research requirements of their respective Major fields.

Expectations and Degree Requirements

We expect that most graduate students will spend no less than four and no more than six years toward completing their Ph.D. Individual students' time-to-degree vary with the strength of their undergraduate preparation as well as with the particular language and research requirements of their respective subfield.

All History Ph.D. students are expected to satisfy the following degree requirements:

• Teaching: Students who enter on the Department Fellowship are required to complete 4 quarters of teaching experience by the end of their third year. Teaching experience includes teaching assistantships and teaching a Sources and Methods course on their own.
• Candidacy : Students apply for candidacy to the PhD program by the end of their second year in the program.
• Orals:  The University Orals Examination is typically taken at the beginning of the 3rd year in the program.
• Languages: Language requirements vary depending on the field of study.
• Residency Requirement : The University requi res  135 units of full-tuition residency  for PhD students. After that, students should have completed all course work and must request Terminal Graduate Registration (TGR) status. 

Browse the Ph.D. Handbook to learn more .

The History Department offers 5 years of financial support to PhD students.  No funding is offered for the co-terminal and terminal M.A. programs. A sample Ph.D. funding package is as follows:  

• 1st year: 3 quarters fellowship stipend and 1 summer stipend 
• 2nd year: 2 quarters TAships, 1 quarter RAship (pre-doc affiliate), and 1 summer stipend 
• 3rd year: 2 quarters TAships, 1 quarter RAship (pre-doc affiliate), and 1 summer stipend 
• 4th year: 3 quarters of RAships (pre-doc affiliate) and 1 summer stipend 
• 5th year: 3 quarters of RAships (pre-doc affiliate) and 1 summer stipend

Knight-Hennessy Scholars

Join dozens of  Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences students  who gain valuable leadership skills in a multidisciplinary, multicultural community as  Knight-Hennessy Scholars  (KHS). KHS admits up to 100 select applicants each year from across Stanford’s seven graduate schools, and delivers engaging experiences that prepare them to be visionary, courageous, and collaborative leaders ready to address complex global challenges. As a scholar, you join a distinguished cohort, participate in up to three years of leadership programming, and receive full funding for up to three years of your studies at Stanford. candidates of any country may apply. KHS applicants must have earned their first undergraduate degree within the last seven years, and must apply to both a Stanford graduate program and to KHS. Stanford PhD students may also apply to KHS during their first year of PhD enrollment. If you aspire to be a leader in your field, we invite you to apply. The KHS application deadline is October 11, 2023. Learn more about  KHS admission .

How to Apply

Admission to the History Graduate Programs are for Autumn quarter only.  Interested applicants can online at  https://gradadmissions.stanford.edu/apply/apply-now and submit the following documents: 

• Statement of Purpose (included in Application)
• 3 Letters of Recommendation
•  Transcripts are required from all prior college level schools attended for at least one year.  A scanned copy of the official transcript is submitted as part of the online application.  Please do not mail transcripts to the department.   We will ask only the admitted students to submit actual copies of official transcripts.
• 1 Writing Sample on a historic topic (10-25 pages; sent via  Stanford's online application system  only)
• The GRE exam is not required for the autumn 2024 admission cycle
• TOEFL for all international applicants (whose primary language is not English) sent via ETS. Our University code is 4704.
• TOEFL Exemptions and Waiver information
• Application Fee Waiver
• The department is not able to provide fee waivers. Please see the link above for the available fee waivers and how to submit a request. Requests are due 2 weeks before the application deadline.

The Department of History welcomes graduate applications from individuals with a broad range of life experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds who would contribute to our community of scholars. Review of applications is holistic and individualized, considering each applicant’s academic record and accomplishments, letters of recommendation, and admissions essays in order to understand how an applicant’s life experiences have shaped their past and potential contributions to their field.

The Department of History also recognizes that the Supreme Court issued a ruling in June 2023 about the consideration of certain types of demographic information as part of an admission review. All applications submitted during upcoming application cycles will be reviewed in conformance with that decision.

Application deadline for Autumn 2024-25 is Tuesday, December 5, 2023 at 11:59pm EST . This is a hard -not a postmark- deadline. 

All application material is available online. No information is sent via snail mail. Interested applicants are invited to view a Guide to Graduate Admissions at  https://gradadmissions.stanford.edu/ . 

Questions? 

Please contact  Arthur Palmon  (Assistant Director of Student Services).

Department Bookshelf

Browse the most recent publications from our faculty members.

A World Made by Travel: The Digital Grand Tour

The Chinese Computer: A Global History of the Information Age

In the Shadow of Liberty: The Invisible History of Immigrant Detention in the United States

Uncertain Past Time: Empire, Republic, and Politics | Belirsiz Geçmiş Zaman: İmparatorluk, Cumhuriyet Ve Siyaset

Embodied Knowledge: Women and Science before Silicon Valley

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The Graduate Program

Columbia has been one of the most important centers of graduate education in history since modern Ph.D. programs began in America over a century ago. Recipients of our degrees hold distinguished positions in virtually every major university in the United States, and in many abroad. Our program offers a broad education in most areas of historical scholarship and attempts to train students for a discipline and a profession in the midst of considerable change. That includes not simply assisting students in acquiring the knowledge and skills essential to becoming contributing scholars, but also helping them to become effective teachers and to exist comfortably within a demanding and complicated professional world.

The members of our faculty represent many different approaches to the study of the past, and we strive to attract students of similarly diverse interests and commitments. No one should feel that being at Columbia requires accepting any one approach to the study of history.

This part of our website is designed to provide both prospective and current students with answers to some of the many questions they may have about the department.

Admissions answers commonly-asked questions about our admissions process.

Under Ph.D. Fields you will find information about the separate fields of study available in our program and the relationship among them.

Fellowships and Financial Aid explains the various ways we provide our students with fellowships and financial aid.

Dissertations-in-Progress summarizes the course of study towards the Ph.D and highlights the work of our students.

Research awards and recent honors are showcased in Award Announcements .

The section entitled Placement sketches how we prepare our students for the academic job market and reports on how our students have done in that market in recent years.

In the Graduate Handbook , we explain our curriculum and our academic requirements and provide more detailed information about aspects of the program such as the MA, Orals, M.Phil., Dissertations, etc.

Our FAQs are useful for students seeking admission as well as for current students seeking quick information.

The Annual Newsletter keeps us informed about our students.

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Graduate Program

Graduate program overview  .

The goal of the doctoral program is to train students to become both skilled scholars and conscientious teachers. Throughout the program students work with advisors and other faculty members as they engage in coursework , prepare for and take the  general exam , work as teaching fellows , and research and write the dissertation . On average it takes seven years to receive the doctoral degree*. Most graduates have pursued academic careers at universities and colleges in the United States and abroad, while others have gone on to successful careers in law and in government.

As a large research university, Harvard offers many resources and opportunities for its students in the form of lectures , conferences , research centers , fellowships, and grants . Students have access to the more than 80  libraries and 15 million volumes that comprise the Harvard University Library, the largest university library in the world.

Additionally, students may take courses offered by other departments in the Faculty of Arts & Sciences, or at other Harvard schools , such as Harvard Divinity School , Harvard Law School , Harvard Graduate School of Education , and Harvard Kennedy School .

In coordination with Harvard Law School, students may pursue both a PhD in history and a JD at the Law School . To learn more about this course of study consult the Coordinated JD/PhD program overview.

* The History Department does not offer a terminal master's program.

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Ph.D. Degree

Doctor of philosophy in history.

The period of time between a student's admission, or promotion, to the doctoral program, and advancement to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree in the General Examination is one devoted largely to study in the student's four fields. In addition to preparing the student for the General Examination, this work has two purposes: (1) to broaden the student's historical knowledge in preparation for a teaching career, and (2) to deepen the student's historical knowledge within an area of specialty in preparation for researching and writing the Ph.D. dissertation.

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Department of History

Ph.d. program.

Hallmarks of the Brown History doctoral program include an intimate setting, close collaboration with faculty, Brown's unique undergraduate population and open curriculum, world-class scholars working in every region of the globe, and the department's commitment to professionalization and teaching.

The program centers on both cutting-edge training and preparation for jobs in a variety of institutions, including research universities, teaching colleges, and sites of research, teaching, writing, and public engagement outside academia.

Fields of Study

The History department trains Ph.D. students in a wide range of fields, methodologies, and areas of the globe. The program fosters an intellectual community in which collaboration, intellectual breadth, and conversations across fields are prized. Additionally, Ph.D. students take a sequence of professionalization courses that prepare them for the rigors of teaching, research, conference presentations, and professional writing.

Explore Fields of Study

Program Outline

Each year, Brown enrolls 10-12 Ph.D. students, who function as a cohort during the first three years of the program. In the fourth year, students work in archival collections and in the field, wherever their research takes them. In the fifth year and beyond, based on that research, each student produces an original dissertation. Completion of the program typically takes 5-7 years, depending on the field, language requirements, and location of materials.

Learn More About the Ph.D Program

Department of History Graduate Handbook

For a detailed outline of the Ph.D. program, including a year-by-year description, courses offered, and funding, please consult the graduate handbook.

Teaching Requirement

Candidates for the Ph.D. must normally demonstrate satisfactory performance as a Teaching Assistant in undergraduate courses at Brown, or in teaching at another institution approved by the Department. Currently, doctoral students most commonly teach in years 2, 3, and 5. Students who receive standard funding for year 6 typically TA for one semester and are on fellowship in the second.

Students preparing for the examinations will normally be given preference in the assignments for teaching assistants and proctors. Work loads for such positions will conform to standards set by the Graduate School: "limited enough in scope [requiring no more than 20 hours per week] so that normal progress can be made in the student's educational program."

Graduate Student Spotlight: Laura Perille '15

Laura Perille is an advanced doctoral candidate in Early Modern British history and one of four Brown Doctoral Candidates selected as Brown/Wheaton Faculty fellows.

Opportunities

Brown executive scholars training program, deans’ faculty fellows program, teaching fellowships for advanced students, doctoral certificates, open graduate education.

The PhD program in History is one of the leading programs in the country that specifically emphasizes World History as a primary field. The department’s 19 full-time faculty members offer courses spanning the globe: from Asia to Africa to Latin America to Europe to the United States. Interdisciplinary and multidimensional, the program has particular strengths in legal, economic, gender, social, and education history.

In The News

Reflections on Pearl Harbor

ACIS Larkin Fellowship

The Storyteller

Its innovative curriculum and the faculty’s state-of-the-art research in Digital Humanities further distinguish Northeastern nationally. With rigorous training in historiography and methodology, Northeastern PhDs have consistently won prestigious awards and hold tenure-track positions at research institutions and liberal arts colleges nationally.

Emphasizing global approaches to historical study, the PhD program encourages students to think beyond national boundaries, comparatively, and in terms of themes that span geographically dispersed areas of the world-trade, migration, disease, religion, state formation, colonialism, and post-colonialism. Studies also include long-term historical processes, major global transformations, and interactions between states and colonial societies.

Candidates for the PhD in history may examine African, Asian, European, Latin American, or U.S. history in a world historical context. The program emphasizes mentoring of students in their courses, supervised teaching, and in the doctoral dissertation. Systematic training in theory and methodology and preparation for college teaching are distinctive features of the Northeastern program. All doctoral students undertake intensive reading in the theoretical literature that informs historical analysis, as well as in global historiography. Each student develops a deliberate methodological focus in an area such as cultural history, social history, environmental and biological history, or public history. Students are mentored in the practice of teaching and are encouraged to lecture and lead discussion sections under the supervision of faculty.

The Department of History maintains close ties with interdisciplinary programs such as Asian Studies; Latino, Latin American, and Caribbean Studies; Law and Public Policy; Women Gender and Sexuality Studies; and with the Departments of African American Studies; Art and Architecture; English; Sociology and Anthropology; and Political Science. Graduate students may obtain a certificate in Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies. All doctoral candidates must develop and demonstrate a strong reading knowledge of the languages in which they will undertake research. In cases where students require training in languages not offered at Northeastern, the department helps them arrange to take courses at nearby institutions. The doctoral dissertation presents an original interpretation of a topic of historical significance based on detailed research into primary sources, a survey of the relevant literature, and skilled application of the theoretical and methodological apparatus germane to the topic.

Learn more about the PhD program in History program from the College of Social Sciences and Humanities .

• One of few PhD programs in the country that specifically emphasizes world history as a primary field of study
• Geographical specialization and foreign language study are required
• All PhD candidates participate in formal college teaching preparation
• Students may enter the program from a Bachelor’s or Master’s level
• Students in the Ph.D program generally receive funding for five years

Graduates of Northeastern’s PhD program have gone on to work in a range of academic programs and fields around the country and the world. Graduates who have earned a PhD are currently teaching and conducting research at various institutions, including Oberlin College, Butler University, Delaware State University, the National University of Singapore, the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, and the American University in Cairo, to name a few.  The diversity of these positions, as well as their prestige, speaks to the quality of graduate education at Northeastern University.

Our graduates pursue careers within academia and beyond, including:

• University of California, Berkeley; Center for Middle Eastern Studies
• Boston College
• Macalester College
• University of Pittsburgh
• Bates College
• George Mason University
• Merrimack College
• The American University in Cairo

Application Materials

Application.

• Application fee – US $100
• Personal statement
• Unofficial transcripts from all institutions attended
• English proficiency for international applicants
• Three letters of recommendation
• Scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) – Optional
• Writing sample

Admissions deadline: December 1

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Study History Where It Is Made

AU’s PhD in History will prepare you for a career as an educator, researcher, analyst, and writer working in academia, public and institutional history, and other fields requiring investigative and analytical skills. In this program, you will develop a deeper understanding of how historians investigate and interpret the past while you explore the past with your own original research .

You will receive a high level of mentorship and develop close working relationships with your professors. Under the guidance of our award-winning faculty , our students complete strong dissertations and present work at top conferences while making valuable connections and gaining experience in the Washington, DC, area.

This program is ideal for students interested in American and modern European history, including Russian history. Our department also has strengths in a variety of subfields , including public history, African American history, women’s/gender history, politics and foreign relations, and Jewish history. This diversity will open your options for research and allow for specialization without sacrificing breadth of study.

Rigorous Study with a Degree of Flexibility

Our program combines rigorous training in scholarship with the flexibility to pursue your intellectual interests. Our coursework will give you a solid foundation in historical theory and methodology, research methods, and United States or modern European history. Together with your academic advisor, you will design a program of study to match your academic goals . You will acquire and demonstrate mastery of tools of research , such as foreign languages, quantitative research methods, oral history, new media, and other methodologies. Your doctoral examinations will be tailored to fit your individual fields of study. You will then pursue your own research in writing your doctoral dissertation.

The Department will supervise PhD dissertations in the history of Modern Europe (normally for the period 1789 to the present), United States history (including the colonial period), US foreign relations, and modern Jewish history.

See all admissions and course requirements .

Cutting-Edge Faculty Dedicated to Your Success

Our history faculty makes national news, uncovers under-represented areas of history, and guides doctoral students , helping them generate innovative and influential research . From predicting presidential elections to publishing award-winning books and articles, our distinguished professors produce relevant historical scholarship and will train you do the same. With academic and professional mentorship from our faculty, you will you will enter the field as a thoroughly prepared and well-connected scholar.

Endless Opportunities in a Historic City

Pursuing your doctorate in the nation’s capital provides you with unparalleled access to renowned museums, archives, institutions, and resources . From the Library of Congress, Smithsonian Institution and National Archives to the DC Historical Society, our students are only a metro ride away from exceptional local and national repositories. As part of the Washington Consortium , students at American University are able to take courses at colleges and universities throughout the DC metropolitan area, providing the opportunity to work with a variety of faculty in diverse programs and fields of study.

A truly global city, DC, contains hundreds of embassies, cultural organizations, and enclave communities. Brimming with history , the DC area offers Civil War battlefields, the Capitol, Mount Vernon, the White House, and countless landmarks of the colonial period, Revolutionary War, Civil War, and more recent American history. The city is also home to smaller historical organizations like the DC Historical Society and the DC Preservation League. Whether your interest is global, national, or local, this historic city undoubtedly has something for you.

Explore the Possibilities

Our students go on to become university and college faculty and administrators or work in federal and state governments, for museums and archives, and in other exciting fields. Our alumni teach at universities around the world , from the University of Houston in Texas to University of Prince Edward Island in Canada and Ludwig Maximilians Universität in Munich. Our PhDs hold positions with the nation’s most important institutions , including the Library of Congress, Department of State, National Archives and Records Administration, American Historical Association, National Endowment for the Humanities, US Holocaust Memorial Museum, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Recent and Current PhD Dissertation topics

• Auketayeva, Laura : "Gender and Jewish Evacuees in the Soviet Union during the Holocaust" 
• Barry, Michael : "Islamophobic & Anti-Islamophobic Ideas in America"
• Brenner, Rebecca : "When Mail Arrived on Sundays, 1810-1912" 
• Boose, Donelle : "Black Power and the Organizing Tradition: Work-ing Women of Washington, DC. 1965-1990"
• Chatfield, Andrew : "American Support for India’s Self-Determination from 1915-1920: Progressives, Radicals, and Anti-Imperialists"
• Duval, Lauren : "Landscapes of Allegiance: Space, Gender, and Mili-tary Occupation in the American Revolution"
• Englekirk, Ryan : "The Third Team: Unmasking Fraternity and Mascu-linity Among Major League Baseball Umpires 1970-2010" 
• Estess, Jonah : "The People’s Money: The American Revolution, Cur-rency, and the Making of Political Economic Culture in American Life, 1775-1896" 
• Frome, Gavin : "American Protestant Service Workers in Viet Nam, 1954-1975"
• Gabor, Ruth : "'Moda' for the Masses: Moscow Fashion’s Appeal at Home and Abroad during the Cold War"
• Gibson, Laura : "It’s Love that Counts: The History of Non-Nuclear Families in American Domestic Sitcoms"
• Grant, Jordan : "Catchers and Kidnappers: Slave Hunting in Early America" 
• Grek, Ivan : "Illiberal Civil Society in Russia, 1992-2000"
• Harris, Curtis : "Hardwood Revolution: The NBA's Growth & Player Revolt, 1950-1976" 
• Hawks, Julie : "Capital Investments: Engineering American Cold War Culture" 
• Jobe, Mary "Allison" : "'We Remember Him for His Character': The Life of James W. Ford and the Communist Party USA" 
• Kaplan, Anna : "Left by the Wayside: Memories and Postmemories of the Integration of the University of Mississippi"
• Killian, Linda : "Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Paine: The Shared Political Ideology at the Heart of American Democracy" 
• Kitterman, Katherine : "'No Ordinary Feelings': Mormon Women’s Political Activism, 1870-1896" 
• Langford, Amy : "Creating a Body Politic: Boundary Crossings and the (Re) Making of Latter-Day Saints on the U.S. Border, 1885-1920"
• Levin, Jeffrey : "Felix Warburg and the Establishment of the Hebrew University" 
• MacNeill, Lindsay : "Policing Politics in Austria, 1918-1955"
• Milwicki, Alon : "Baptizing Nazism: An Analysis of the Religious Roots of American Neo-Nazism"
• Rafferty-Osaki, Terumi : "'Strictly Masculine': Reforming and Per-forming Manhood at Tule Lake, 1942-1946" 
• Recordati, Maurizio : "Russia Turns Inward: Russian Grand Strategy in the Post-Crimean War Period (1856-78)"
• Sowry, Nathan : "Museums, Native American Representation, & the Public: The Role of Museum Anthropology in Public History, 1873-1929"
• Styrna, Pawel : "Polish-Russian Relations, 1904-1921"
• Vehstedt, Scott : "'Lets Help Finland': The Return of American Relief Aid in the Winter War, 1939-1940"
• Weixelbaum, Jason : "At the Crossroads of Fascism: The Decision of Ford, General Motors, and IBM to do Business with Nazi Germany"

Alumni Job Placements

Graduates of the history PhD program are working as professors, researchers, and directors across the US and at international locations. Here is a list of where select graduates have or are currently working:

• Director, National Coalition for History
• Assistant Professor, University of Prince Edward Island
• Assistant Professor, Towson University
• Assistant Professor of History and Director of American Studies, West Chester University
• Independent historian
• Senior Archivist, National Archives
• Associate Professor, Ryerson University
• Assistant Professor, University of Arkansas at Little Rock
• Historian, US Army
• Senior policy adviser and special assistant to the president of the Humane Society
• Historian, Office of the Historian, Department of State
• Museum Director, Renton History Museum, Oregon
• Public History Coordinator, American Historical Association
• Assistant Professor, Bridgewater State University
• Lecturer in Sociology, California State University at Bakersfield
• Assistant Professor, Delaware State University
• Historian, Global Classroom, US Holocaust Museum
• Director, Digital Archive, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library
• Assistant Professor, Illinois State University
• Adjunct Professor, University of Maryland at College Park
• Senior Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
• Assistant Professor, University of West Florida
• Independent historian and filmmaker
• Adjunct Assistant Professor of History, US Naval Academy
• Administrative Support Specialist at FEMA
• Senior editor and writer, National Endowment for the Humanities
• Instructor, Religion Dept., National Cathedral School (earned Master of Divinity after PhD)
• Curriculum and Publications Coordinator, AU Registrar's Office
• Assistant Professor, Seminole State College

News & Notes

PhD candidate Reza Akbari presented at the Middle East Studies Association's annual conference in Montreal, Canada. His presentation,  Etched in Mistrust: Continuity and Change in US-Iran Nuclear Negotiations (1969-1978),  argued that America's drive to keep Iran's nuclear program peaceful began decades before the establishment of the Islamic Republic.

PhD candidate  Andrew Sperling  published " A Halloween Party in Boston Turned Ugly when a Gang Hurled Antisemetic Slurs and Attacked Jewish Teenagers ," detailing the events of an antisemetic attack on Jewish teens at a Halloween party in 1950. 

Theresa Runstedtler 's new book on Black ballplayers of the 1970s and '80s setting the NBA up for success: Black Ball: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Spencer Haywoof, and the Generation that Saved the Soul of the NBA (2023) .

Doctoral student Maurizio Recordati Koen won first prize in the 2022 Trench Gascoigne Essay Competition for "The Stuff of Strategy: How Sublime Strategics Turned into a Real Thing" in RUSI Journal.

John Schmitz (CAS/PhD '07) published Enemies among Us: The Relocation, Internment, and Repatriation of German, Italian, and Japanese Americans during the Second World War .

Doctoral student Jonah Estess presented his paper, "Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems: The American Revolution and the National Origins of the Politicization of Money" as part of the panel at this year's Business History Conference.

Andrew Demshuk published Three Cities after Hitler: Redemptive Reconstruction across Cold War Borders .

PhD candidate Katherine Kitterman wrote on women's voting rights in Utah for the Washington Post.

Inaugural Postdoctoral Fellow

Nguyet Nguyen brings new perspective to the Vietnam War.

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History, PhD

The Graduate Program in History at the University of Pennsylvania has a long tradition of distinction. Beginning as one of the first programs in the United States to offer doctoral study in history, (the first Ph.D. in History was conferred in 1891); the Department continues to pioneer new areas of scholarship. In the last twenty years, faculty members of the departments in American, European, and World History have assumed a leading role in their fields. Today, few departments in the country match Penn's Department of History in coverage and depth across the entire range of history from medieval times to the present.

For more information: http://www.history.upenn.edu/graduate/program-guidelines

View the University’s Academic Rules for PhD Programs .

Sample Plan of Study

The total course units required for graduation is 14.

Program Milestones

• Language and Technical Competency Requirement
• Field Requirements
• Teaching Requirement

The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2024 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.

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Department of History

Program Guidelines

The Guidelines for the graduate program in History are intended to be a reference for all policies and procedures relevant to the Ph.D. programs in History and History of Science. All students are also responsible for adhering to university policies as described in Rights, Rules, Responsibilities  and all Graduate School Policies .

Table of Contents

The program of graduate study, pre-generals: the first and second years.

• The General Exam

Post-Generals: The Third, Fourth, and Fifth Years

Financial support, departmental funding opportunities, job placement.

The History Ph.D. program at Princeton University provides students with a common grounding in the advanced study of history; at the same time it affords each student an opportunity to work out a program of study suited to their own interests.

The normal duration of the program, and the maximum period of regular enrollment, is five years. During the first two years, the student participates in courses, writes two research papers, completes language requirements, defines a major and two minor fields of study, takes the general examination, and defines a dissertation topic. In the third, fourth, and fifth years, the student researches and writes the dissertation. Either the pre- or the post-generals phases of the program may be shortened, however, depending on the student's previous preparation and the requirements of the dissertation. It is understood that not all students will finish their dissertations by the end of the fifth year. Although formal enrollment ceases at that time, sixth year students are eligible for DCE (Degree Completion Enrollment) status. (Please note: the maximum of five years of graduate enrollment includes time spent in absentia on outside fellowships).

The Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) serves as the Department's general adviser on academic questions. The DGS maintains the liaison between students and faculty as well as between the students and the Graduate School Office in Clio Hall. The Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) is responsible for approving programs of study and choices of fields and for interpreting Departmental and University regulations. The DGS has the authority to make exceptions to the various procedures that will be described in this booklet, and is, therefore, the first person with whom a graduate student should consult to explore any special arrangements.

The Financial Officer is the professor in charge of financial aid and placement, and they handle questions pertaining to departmental research, language study, and conference funding, and assists students in finding suitable positions upon their completion of graduate study.

By the fall term of the second year, each student selects a prospective area for a dissertation and requests an appropriate faculty member as their dissertation supervisor. The student thereafter consults with this faculty member about choice of courses, seminars, and fields of study and, above all, about preparations for defining a dissertation topic. If this faculty member is absent on leave, the student may need to ask another member of the faculty to oversee their work temporarily.

First-year students are expected to enroll in three courses each semester (including HIS 500 in the fall). First-year students are normally not permitted to enroll in courses off-campus through the IUDC or Ivy+ consortium agreements. Permission to participate in any Exchange or Consortium program is at the discretion of the Director of Graduate Studies and the Graduate School Office of Academic Affairs.

Second-year students ordinarily enroll in two courses the first semester and one course the second semester. Alternatively, second-year students may enroll in three courses in the first semester and devote the second semester entirely to preparing for the general examination. Second-year students are permitted to take a maximum of two courses off-campus through Exchange or Consortium agreements.

Successful completion of nine graded graduate seminars is required before a student may take the general examination.  Courses include: graduate seminars offered by the History Department; graduate seminars in other departments; student-initiated Reading Courses; and graduate seminars offered at other institutions as approved by the Graduate School. Although much of each student's program will be aimed at preparing for the general examination, students are strongly advised to take some courses in the first two years that do not fall within their general examination fields. For most students, the first two years of graduate school will provide the last opportunity to receive systematic instruction in subjects outside their specialized interests.

History 500 - Introduction to the Professional Study of History

This seminar serves as an introduction to some of the main traditions of historical inquiry and to some of the major problems confronting contemporary historians in all fields. First-year graduate students are required to enroll.

Research Seminars

The principal task of a student in such a seminar is the writing of a research paper based on primary materials. The instructor assists by providing guidance on research methods and the appropriate bibliographic tools. The selection of the paper topic requires special care to ensure that the paper can be completed in the semester in which it is assigned. The student should not attempt to produce a publishable paper in a research seminar; on the other hand, some research papers do prove publishable after further research and revision.

Research seminars are generally specialized in their subject, and therefore require a working knowledge of the field. When the materials are not in English, it is assumed that the student can use the appropriate language in research.

Reading Seminars

These courses introduce a student to the major historical problems of a relatively broad field — the principal literature, the major interpretations, the relevant bibliographies, and the crucial issues that historians are currently examining. Reading courses require written work in some form — for example, a series of short reports, a bibliographic essay examining the available literature on a topic, interpretive essays, or critical reviews of major books. With the approval of the instructor, however, a student may produce a research paper that evolves out of the work of the course.

Reading and Research Seminars

These seminars combine features of the reading and research seminars. They begin with several weeks of general background reading before proceeding to the preparation of a substantial research paper. In many cases, faculty offer writing options — for example, a bibliographic essay — for the student who wishes to take such seminars without writing a long research paper.

Student-Initiated Reading Courses

When students wish to develop some field or topic which cannot be covered in the formal program of reading and research seminars, they may request permission to take a specially arranged graduate reading course with a particular member of the faculty who, in turn, is prepared to offer such a course. Such courses may assume a wide variety of forms: they may be research or reading oriented, and they may involve from three up to a half dozen or more students. Several rules must be followed:

• There will be at least twelve regularly scheduled meetings throughout the semester.
• A grade and written evaluation of each student will be submitted by the faculty member supervising the course.
• Every effort should be made to initiate these courses before the term in which they are to be given. See the Graduate Program Administrator for assistance with completing the required paperwork. The Proposed Reading Course form is available via the graduate History website under Archimedes .

Student-Initiated Reading Courses must be graded (A-F) and taken for credit. There should be a writing component, which can take one of several forms: regular end-of-term research paper, ongoing response papers, annotated bibliographies, or short essays throughout the term. Students are not allowed to audit this type of course.

Anyone who wishes to explore the possibility of such a course should first find out whether any other students share a similar interest in a topic and should then determine the overall size of the group that might wish to take part; at the earliest possible moment, the student should also discuss the matter with the member of the faculty who is to be asked to supervise the course. But students should also understand that a particular professor may not be able to sponsor such a course — either because of previous commitments or because it does not fall within their interests.

Supervised General Reading

Students who wish to work out arrangements with particular faculty members involving individual tutorial work or "supervised general reading" may do so if other alternatives are not available, but only with the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies. Circumstances that justify such arrangements include not being able to work out one of the specially arranged reading courses described above, or the need to pursue a certain topic in preparation for the general examination. The faculty member concerned will advise the student on matters of bibliography and will meet informally with the student during the semester. Some written work will normally be required. This option is not available to students in their first term. Supervised general reading does not count as one of the nine required graded graduate seminars.

Other Course Options

Undergraduate lecture courses.

Graduate students may enroll in undergraduate lecture courses in history or in other fields as part of their regular program of study. In such cases, students will be expected to pursue a program of additional readings to supplement the undergraduate materials. This may be done on an individual basis or, if several students are interested, through a graduate precept. The consent of the instructor and the Director of Graduate Studies must be obtained and the required paperwork must be completed (i.e. the same “Proposed Reading Course” form used for student-initiated reading courses). See the Graduate Program Administrator for assistance.

Enrollment in an undergraduate course may be advisable in the following situations: to prepare for a research seminar in an advanced field where the student may have insufficient general preparation, or to review a field prior to taking the general examination.

Graduate Courses in Other Departments

Students are encouraged to elect a course in another department as part of their regular program, provided that it is pertinent to their fields of specialization. It is usually necessary for the student to secure the permission of the instructor and the approval of the graduate representative in the other department.

Students ought to be aware that courses in ancient history are offered by the Department of Classics. Courses in Near Eastern and East Asian History are offered by the departments of Near Eastern Studies and East Asian Studies.

Graduate Courses at Other Institutions

The Graduate School has made arrangements with a number of other institutions to allow for cross-registration. Students who wish to take a course at another institution through one of these programs must fill out the appropriate paperwork and adhere to the relevant deadlines. Students must obtain the permission of the DGS to enroll in a course outside of Princeton and the course must be taken for a grade.

Research Papers

Since training in research is one of the most significant elements of graduate education, the Department expects each student to write at least two research papers during the two years they are involved in course work. Students ought to keep in mind the possibility of using their research papers to investigate areas for dissertation topics. It is highly desirable to do some early research in the language(s) of the prospective dissertation. Each of the two research papers must be certified as an acceptable research paper by the respective instructor. Collaborative work is not acceptable towards certification of a research paper.

One of the two research papers must be written in the course of the first year. Students may write the paper in the context of a research seminar or in consultation with faculty independent of a formal course, and they may do so in either semester. If the paper is written in the context of a research seminar, a draft must be submitted to the instructor by the course deadline (Dean’s Date) for a grade. Revisions will likely be required to raise the paper to the standard for certification. If the paper is written for a course in another department it may qualify as a certified research paper provided that 1) it is a piece of historical research and 2) the certification form is signed by a faculty member of the History Department.

The research paper should be completed within the semester in which it is initiated. In all cases an acceptable paper must be submitted to the instructor and certified by June 15 of the first year, at the latest, or the student will not be reenrolled for the second year. The second research paper must be submitted to the instructor and certified as acceptable by April 1 of the second year before the student can take the general examination.

Students who hold an M.A. degree upon entering the program may request that the M.A. thesis or a research paper completed in pursuance of the M.A. be accepted as one of the two required research papers. To qualify, such a paper must be accepted by an appropriate faculty member in the department, subject to the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies. The faculty member may require that the paper be rewritten to meet their standards.

Definition of the Research Paper

Since students are asked to write different kinds of papers — which are variously described as bibliographic essays, brief reports, book reviews, and so forth — it might be helpful to point out that the research paper is a distinct enterprise only in its emphasis on original work and the use of primary sources. The research papers demonstrate a student's capacity for the kind of work that will be essential to the dissertation. But that task can be accomplished in no more space than is needed for some bibliographic essays. Although the nature of the evidence, the approach, and the subject determine length, it should be emphasized that the research paper, as a genre, most closely resembles the journal article. Most scholarly journals have a limit of approximately twenty-five pages for submissions.

Language Requirement

The minimum requirement of the Department is a reading knowledge of either French or German (or Spanish in the case of American History). Within each field of study, the faculty decides which additional languages are required and the necessary degree of proficiency. In rare cases when the student, the student's adviser, and the Director of Graduate Studies all agree that the substitution of another language is reasonable, appropriate, and academically sound, some other language may be used in place of French or German. The following field requirements apply:

American History

Proficiency in Spanish, French, or German. A high level of proficiency is required.

British History

Proficiency in either French or German. A high level of proficiency is required.

East Asian History

Proficiency in one East Asian language and one European language.

European History

Proficiency in two languages other than English, one of which is either French or German. Students in medieval history are normally expected to be proficient in Latin, French, and German. Students in Byzantine history should be proficient in ancient/medieval Greek, French and German, and preferably Latin or one other ancient language.

Latin American History

Proficiency in two of the following: Spanish, Portuguese, French, or an indigenous language subject to faculty approval.

Middle Eastern History

Proficiency in one Middle Eastern language and one European language.

Russian History

Proficiency in Russian and either French or German.

South Asian History

Proficiency in one South Asian language and one European language.

The faculty of the History Department set most of the language examinations. Examinations in some languages, however, may be administered by appropriate language departments at Princeton or another institution when an examiner is not available within the History Department. For most languages, the examination consists of two passages to be translated, one with and one without a dictionary. For some languages, including Russian, Arabic, and East Asian languages, the examination consists of only one passage to be translated with a dictionary. While online language dictionaries may be used for the dictionary section of the exam, online translation services are strictly prohibited.

Successful completion of a language training program does not exempt students from taking the departmental language examination. Only native speakers of a language other than English may appeal to the Director of Graduate Studies for an exemption from taking the departmental language examination. Language examinations that have been passed will be recorded on the student’s academic transcript.

Language examinations will be announced at the beginning of each semester. Entering students should arrange one language examination early in their first term. The Department expects students to pass at least one language examination before enrolling for the second year. No student may complete the general examination or enroll for a fifth term without passing all language requirements. In fields that demand more than two languages, all but one of them must be passed prior to enrolling for a third term. Second-year students who fail the language exam at the regularly scheduled time may petition the Director of Graduate Studies and receive a second chance to take the exam in the same term, in order to fulfill the language obligation at a time which interferes less with general examination preparation.

Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR)

Students will fulfill the mandatory Responsible Conduct of Research (HIS 503) seminar over the course of their first year.

Due Dates and Deadlines

All coursework for the fall term must be submitted to professors by fall Dean’s Date. If the fall term course work is not submitted, the student’s reenrollment is deferred. Second-year students with incomplete work from the fall term may not take the general examination in May of the second year.

All coursework for the spring term must be submitted to professors by spring Dean’s Date. The only exception applies to second-year students taking the general examination in May. For these second-year students, an extension of three weeks is granted for the submission of spring term coursework.

Students are expected to complete coursework in the semester in which it is assigned. In rare cases, an extension on the deadline for coursework can be granted at the discretion of the course instructor to accommodate extenuating circumstances due to a student’s personal or academic situation. If an extension is granted, a firm extended deadline must be agreed upon by the faculty member and the student and the new deadline must be communicated to the Graduate History Office.

A grade of “Incomplete” (INC) is given only in exceptional circumstances when there are compelling reasons, discussed in advance between the faculty member and the student, either for the student’s not turning in the work by the end of the academic term or for the faculty member’s not grading the work by the end of the academic term.

If a student has not turned in the final paper or work for a course within one year after the beginning of the course, the grade in that course will be recorded as a permanent “F” on the academic transcript. Students with Incompletes (INCs) on their records are ineligible for departmental research or language funding awards.

The General Examination

General information.

Students are expected to pass a written and oral examination in each of three fields before the end of their fourth semester of graduate study. The examinations in the three fields constitute the general examination. The general examination tests the student's acquaintance with the events and historiography of a given period or topic; the student's grasp of the issues involved in the study of these periods or topics; and the student's ability to follow, construct, and criticize historical interpretations of these issues.

Choosing Fields of Study

Each student chooses a major field corresponding to a broad segment of history that encompasses a variety of historical problems and that contains a body of literature rich enough to nurture the development of a professional historian. The major field should represent the area of history that a student will be primarily prepared to teach; it should be roughly equivalent to the period covered by an upper-level undergraduate survey course, as indicated in the following examples:

In American History, the major field should consist of the period covered by any two of the basic reading seminars, History 587, 588, 589, 590 or their chronological equivalent; for example, the United States from the Early Republic to World War I, or from Reconstruction to the present, from 1830 to 1945, and so on.

Students concentrating in Colonial and Revolutionary America, however, may confine their major field to a period of approximately two centuries, e.g., 1607-1815 or 1688-1865.

In other areas, the broader chronological and geographical sweep of the subjects makes a similar correlation between field definitions and existing courses impossible. In those areas, students should plan major fields either in the history of several countries for approximately a century, or in the history of a single country for a longer period. Examples of such major fields are: Europe since 1870; Europe in the 19th Century; Tudor-Stuart England; the Ancient Regime and the Revolution in France; Italy in the Renaissance, 1300-1550; France and England in the High Middle Ages; etc.

In all areas the precise focus and emphasis of the major field will be determined by prior consultation between the student and their examiners; in each case, the specific content of the student's previous program of study and their special interests within the field will help to determine the nature of the examination and the weight given to specific aspects of the field.

If a student wishes to offer a chronological minor field in American History, its scope should be equivalent to the period covered by one of the basic reading seminars listed above; for example, the United States from the Early Republic through the Civil War, or from 1815 to 1890, and so on. It is also possible to offer a thematic minor field in American history; for example, American social history, American legal history, the diplomatic history of the United States. Again, in other areas, it is more difficult to lay out prescriptive guidelines for minor fields. Possible minor fields in European history include the following: Renaissance and Reformation; 16th-century Europe; England, 1558-1760; Western Europe, 1815-1918; European cultural history, 1815-1914; Modern Britain.

In selecting minor fields, students are urged to consider the increasing importance of non-Western history and of studies outside the discipline of history. Not only is there much interesting work being done in these areas, but also many colleges and universities are looking increasingly for beginning teachers who can function effectively in fields outside of Western history. The Department encourages students to consider choosing a minor field in another discipline, for example, classics (especially ancient history), demography, economics, sociology, literature, the history of art, or areas in regional studies. A student who desires to offer a minor field in another department will need to consult appropriate faculty members and the graduate representative in that department in addition to the Director of Graduate Studies in order to secure approval for the proposed field.

Students may not take both minor fields in the history of the same country or region as their major field; that is, a student whose major field and one minor field are in the U.S., and/or pre-1776 North American history must choose the other minor field in an area unrelated to U.S. history; a student whose major field is the Old Regime in France and one minor field France from 1789 to 1848 must choose the other minor field in an area unrelated to French history; and so on. In some cases, a minor field in a markedly different time period may be substituted for a different country or area: e.g., a student taking a major field in Europe since 1870 and a minor field on France from the Treaty of Versailles to World War I might offer a second minor in some aspect of medieval French history. The Director of Graduate Studies must approve all such combinations of major and minor fields.

Students specify all their fields on a form provided for this purpose at the beginning of their second year of study; this proposal, and any subsequent alteration of it, must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies.

Preparing for the General Examination

Students prepare for general examination fields by taking courses and by further reading on their own. In all areas, students should normally plan to have at least two courses containing substantial general readings as a basis for a major field, and at least one for a minor. All students majoring in American history are required to take two of the basic reading courses (587 through 590). These two courses should match the chronology of the major field as closely as possible. In other areas, students should consult with the faculty teaching in their specific fields of interest in order to arrive at a combination of courses that will provide a solid substructure for their preparation. Although reading and "reading and research" courses will often be the most helpful for preparing fields, research seminars may also constitute extremely useful preparation. If for any reason the Department is unable to provide basic courses suitable for preparing students in an approved field, the Director of Graduate Studies will assist the student in finding satisfactory alternate means of field preparation. If necessary, the Director may grant exemptions from the normal course requirements or from the requirement that specially arranged reading courses contain a minimum number of students.

Taking the General Examination

To be eligible to complete the general examination, a student must have fulfilled the appropriate language requirements, have completed two certified research papers, and have completed all of the work in the courses in which they have enrolled in the first three semesters. No student with an ‘Incomplete’ from the first three semesters will be permitted to complete the general examination until the outstanding course work has been finished.

Students should take their examinations on all three fields at one time. If, due to extenuating circumstances, a student needs to divide the examination (by offering the major field at one sitting and the two minors at another), they must appeal to the Director of Graduate Studies for consideration. If, due to extenuating circumstances, a student wishes to delay all three field examinations to an exam period other than May of the second year, they must appeal to the Director of Graduate Studies for consideration of an alternative timeline.

Normally, the Graduate School does not allow examiners outside of Princeton University to be part of General Examination committees. No general examination committee may have fewer than three faculty examiners. An examiner may offer two fields for a student but at least one of those must be jointly offered with another examiner to ensure that there are at least three faculty members on the committee.  

The written portion of the exam is generally distributed to students at 9:00 am on the first Monday of spring reading period.  Students are to return their answers to the graduate office by 3:00 p.m. on the Friday of the same week. Late examinations will not be accepted. Written exams will be distributed to faculty Friday afternoon for review in advance of the oral examination. The word count for the entire exam may not exceed 4,000 words for each field (i.e., 12,000 words in total) regardless of the total number of questions to be answered.

All content for the written examination must be created within the exam week. No portion of the written answers should be copied from notes or practice exams, and students should not have anyone else review their work nor should students discuss their exams with other students until after all oral exams have concluded. Students are responsible for adhering to all University policies on academic integrity.

The oral portion of the exam is typically two hours long, with one full hour devoted to the major field and a half hour for each of the minor fields. Students may bring clean copies of their written essays and reading lists into the examination room, along with a blank notepad and pen or pencil. Students may request a brief pause between fields during the oral exam.

Results of the General Examination

Immediately following the oral exam, the student's overall performance will be evaluated and recorded as pass, fail, or pass with distinction. The student must pass each of the three field examinations; marginal performance in one field may be compensated for by a strong performance in another field. Failure in any one field cannot, however, be compensated for by work in another field, no matter how distinguished. Inadequacy on a written examination in a field can be compensated for by excellence in the oral examination, and vice versa.

The examining committee will record brief comments on the General Examination Report Form which is to be submitted to the Graduate History Office within 24 hours of the exam. The student will receive a copy of the form and the comments. Results will be reported to the Graduate School within ten days of the oral exam.

A student who completes all departmental requirements (coursework, language exams, and research papers, with no incompletes from the first year and first semester of the second year) but fails one or two of the general examination fields may take the exam a second time if they are otherwise making satisfactory academic progress and meet the criteria for reenrollment.

A student who fails one or two of the examination fields needs to retake only the field(s) in which they failed. If the student fails the general examination a second time, then Ph.D. candidacy is automatically terminated. The student must resolve any incompletes from the final semester’s coursework before the terminal M.A. degree may be awarded.

If a student fails all three general examination fields, the Director of Graduate Studies will consult with the examining committee to determine whether the student should be reenrolled and given the opportunity to retake the exam or should be awarded the terminal M.A. degree and have their enrollment terminated. If the student is reenrolled and given an opportunity to retake the exam but fails the general examination a second time, then Ph.D. candidacy is automatically terminated. In either case, student must have completed all departmental requirements (coursework, language exams, and research papers, any incompletes resolved) before the terminal M.A. degree may be awarded.

Any student who will retake the general examination should expect to retake the exam during the next exam period. Only in exceptional circumstances will the DGS approve for a student to delay the retaking of the examination to a later exam period. In no case may the student delay the retake of the examination for more than one year.

It is important to be aware that successful completion of the General Examination is a pre-requisite for progression to the PhD but that advancement is not automatic.  Advancement to candidacy for all students is decided by a vote of departmental faculty at a full faculty meeting, which is informed by a recommendation from the Director of Graduate Studies. This recommendation is based on a student’s General Examination performance and the faculty’s assessment of their entire academic record since beginning the graduate program in History. Refer to the Enrollment section of the Guidelines for detailed enrollment policies.

The Master’s Degree

The Master of Arts degree is normally an incidental degree on the way to full Ph.D. candidacy, but may also be awarded to students who for various reasons leave the Ph.D. program. Students who have satisfactorily passed required coursework (with all incompletes resolved), fulfilled language requirements in their field of study, and completed the two required research papers may be awarded an M.A. degree. Students must complete the required “Advanced Degree Application” via TigerHub upon learning the Department’s determination of their candidacy in order to receive the master’s degree.

Dissertation Prospectus

The beginning of the dissertation project is the dissertation prospectus. Students will normally participate in the department's mandatory Dissertation Prospectus Workshop in June of the second year.

To be eligible, students must have passed their general examinations and have done so no later than their fourth semester of enrollment, or have special permission from the Director of Graduate Studies to participate. Passing the prospectus seminar is a required part of degree work in the department. Students are expected to participate actively in the workshop and devote their time and effort to completing a fully shaped prospectus before the summer is over.

Prospectus Approval

After the Prospectus Seminar, students are required to have a meeting together with their adviser and first reader (or with their co-advisers) to discuss the prospectus. The purpose of this meeting is to provide an opportunity for the student to benefit from informal conversation with their key mentors regarding the intellectual and practical plans for the project.* The approval form should be signed by both the adviser and the first reader following this meeting. The signed form and approved prospectus must be filed with the Graduate Office before December 1 of the student’s third year (or six months after completion of an off-cycle general examination); continuation as an enrolled student will be contingent upon approval of the prospectus. 

*Ideally this meeting would take place in person but participants can join remotely when necessary —the key principle is that the student and both faculty engage in a joint conversation.

The Dissertation

While the dissertation is the principal business of the third, fourth and fifth years of graduate study, the student is well advised to begin thinking about a topic in their first year at Princeton. The summer between the first and second years can be used to good advantage for preliminary research, including exploration of archival resources in the United States and abroad. Such early investigations will help in the preparation of a prospectus and will be of special benefit to students who hope to compete for fellowships for research abroad in the third year (deadlines for these competitions will fall early in the first semester of the second year). Before the general examination students should have settled on a dissertation topic, chosen a dissertation supervisor, and should be moving forward toward their dissertation projects.

To facilitate definition of a dissertation topic, the department is prepared to support exploratory pre-dissertation research travel to archives between a student's first and second years.

The department has established the following guidelines for the dissertation:

• The dissertation should represent an original and significant contribution to knowledge.
• The dissertation should be based upon primary research.
• The dissertation should clearly demonstrate the capacity of the student to pursue independent historical research.
• The dissertation should be written in clear and coherent prose.
• Decisions concerning the scope of the dissertation and its length should be based primarily upon the nature of the problem and documentation. An acceptable dissertation may take various forms: it may be as short as 75 pages or as long as 300. Only in exceptional circumstances should it exceed 300 pages in length. The department assumes that most students will have completed their research and writing by the end of their fifth year of study; earlier completion is certainly feasible in many cases. The scope and length of the thesis should therefore be such that a finished project can be created in no more than three years of work.
• Whatever the scope of length of the dissertation, it should be capable of development for publication as an article or series of articles in a scholarly journal, or as a book.
• Students are reminded that conciseness is a literary virtue; quality does not increase with length.

It is obviously in the best interests of a student to select a dissertation topic which falls within the special competence of some member of the Princeton faculty. Otherwise, it is unlikely that either the student or the project will receive adequate care and attention. Occasions may arise, however, when a student is enthusiastically involved in a dissertation topic that is feasible but for which no member of our faculty can provide specialized guidance. In such cases, when the student, the Director of Graduate Studies, and the faculty member whose interest most closely approximates that of the student all agree that the topic is so promising that the disadvantages are offset, the Director of Graduate Studies may seek to establish an informal arrangement with a scholar at another institution to provide advice and guidance for the student's dissertation project. However, the department cannot provide compensation for outside scholars who agree to take care of such tasks, and in every case a Princeton faculty member must serve as the official supervisor.

Human Subjects Research and Oral History

All students who plan to interview people for their dissertation research are encouraged to complete the Human Research Training module provided by the university. Once completed, students will decide in conversation with their advisers whether or not they need to apply for IRB approval for their project.  If a student plans to quote their sources, then they are advised to obtain signed permission from informants.

Teaching Opportunities and Professional Development

The department recognizes that effective teaching is a partner to scholarship, and it tries to provide some kind of teaching experience for advanced graduate students who desire it. Prospective employers are attaching increasing importance to teaching experience, and the professional qualifications of a graduate student will be greatly enhanced if they have classroom experience.

Where possible, fifth-year students in residence, and some third- and fourth-year students, will receive appointments as Assistants in Instruction (AI's). An AI may teach in one course each term (approximately two to four classroom hours per week). The teaching assignment should not, therefore, unduly interfere with progress toward completion of the dissertation. AI's are paid according to the number of hours they teach each term. AI stipends and tuition rebates nominally exceed the standard level of the University Fellowship.

The AI normally conducts precepts (small discussion groups). The Department will hold regular meetings for students who are precepting to provide a general discussion about teaching. Most faculty members in charge of courses will also hold regular meetings with preceptors to discuss issues in their course.

The responsibility for AI appointments rests with the Chair of the Department. They will solicit applications from advanced graduate students who are interested in teaching in a given semester and will make staffing decisions in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies and the instructors of the undergraduate courses in question. Advanced graduate students are not guaranteed teaching appointments; decisions about AI's will depend on course enrollments, faculty teaching schedules, and faculty assessments of a graduate student's probable effectiveness in the classroom.

Procedure for Receiving the Ph.D. Degree

When the dissertation is nearing completion, the student must inform the Graduate History Office that they would like to prepare for the FPOE at least three months in advance of the anticipated defense date. The Graduate Assistant will advise the student on matters of committee formation, scheduling, and required paperwork.

The standard practice of the department is that there should be only one external reader. The department will award an honorarium to only one such reader/examiner and will reimburse only one external reader for the expenses (travel and accommodation) associated with their presence in Princeton for the Final Public Oral Examination. Approval of the dissertation committee, including the external reader, is at the discretion of the Director of Graduate Studies. All committee members are expected to submit a reader report by the deadline announced by the Graduate Assistant. While it is permissible for one committee member to participate remotely (normally the external reader), the dissertation adviser and first reader are expected to be present for the defense. Recording of the Final Public Oral Examination is prohibited.

Reenrollment and Advancement to Ph.D. Candidacy

Each graduate student must be formally reenrolled for each succeeding year of graduate study. In general, the entering student may assume that if they do satisfactory work in courses and seminars and sustains the general examination, they will be readmitted. Administratively, it is the student’s responsibility to complete the reenrollment application online through TigerHub each year in order to be reenrolled and to complete the annual Academic Year Sign-In by the deadline dictated by the Graduate School.

The reenrollment application for first-year students receives careful scrutiny. Three times per year, the Director of Graduate Studies circulates a memo to all departmental faculty soliciting feedback on each graduate student's performance. The Director of Graduate Studies reviews each student's performance, evaluates all grades and course comments, and recommends to the department for or against reenrollment. The final decision on reenrollment is not based on any rigid standard for grades, but on the Department's overall evaluation of a student's promise and work. A decision against the reenrollment of a first-year student will be taken only in exceptional cases.

When a student has completed the general examination, the Director of Graduate Studies conducts a similar evaluation of their record. After reviewing the reports on the general examinations of each student, and, where appropriate, conferring with the examiners and other faculty with whom the student has worked, the Director of Graduate Studies recommends to the department whether or not the student be reenrolled and either that they be permitted to continue for the Ph.D. or that a terminal master's degree is awarded. Passing the general examination does not guarantee that a student will be advanced to Ph.D. candidacy if the student’s full academic record does not demonstrate satisfactory competence for advancement.

In order for students to be made fully aware of their standing in the Department, the Director of Graduate Studies annually holds a candid discussion with each first and second-year student about their status. In particular, each student whose performance falls at or just above the minimum level required for continuation is made fully aware of the situation.

Students in the third year and beyond receive comments on their reenrollment application from their academic adviser. In all cases, satisfactory progress towards the dissertation must be demonstrated in order for a student’s reenrollment to be recommended to the Graduate School.

Enrollment Statuses

The Graduate School offers various enrollment status options for graduate students. Students should refer to the Graduate School’s policies for more information regarding each of these statuses.

Regular Enrollment

Students enrolled in years one through five who are on campus on a regular basis and utilizing Princeton’s facilities are in Regular enrollment status. Funding does not affect this enrollment status. A student who is supported on an external fellowship may still be in Regular status if they reside locally.

In Absentia

Those students whose thesis research or other studies require that they be absent from Princeton for an extended period of time may apply for reenrollment with “In Absentia” status. In absentia status is normally an option only for those students who have completed the general examination, but requests from pre-generals students may be considered in exceptional cases.

In absentia status is usually granted for only one year but may be approved for as long as two years.  Any requests to hold absentia status for longer than two years must be made to the Director of Graduate Studies. If a student is participating in the Exchange Scholar Program, they are not considered “In Absentia.”

All appropriate University benefits are continued while a student is in absentia. A year in absentia counts as one of the five years of graduate enrollment, whether or not the student is supported by a University fellowship. Students who wish to apply for in absentia status will indicate their intention to be in absentia during reenrollment and also must request absentia status via TigerHub.

Leave of Absence

A student who wishes to interrupt their course of study at Princeton for personal reasons may apply for a leave of absence. Leaves of absence differ from in absentia in two important respects: the student on leave of absence is not enrolled, and the University stipends do not continue during such a leave.

DCE Enrollment and Plan for Completion Meeting

The regular academic program period concludes at the end of the fifth year and the Department encourages all eligible students to apply for Dissertation Completion Enrollment (DCE) status and reenroll. T o qualify for DCE status, the Graduate School requires that doctoral students “must have drafted or written a significant portion of the dissertation (at least one full chapter) and be actively engaged in research and writing.”  As part of the reenrollment process, fifth-year students should satisfy this requirement or its equivalent, and submit a Plan for Completion, consisting of a short narrative of their progress, describing the work they have completed to date and their timeline for completing the dissertation. Students will meet with their dissertation Advisor and First Reader (or co-Advisors) to review the Plan for Completion, after which the advisor should submit a signed form supporting the student’s reenrollment. The purpose of this meeting is to provide an opportunity for the student to meet with their advisory team to check in on the status of the dissertation writing and research. The signed form and approved narrative must be filed with the History Graduate Office before April 15 of the student’s fifth year.

Students who have exhausted their five years (ten semesters) of Graduate School funding and do not hold other outside fellowships may apply for departmental fellowship support for their sixth year. Continuation as an enrolled student and the awarding of such fellowships is contingent on demonstrated good progress toward the completion of the dissertation. 

If students do not elect to continue in DCE status, they will automatically enter Enrollment Terminated/Degree Candidacy Continues (ET/DCC) status at the conclusion of the academic year on August 31.  

ETDCC Status

All university benefits are discontinued in Enrollment Terminated/Degree Candidacy Continues (ET/DCC) status since enrollment has formally ceased. Graduate students are still able to defend their dissertations in ET/DCC status, however, in order to earn the Ph.D.

Students in ET/DCC status are expected to remain in contact with their dissertation adviser to provide updates on their progress towards completion. If a student does not contact the adviser, DGS, or department for one year or longer, they may be removed from ET/DCC status and degree candidacy may be terminated.

Fellowships

Fellowships held by graduate students at Princeton are of three basic types:

• University fellowships both sponsored and administered by the University from its own resources. University fellowship include both the regular UF stipend and other fellowships awarded by individual departments or programs on campus, including FWWS, PIIRS, and honorifics including Jacobus, Dodd, and Proctor fellowships.
• Other fellowships sponsored by government or private agencies, but awarded and administered by the Graduate School and the departments. Examples of this type of fellowship are NSF and ACLS fellowships.
• External fellowships awarded (normally on a competitive basis) by the sponsoring agencies. A student who holds one of these fellowships normally deals directly with the sponsoring agency, and must, therefore, concern him or herself with application and renewal forms, deadline dates, etc. Examples of this type of fellowship are Fulbrights, the Foreign Area Fellowship Program, and Canada Council Awards for Canadian Citizens.

Continuation of Fellowships

The Reenrollment Application that each student completes online via the TigerHub system (annually in early March) serves as an application for the continuation of University fellowship support. In normal circumstances, students who are doing satisfactory work will not suffer any reduction in the level of their fellowship support. Students are also responsible for keeping themselves informed of the deadlines they must meet to renew their fellowships, and should advise the Director of Graduate Studies immediately if they encounter difficulties in this process.

A limited number of students may earn money through a federally funded Work-Study Program. Students may work on campus as research assistants to faculty members, and off-campus for non-profit organizations or a local, state, or federal government agency. Information about eligibility and application procedures may be obtained from the Graduate School.

External Fellowships

Students are strongly encouraged to apply for external fellowships. Notices of such fellowship opportunities are posted on the bulletin board in the graduate student lounge and sent via email by The Graduate School and the Graduate History Office.  

Deadlines are usually months ahead of the time that a student would actually receive a fellowship. Indeed, most applications must be filed by early November of the preceding year. Students should also consult the annual volume of the American Council on Education, Fellowships in the Arts and Sciences, as well as other reference materials located in the Career Services Office.

Students who are awarded external fellowships are required to notify the Graduate Administrator and provide a copy of the fellowship offer letter to be included in their academic file. If a student elects to take an external fellowship in lieu of university funding for either 10- or 12-months then eligibility for DCE-1 funding for the 6th year may be earned. The department adheres to all Graduate School policies regarding eligibility for and administration of DCE-1 funding and students who win an external fellowship are urged to discuss their individual situation with the Graduate Administrator before accepting the fellowship.

Graduate students who seek part-time employment while in regular enrollment must request permission from the DGS before accepting any position. The department adheres to the Graduate School’s Employment Policy which dictates that a student may not work more than an average of 10 hours per week.

If the employment is on-campus, the student must notify the department’s Business Manager immediately upon accepting the position for instructions for being paid through the Time Collection system. Students should not commence work until they have received information on how they will be paid.

International students who have employment authorization are eligible to receive a Social Security Number. Requests for SSN letters should be directed to the Graduate Administrator.

The History Department provides funds supplemental to the university fellowship for several purposes: language study, pre-dissertation research, dissertation research, attendance of conferences or relevant short-term academic programs, and travel to attend courses at other institutions if the course will fulfill the coursework requirement for the program.

Of these types of funding, the most important by far is research in preparation for the dissertation. The department considers it crucial for students to work from primary sources, not merely as a matter of professional training but also because the writing of first-rate history requires immersion in documents. Therefore, students may expect to receive funds for research in archives and libraries both before they take their general examinations, when they can sound out the possibilities for a thesis topic, and afterward, when their success in quarrying material from sources may shape their entire career. Funds are limited, and there are specific rules governing the awarding and use of them. It is the responsibility of the student to understand and follow the procedures outlined below.

Before undertaking a funded research trip, students must consult the department for approval of their plans, and they must submit a detailed budget. After returning, they must submit an accounting report, receipts, and boarding passes for all pre-approved expenses funded by the department.

Language Study Funding

Pre-enrolled students.

The department will pay for admitted students to enroll in a language course offered at Princeton the summer before starting graduate study. If a student wishes to study a commonly available language, the department will pay the Princeton University cost to study the language on campus plus the cost of summer housing and SHP for that period. The following languages are normally available for summer study at Princeton University: French, Spanish, and German. If a student wishes to pursue language courses at an institution other than Princeton University, they may apply to the department for consideration of the language study plans. If approved, the department will reimburse up to the cost of Princeton University language course tuition, summer housing, and SHP.

If a language is less accessible, the department will first suggest other institutions in the U.S. but will also consider study abroad on a case-by-case basis.

Enrolled Students

The department will pay for summer language study at Princeton or, with the approval of the Financial Officer and Director of Graduate Studies, for summer study at language institutes or other universities. Students wishing to pursue language study elsewhere should consult with their adviser and the Financial Officer before drawing up plans, and should be prepared to submit a letter outlining their course of study and an itemized budget. Pre-generals students may wish to consider combining language training abroad with pre-dissertation archival research in the summer following the first year of study.

If enrolled students need additional language preparation (beyond one language course) that cannot be provided at Princeton University but is available at a nearby university, the department will consider paying for such preparation at a reasonable level, including reimbursement of travel costs, on a case-by-case basis. The student should consult the Director of Graduate Studies and Financial Officer.

Pre-Dissertation Research Funding

The department will fund one pre-dissertation research trip. Most students schedule this trip for the summer following the first year of study, though it is also possible to schedule it in the summer following the second year or during a break in the academic year so as not to conflict with coursework. If necessary, students may make two or more pre-dissertation research trips, but must submit only one request and, therefore, one combined budget for pre-approval of this arrangement.

Applications for funding may be submitted to the History Department and to other programs and departments on campus which offer funding support for research travel.  More information can be found on the Student Activities Funding Engine (SAFE). Questions should be directed to the center or program to which you are applying.

Dissertation Research Funding

The department will fund one major archival research trip over the course of a student’s graduate career (between years one and five of the student’s regular enrollment period.) Students are expected to apply to internal and external sources of funds relevant to their research; once they have done so the Department will consider individual requests. Please note that the Department cannot cover the travel expenses of family members or of anyone other than the student.

Scholarly Travel Funding

The Department is able to support students’ participation in scholarly conferences and other short-term academic or professional programs with pre-approval. For additional information about the specific policy, please visit Archimedes .

Students are also encouraged to apply to the Dean’s Fund for Scholarly Travel, administered by the Graduate School.

Miscellaneous Funding

The Department can subsidize train travel for a student to attend classes at nearby universities if the student has received departmental approval for enrolling in the course and authorization for travel reimbursement from the Director of Graduate Studies.

The Department will pay for microfilming up to a reasonable amount, if the microfilm is not available in the Princeton libraries.

Graduate students may apply for funding to support student-organized conferences, workshops, and special events. The Center for Collaborative History (CCH) allocates all departmental funding for such activities; the CCH accepts funding requests on a rolling basis. To ensure that students are managing their time effectively, requests to organize an event must first be approved by the student’s adviser and Director of Graduate Studies before the funding request can be submitted. Requests to organize an event will not be approved for pre-generals students except under exceptional circumstances.

Graduate students participate in the work of the Graduate Program Committee. These students are elected by the graduate students as a group under arrangements to be determined by themselves. The President of the Graduate History Association will call a meeting early in the fall for this purpose.

Students should bring concerns, questions, and ideas for new initiatives to the administration of the GHA. The GHA acts as liaison between students and the department, Graduate School, and University.

When a student has advanced far enough in their dissertation work to begin to seek professional employment or postdoctoral fellowships the student should contact the department's Placement Officer. This will normally take place when the student has begun the writing of the dissertation and completed two to three chapters. Early in the fall semester the Placement Officer will meet with all of the students who will be actively seeking employment during the academic year. The Placement Officer will provide a more detailed description of the procedures for finding academic positions, and will seek additional information about the student — for example, what kind of courses the student is prepared to teach, an estimate of the date by which the dissertation will be completed, the kinds of schools at which the student prefers to teach, etc. At that time the Graduate Assistant will prepare a professional dossier for each student actively seeking employment. The dossier consists of:

• A curriculum vitae, prepared by the student
• A record of the student's graduate career at Princeton, which includes a transcript of courses taken and grades received (grades may be omitted if requested by the student)
• Letters of recommendation written at the student's request by the student's dissertation supervisor and other faculty members familiar with the student's work.
• Dissertation Abstract
• Other supporting materials as requested by the student.

It is the student's responsibility to prepare their own dossier and to request faculty letters of recommendation, all of which must be prepared very early in the fall. The Placement Officer will advise students on the preparation of their dossiers, and they are responsible for helping each student assemble as strong and as complete a dossier as possible.

The letters of recommendation in the placement file may be either open or confidential, depending on whether the student formally waives their right to access to these materials. Students who waive their right or access to their files should know that the Placement Officer is empowered by the Department to remove material from the dossier which, in their judgment, is unfair to the student; and may also ask faculty members to revise their letters of recommendation where that seems appropriate. The student has the right to have their course grades excluded from the placement dossier.

All academic positions in history are publicly advertised in the AHA Perspectives, the newsletter of the American Historical Association, which is received by the Department. Students seeking employment are responsible for keeping themselves informed of job openings, and for notifying the Graduate Program Assistant and the Placement Officer of those positions to which they wish to apply.

Students who wish to consider a career other than teaching, such as government or private industry, are urged to visit the Career Services office at 36 University Place, Suite 200 (above the U-Store). It has a well-stocked reading room and various corporations and agencies have interviews on campus each year.

All materials must be submitted at least three (3) weeks prior to the student’s first deadline. The final version of the dossier will be approved by the Placement Officer and submitted by the Graduate Assistant. The Graduate History Office will maintain and forward dossiers for students until they have secured a tenure-track job.

The Graduate History Office sends announcements of jobs and fellowships to graduate students via email once a week and the job descriptions are posted on the Graduate History website announcements page. The department subscribes to The Chronicle of Higher Education, The History of Science Society Newsletter, and the American Historical Association Perspectives. These are all available for review in the graduate student lounge.

Alumni of the graduate program in History are encouraged to remain in regular contact with departmental administration to ensure that our employment records and contact information remain accurate. Alumni may also be interested in participating in the Association of Princeton Graduate Alumni (APGA).

Graduate alumni should register for a TigerNet alumni email address to ensure they can access the full range of services for alumni, including the departmental dossier service.

History PhD

First awarded by the University of Maryland in 1937, the Doctorate in History is conferred for superior achievement in historical research, writing, and interpretation.

Additional Information

• Forms and Resources
• Funding and Awards
• People (Department Directory)

PhD Program Overview

The Doctorate in History (PhD) is an essential component in the training of professional historians. The most significant requirement of the PhD degree program is the dissertation, an original and noteworthy contribution to historical knowledge. In anticipation of dissertation research, students spend several years mastering bibliographical tools, research and writing methods, and general, special, and minor fields of study.

Admission to the PhD program is offered to highly qualified applicants holding at least a Bachelor's (BA) degree, normally in History or a related discipline. Application and admissions procedures are described on the Department of History's  graduate admissions page .

The length of time required to complete the PhD varies by field of study and student. Students admitted with a Bachelor's (BA) degree might expect to complete the program in five to six years of full-time study. Students entering with a Master of Arts (MA) degree might expect to complete the program in four to five years of full-time study. The degree must be completed in no more than nine years.  Students typically take two years of course work, prepare for and take language exams (if required for their field) and comprehensive exams, and then research and write the dissertation.

Program Requirements and Policies

General program requirements.

• Course work in the major and minor fields
• Language examinations if required by field
• Comprehensive examinations
• Dissertation prospectus
• Advancement to candidacy
• The dDssertation

Each of these program requirements must be met before the PhD can be conferred.

Course Requirements

All PhD students entering with a Bachelor's (BA) degree (or equivalent) must take, at a minimum, the following courses (total 30 credits, not including 12 credits of “Dissertation Research”):

• Contemporary Theory (HIST 601; 3 credits)
• Major Field General Seminar (HIST 608; 3 credits)
• Readings courses in the major field (HIST 6XX and 7XX; 9 credits)
• Readings courses in the minor field (HIST 6XX and 7XX; 9 credits)
• Research seminars (HIST 8XX; 6 credits)
• Dissertation Research (HIST 898/899; 12 credits)

Special Notes:

• Courses completed during previous post-baccalaureate degree programs and/or at other institutions may be considered to satisfy course requirements. However, students entering the PhD program with a Master's (MA) degree or equivalent in History or a related discipline must take a minimum of two  600-800 level courses in the major field, one of which should be with the major advisor.
• Requests for course requirement waivers, equivalency, and credit transfers should be directed to the Director of Graduate Studies. A request must include the course syllabus and transcripts showing the final grade. The endorsement of the advisor is typically sought.
• Up to nine credit hours of major and minor field readings courses may be taken at the 400 level.  Students seeking to take a 400 level course for graduate credit should consult the instructor of record to discuss course expectations before registering.
• HIST 708/709: “Directed Independent Reading for Comprehensive Examinations” does not count toward the nine-credit readings seminar requirement.
• Students in the U.S. and Latin America fields are expected to take two major field seminars (HIST 608)–in this case, one of these 608s will be counted toward the “Readings courses in the major field” requirement.
• Students must complete the entire program for the doctoral (PhD) degree, including the dissertation and final examination, during a four-year period after admission to candidacy, but no later than nine years after admission to the doctoral (PhD) program. Students must be advanced to candidacy within five years of admission to the doctoral (PhD) program. 

Fields of Study

Doctoral students should choose one of the following as their “major field” of study:

Global Interaction and Exchange

• Jewish History (Classical Antiquity to the Present)

Latin America

Middle East

• Technology, Science, and Environment

United States

Learn more about fields of study and faculty work produced in each field by visiting the research fields page .

The Minor Field

All doctoral students are required to complete a minor field of study outside the major field of study. This requirement is typically met through nine credit hours of coursework. However, a student may opt to satisfy the requirement by written examination.

A minor field is usually a field of history outside the student's major field of concentration. For example, a student in the U.S. field may select a minor field in Latin American history; a student in the Women & Gender field may select a minor field in European history. The minor field may be a standard national-chronological field (e.g., 19th-century United States; Imperial Russia; Postcolonial India), or it may be a cross-cultural, cross-regional thematic field (e.g., the Atlantic in the era of the slave trade; gender and Islam). Or, it might be taken in a department or program outside of History (e.g., Women's Studies, English, Government & Politics, Classics and Comparative Literature).

For students opting to satisfy the minor field requirement via coursework, all courses must be approved by the student's advisor and must, to the satisfaction of the advisor and the Graduate Committee, form a coherent field of historical inquiry distinct from the general field. Courses taken at the master's level may count towards fulfillment of the minor field requirements, subject to the approval of the advisor and, in the case of courses taken at outside institutions, of the director of graduate studies.

Language Requirements

Language requirements must be fulfilled before a student is admitted to candidacy. While no MA degree requires language examinations, students will often have to learn one or more foreign languages in their field of study to successfully complete their research. They will also need to learn these languages if they wish to continue on towards a PhD. When applying for either program, preference will be given to students with prior experience with languages in their fields of study.

Language requirements differ across the varying fields within history.

No foreign language requirements for the PhD. If a student’s dissertation topic requires research in foreign language materials, the advisor will decide if the student needs to show proficiency by taking an examination in the language in question.

Spanish and Portuguese. For admission, applicants will be evaluated on their language abilities, and preference will be given to applicants with a strong command of Spanish and/or Portuguese. All PhD students must show proficiency by examination in both languages by the time they are admitted to candidacy. Exceptions to one of those languages (typically Portuguese) if the student’s dissertation requires the use of indigenous languages or documents produced by ethnic minorities. In such cases, students must be proficient in those languages.

One language (in addition to English). Depending on the field, the adviser may determine that the student needs to show proficiency in an additional language.

For admission, students must have proficiency at the advanced intermediate level in at least one major Middle Eastern language (Arabic, Persian or Turkish). All PhD students must acquire advanced proficiency in their chosen language either by course work or exam by the time they are admitted to candidacy. In addition, students must demonstrate proficiency in one European language by the time of their comprehensive exams.

Ancient Mediterranean

For admission, students should present knowledge of classical Greek and Latin at the intermediate level and reading knowledge of either French or German. Knowledge of classical Greek, Latin, French and German is required for the PhD. Other language skills, eg. Italian, Spanish, Modern Greek or Hebrew, may prove to be necessary for dissertation research but are not formal program requirements. Students satisfy the requirement in Latin and Greek in one of two ways: either by completing three upper level or graduate courses (400-600 level) in each language and obtaining at least a B in all courses and an A- or better in at least two of the courses; or by passing a departmental sight translation exam. This exam consists of translating (with the help of a dictionary) three passages of three sentences each (roughly one-fourth to one-third OCT page) selected from prose authors of average difficulty. Students show proficiency in French and German through the regular departmental language exams.

Medieval Europe

For admission, proficiency in either Latin, French or German and familiarity with a second of those languages. All PhD students must demonstrate proficiency in Latin, French and German. They can satisfy the Latin requirement in one of two ways: either by taking three upper level or graduate courses (400-600 level) and obtaining at least a B in all courses and an A- or better in at least two of the courses; or by passing a departmental sight translation exam. This exam consists of translating (with the help of a dictionary) three passages of three sentences each (roughly one-fourth to one-third OCT page) selected from medieval prose authors of average difficulty. Students show proficiency in French and German through the regular departmental language exams. Depending on the field, students may have to know an additional national/regional language like Spanish or Italian.

Early Modern Europe

For admission, proficiency in one foreign language related to the field. All PhD students must demonstrate proficiency in two foreign languages. Depending on the field, students may also have to know Latin.

Modern Europe

For admission, students must know the language of the country or region in which they are interested. All PhD students must demonstrate proficiency in the language of the country/region in which they are interested plus another European language.

Russia/Soviet Union

For admission, three years of Russian or the equivalent. All PhD students must demonstrate proficiency in Russian plus either French or German. Depending on the area of interest, the adviser may require an additional language.

For admission, advanced intermediate-level proficiency in modern Hebrew. All PhD students must demonstrate proficiency in modern Hebrew and one other language necessary for their fields. The advisor may require other languages as necessary.

Chinese History

For admission, students must have had at least two years of university-level Chinese language courses. All PhD students must acquire advanced proficiency in Chinese since they will be using Chinese documents for their dissertations.  Before admission to candidacy students must pass a Chinese language exam in which they will translate about 30 lines of modern, scholarly Chinese into English. As with all departmental language exams, students will be able to use a dictionary, and they will have four hours to complete the translation.

Language Examinations

Except as specified for Latin and ancient Greek, the typical language proficiency examination includes a summary and translation of a passage from a work of modern scholarship in the student’s field. The director of graduate studies appoints a faculty member, typically the student’s advisor, to coordinate the exam and select an excerpt from a published work of historical scholarship in the student’s field. Students write a 200-300 word summary of this five-to-seven page excerpt from the scholarly literature in their fields, and then they do a direct translation of an indicated 30-line passage within that excerpt. The direct translation must be accurate and rendered in idiomatic English. Students have four hours to complete the exam, and they may use a language dictionary that they themselves provide.

Language exams can be taken at any time before candidacy. The exams are read by two members of the faculty: typically, the student’s advisor, who chooses the passage and serves as chair of the exam committee, and one other member of the faculty chosen by the D\director of graduate studies in consultation with the advisor. Faculty from outside the department who have the necessary expertise are eligible to serve as evaluators. The two possible grades are pass and fail. If the two readers do not agree, the director of graduate studies will appoint a third faculty member to read the exam. Students who do not pass on the first attempt may retake the examination without prior approval. After a second failure, the student must petition for reexamination. The chair of the language exam committee will notify the director of graduate studies about the results of the exam within one week after the exam, and the graduate coordinator will notify the student in writing about the results, which will then be inserted into the student’s records. All students should normally pass their language examinations during their third year of the program, though given the complexity of the language requirements in different fields of study, the department recognizes the need to exercise some flexibility in the timing of this requirement.

• Comprehensive Examinations

Comprehensive examinations (comps) are a standard feature of historical training in the United States. The examinations require the examinee to demonstrate mastery of historical scholarship and historiography in a major field, including specialized mastery of the authors, themes, works and topics most relevant to the intended dissertation topic. All students register for HIST 708/709: “Directed Independent Reading for Comprehensive Examinations” for two semesters, once in the semester prior to the one in which they are scheduled to take the examinations (normally the fifth semester of the student’s program) and the second in the same semester as their examinations (normally the sixth semester of the student’s program). As noted above, these courses do not count towards the nine-credit readings seminar requirement.

Comprehensive examinations include the following:

• A special field examination in the form of an essay. Students prepare an essay of 4,000 to \5,000 words in length, 16-20 pages, double-spaced in a 12-point font. The special field is a subfield of the major field in which the dissertation is centered.
• A take-home major field examination administered in written format. Students have 48 hours to complete the exam, which should be 5,000 to 6,000 words, 20-24 pages, double-spaced in a 12-point font in length.
• A two-hour oral examination by the examination committee, including coverage of both the take-home major field exam and the essay that comprises the special field exam.

Timeline : The comprehensive examinations are administered during the first half of the student’s sixth semester in the program. The special field essay has to be submitted to the graduate coordinator before the student takes the major field examination. The oral examination follows within two weeks of passing the major field examination and the special field essay. Students entering the program with an MA in history might be expected to complete their comprehensive examinations during their fifth semester in the program. (Also see the “Combined Timeline for Comprehensive Examinations and the Prospectus” at the end of this document.)

Reading Lists : The format, content and length of the reading lists for the comprehensive examinations vary by field but the list should normally be in the range of 200 to 250 books. Of these, about two-thirds should be in the major field and one-third in the special field. In all fields, students develop their reading lists in consultation with their advisors and other members of the examination committee. The reading list must be compiled and approved by the examination committee by the end of their second-year summer (after the student’s fourth semester in the program). For students coming in with an MA in history who would like to take their examinations during their fifth semester in the program, the list must be ready by the end of the student’s third semester. After approval, limited changes may be made solely by mutual agreement of the student and his/her advisor.

The examination committee : The examination committee consists of three or four members of the Graduate Faculty, typically all members of the history faculty. The director of graduate studies designates the committee members and chair, in consultation with the major advisor and the student. The committee chair shall not be the student's advisor. All committee members contribute questions to the written and oral examinations. Most or all of these same committee members are normally also on the student’s dissertation committee but the composition of the examination and prospectus committees do not need to be the same.

Grading : Comprehensive examinations will be graded pass, pass with distinction or fail.

Combined Timeline for Comprehensive Exams and Prospectus

• Both the initial version of the prospectus and the special field essay are due before the major field take-home examination during the first half of the sixth semester of the student's program.
• The major field take-home examination should be completed also during the first half of the sixth semester of the student's program after the initial version of the prospectus and the special field essay are submitted.
• The two-hour oral examination on both the take-home major field exam and the essay that comprises the special field exam follows within two weeks of passing the major field examination and the special field exam. This oral exam can take place during the second half of the sixth semester of the student’s program.
• The one-hour oral examination based on the initial version of the prospectus also takes place during the second half of the sixth semester of the student’s program but only after successful completion of the two-hour oral examination (#3 above).
• The final version of the prospectus as approved by the advisor is due on the first day of the academic semester that immediately follows the comprehensive examinations, which is normally the seventh semester of the student’s program.

Prospectus & Candidacy

Dissertation Prospectus

The dissertation prospectus is a written précis of the proposed dissertation research, its significance, the sources and methods to be used, the relevant bibliography including primary source materials and the plan of completion. It is intended to form the substance of grant proposals students will write in order to apply for both internal and external grants and fellowships. Each field of study has its own expectations for the length of the prospectus, but normally these should be concise documents not to exceed 10-12 pages in length, followed by a bibliography. In all fields, the prospectus is developed by the student in close collaboration with the advisor and other members of the examination committee.

The preparation of the prospectus includes the following stages :

• An initial version of the prospectus.
• A one-hour oral examination based on that initial version.
• A final version incorporating any revisions suggested by members of the dissertation committee and approved by the advisor submitted to the graduate coordinator.

Timeline : The initial draft version of the prospectus should be submitted to the graduate coordinator during the first half of the student’s sixth semester before the student takes the major field examination, normally at the same time as the special field essay. The one-hour oral examination of the prospectus based on the initial version is scheduled during the second half of the student’s sixth semester in the program following satisfactory completion of the comprehensive examinations. The final version of the prospectus as approved by the advisor is due on the first day of the academic semester that immediately follows the comprehensive examination. (Also see the “Combined Timeline for Comprehensive Examinations and the Prospectus” at the end of this document.)

The relationship between the prospectus and the special field Essay: The special field essay normally covers the historiography of the entire subfield within the major field in which the dissertation is anchored, while the prospectus is more narrowly concerned with the specific research topic of the dissertation.

The examination committee: The prospectus oral examination committee consists of the advisor and at least two other members of the Graduate Faculty, who are normally also members of the student’s dissertation committee. The advisor chairs the examination. All committee members contribute questions to the oral examination and make suggestions for revisions. Upon passing the oral examination, the student will complete any revisions requested (as determined by the advisor and the committee) and submit the final prospectus approved by the advisor to the graduate program coordinator.

MA “Along the Way”

When a student receives a pass or pass with distinction and the endorsement to continue on in the PhD program, the student has the option to request that the Master of Arts degree be conferred "along the way," subject to fulfillment of the standard requirements of the MA degree.

In some instances, the examination committee may recommend that a PhD student taking comprehensive examinations be given a pass at the MA level, sufficient for the conferral of a terminal master's degree. Such a recommendation will be made with the expectation that the student not continue on towards doctoral candidacy.

Petition for Reexamination

In the case of failure of a language examination taken for the second time or one or more components of the comprehensive examinations and the prospectus preparation process (special field essay, take-home major field examination, two-hour oral examination and prospectus oral examination), the student may petition the director of graduate studies to take the whole examination or the relevant component(s) a second time. If the petition is approved, the student may retake the examination as soon as possible. A student may petition only once to retake all or part of the comprehensive examinations and the prospectus preparation process.

Successful completion of the prospectus is typically the last step before application for advancement to candidacy.

• Advancement to Candidacy

A doctoral student advances to candidacy when all degree requirements (i.e., course work, demonstrated competence in languages or special skills, comprehensive examinations and the dissertation prospectus) have been satisfied, with the exception of the dissertation.

Formal admission to candidacy (sometimes known as "All but Dissertation" or "ABD" status) is granted by the dean of the Graduate School. The application is routed through the director of graduate studies.

Advising & Committees

Each student admitted to the PhD program will choose an advisor who is a member of the Graduate Faculty and whose intellectual interests are compatible with the student's plan of study. All graduate students are required to choose an advisor by November 1 of their first semester. If they do not choose an advisor by that date, the director of graduate studies will appoint one for them. The faculty advisor will be responsible for advising the student on all aspects of their academic program, for approving the student's course of study each semester, for monitoring their progress through the program,and for notifying the student of the nature and timing of examinations and other evaluative procedures. The advisor, in consultation with the student and the director of graduate studies, will be responsible for constituting the Comprehensive Examination and Dissertation Examination committees. The advisor will also represent the student to the Graduate Committee, as appropriate.

At the conclusion of the first year of study, all students will make available to their advisor a transcript of coursework and major written work completed during the first year. Upon review of the appropriate materials, the advisor will then recommend to the director of graduate studies continuation, modification or, as appropriate, termination of the student's program. All recommendations for termination require discussion and approval of the Graduate Committee.

Students may change advisors. The director of graduate studies and the new faculty advisor shall approve changes in advisors before a student advances to candidacy. After advancement to candidacy, changes shall be approved only by petition to the Graduate Committee. A change of advisor must be recorded in the student's electronic file.

Registration and Degree Progress

Continuous Registration

All graduate students must register for courses and pay associated tuition and fees each semester, not including summer and winter sessions, until the degree is awarded.

Pre-candidacy doctoral students who will be away from the university for up to one year may request a waiver of continuous registration and its associated tuition and fees. Waivers shall be granted only if the student is making satisfactory progress toward the degree and can complete all the degree requirements within the required time limits. Interruptions in continuous registration cannot be used to justify an extension to time-to-degree requirements.

Once advanced to candidacy, a student is no longer eligible for Waivers of Continuous Registration. Doctoral candidates must maintain continuous registration in HIST 899: “Doctoral Dissertation Research” until the degree is awarded.

The Graduate School makes available an official leave absence for childbearing, adoption, illness and dependent care. The dean of the Graduate School must approve the leave. The time-to-degree clock is suspended during an approved leave of absence.

Additional information on continuous registration and leave absence policies is published online in the Graduate Catalog.

Time-to-Degree

All students admitted to the doctoral program are expected to

• advance to candidacy within three years from initial enrollment in the Ph.D. program, and
• complete all degree requirements within six years of entering the program.

Progress-to-Degree

All students in the doctoral program will be expected to demonstrate steady progress toward the completion of degree requirements. At a minimum, the Graduate School requires students to maintain a B average in all graduate courses. However, the Department of History expects a higher level of performance, with the great majority of a student’s grades at the level of an A- or above.

Students in major fields that require lengthy language or special skill acquisition might be granted a one-year extension to progress-to-degree expectations. Additional extensions will require the approval of the Graduate Committee.

In order to meet progress-to-degree expectations :

• 800-level research seminar work should normally be completed by the end of the fourth semester in the program.
• The major field reading list must be compiled and approved by the examination committee by the end of the summer after the student’s fourth semester in the program.
• Students should complete their comprehensive examinations by the end of their sixth semester in the program. Students coming in with an M.A. in history should normally complete their comprehensive examinations by the end of their fifth semester in the program.
• Each student will be expected to submit a copy of the final dissertation prospectus approved by the advisor to the graduate program coordinator at the beginning of their seventh academic semester in the program.
• All students should normally pass their language examinations during the third year of their program.
• The director of graduate studies will review fully each student's progress-to-degree as well as the overall progress-to-degree by degree cohort at least once a year.

Failure to make satisfactory progress-to-degree or to maintain the expected grade point average may result in the suspension or loss of departmental funding, the denial of a petition for extensions, and in extreme cases, a recommendation for dismissal.

NOTE : The above guidelines on continuous registration, time-to-degree and progress-to-degree guidelines are for students matriculating in fall 2018 or thereafter. Students entering the graduate program in prior semesters are subject to guidelines at time of matriculation.

Extensions and Waivers

The Graduate Committee will consider petitions for waivers to departmental guidelines. Petitions for waivers to Graduate School requirements must be submitted to the dean of the Graduate School, using the appropriate form. In most instances, the petitioning student will be required to provide a rationale for the waiver request, and, as appropriate, a convincing plan of study. The advice of the student's advisor may be sought. The advisor will be required to endorse any waiver request that involves extensions to overall time-to-degree as well as the major benchmarks of progress-to-degree.

All petitions should be directed to the director of graduate studies. The director of graduate studies, and in some cases the dean of the Graduate School, will notify the student of their disposition of petitions for extensions.

Sample Program of Study

Introduction.

The program of study often varies by field and many factors may extend or reorder the sequence and length of the program of study.

The following program of study assumes that the doctoral student will be assigned a teaching assistantship in the second, third and fourth years of study. Students coming in with an MA in history will be expected to complete the program in five or five and a half years.

Foreign language study is not incorporated into this program.

 First Year (Departmental Fellowship)

• Major Field General Seminar (608) or Contemporary Theory (HIST 601)
• Major Field Readings Seminar
• Minor Field Course
• Research Seminar OR Minor Field Course
• Exploratory Research

Second Year (Teaching Assistantship)

• 2 courses out of the following three categories:
• Research Seminar 
• Research Seminar
• Reading for Comprehensive Examinations
• Initial Prospectus Preparation

Third Year (Teaching Assistantship)

• HIST 708: Readings for Comprehensives”
• Prospectus Preparation 
• Grant Applications
• HIST 709: “Readings for Comprehensive Examinations”
• Prospectus Oral Examination 
• Final Version of Prospectus
• Dissertation Research

Fourth Year (Teaching Assistantship)

• Dissertation Research (HIST 899)

Fifth Year (Departmental or External Fellowship)

• Grant Applications  

Spring & Summer

• Dissertation Writing

Sixth Year  (Departmental or External Fellowship)

• Job applications  
• Job applications

Graduate Placement

Learn more about the career and life paths of our PhD alumni.

Graduate Coordinator, History

2131 Francis Scott Key Hall College Park MD, 20742

• Requirements
• History Grad Student Association

For course offering for the current academic year, please see the University’s  Graduate Announcements  page. The 24-25 Graduate Announcements page is TBD.

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Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in History Online Uncover History and Forge Understanding

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Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total

Become a Professional Historian with an Online PhD in History

Are you interested in a career in education, research, politics, archaeology, or management of national landmarks and museums? Whatever your career goals are, Liberty University’s PhD in History can provide a theoretical background as well as research nd writing experience. These tools can help you excel in either academic or non-academic career fields related to humanities and social sciences.

An online doctorate in history can prepare you to pursue a variety of career opportunities. You might join the world of academia as a professor, professional researcher, or publisher. Or you could pursue a position as a museum curator, international development specialist, author, archaeologist, or federal government employee.

Academics and many other career fields need people like you who are knowledgeable about the undercurrents, culture, and societal standards surrounding historical events. Prepare to excel in whichever career field you choose when you pursue Liberty University’s online PhD in History.

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• Transfer in up to 50% of a Grad/Doctoral Degree

Why Choose Liberty University’s History PhD Program Online?

When you choose Liberty, you’re choosing to pursue a degree from an accredited university. We offer a Christ-centered curriculum, flexible course scheduling, and affordable rates. Our goal is to provide you with academic excellence that is grounded in faith and consistent support throughout your academic journey.

Liberty University holds regional accreditation through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges ( SACSCOC ). This means we have earned accreditation that demands high academic standards. Employers can have confidence in your knowledge and abilities gained through the program. And you can rest knowing that your degree will benefit both your personal and professional life.

At Liberty, our mission is Training Champions for Christ . That means each of your professors is a Christian who incorporates a biblical worldview into every course. Your professors are professionals who have doctorates like our online history PhD degree.

You can complete our PhD in History through distance education with 8-week courses and no set login times. This flexibility allows you to pursue your online doctoral degree while maintaining commitments to your family, career, community, and church.

What Will You Study in Our Online PhD in History Program?

When you pursue our doctorate in history, you’ll learn historical concepts and how to educate others from a Christian perspective. Upon successful completion of this program, you will be able to do the following:

• Apply a Christian worldview to the study of history
• Apply historical methodology to professional settings
• Conduct original research that is based upon knowledge of the literature of the discipline
• Evaluate historiographic positions, like scholarly literature and interpretations, at the doctoral level

Potential Career Opportunities

• Academic publisher
• Archaeologist
• Federal government employee
• Higher education administrator
• International development specialist
• Museum curator
• Professional researcher

Featured Courses

• HIST 502 – Historiography*
• HIST 701 – Historical Professions
• HIST 711 – Development of Western Freedoms
• HIUS 713 – American Entrepreneurship since 1900

*Course guide coming soon

Degree Information

• This program falls under the College of Arts and Sciences .
• View the Graduate Arts and Sciences Course Guides (login required) .
• View the PhD in History Handbook .

Degree Completion Plan (PDF)

Not sure what to choose?

Speak to one of our admissions specialists to help you choose the program that best fits your needs.

• Tuition & Aid

Your success is our success, which is why we are committed to providing quality academics at an affordable tuition rate. While other colleges are increasing their tuition, we have frozen tuition rates for the majority of our undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs for the past 9 years – and counting.

Eligible current and former military service members and their spouses may qualify for a special rate of $300/credit hour ( learn more ) .

All Tuition & Fees

Financial Aid & Scholarships

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Scholarship Opportunities

Admission Information for Liberty’s PhD in History

Admission requirements.

• A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required) .
• *Examples include but are not limited to: public or applied history, social sciences, political science, philosophy, government, international relations, geography, English, theology, church history, economics, a Master of Business Administration (MBA), museum studies, and library sciences.
• Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy .

Preliminary Acceptance

If you are sending in a preliminary transcript for acceptance, you must:

• Be in your final term and planning to start your doctoral degree after the last day of class for your master’s degree.
• Complete a Master’s Self-Certification Form confirming your completion date. You may download the form from the Forms and Downloads page or contact an admissions counselor to submit the form on your behalf.
• Submit an official transcript to confirm that you are in your final term. The preliminary transcript must show that you are within 6 credit hours of completion for a 30-48 credit hour master’s degree or within 9 credit hours of completion for a 49+ credit hour master’s degree.
• Send in an additional, final official transcript with a conferral date on it by the end of your first semester of enrollment in the new doctoral degree.

Transcript Policies

Official college transcript policy.

An acceptable official college transcript is one that has been issued directly from the institution and is in a sealed envelope. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements. If your previous institution offers electronic official transcript processing, they can send the document directly to [email protected] .

Admissions Office Contact Information

(800) 424-9596

(888) 301-3577

Email for Questions

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Email for Documents

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Lynchburg, VA 24515

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Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe.

Who May Qualify?

• Active Duty
• Reserve/National Guard
• Veterans/Retirees
• Spouses of Service Members and Veterans/Retirees

Military Tuition Discount

We want to help you find the doctoral degree you want – at a price you’ve earned. As a thank-you for your military service, Liberty University offers eligible current and former service members like you or your spouse multiple pathways to earn a doctoral degree for only $300/credit hour . Find out how you can take advantage of this unique opportunity as you work toward your goal of reaching the pinnacle of your profession – for less.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a phd in history worth it.

If you love history and want to increase your career options and earning potential, then a PhD in History is worth your effort. The types of jobs you could qualify for range from positions in the federal government to academia to private companies.

Your earning potential will also increase because you hold a terminal degree. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, professionals with a doctoral degree earn an annual median salary of $94,900.* This is a 27% increase from the salaries of their counterparts who only have a master’s degree.

*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, at Education Pays (viewed online August 19, 2020). Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.

Can you get a PhD in History online?

Yes – with Liberty University’s online programs, you can earn your PhD in History 100% online. Our goal is to provide you with quality academics that are both affordable and flexible. We understand that you are a working professional with commitments. That’s why you have the flexibility to complete your doctorate wherever and whenever is most convenient for you.

What can you do with a PhD in History?

When you’re considering career options, a PhD in History is one of the most flexible doctorates you can earn. You will have job opportunities with the United States government, universities, private organizations, and more. Some of the specific careers that may be available to you include:

Is a PhD from Liberty University respected?

If you plan to choose Liberty for your PhD, you can rest assured that your degree will be respected. Liberty University is regionally accredited through SACSCOC . This means our program has to meet rigorous academic standards that are respected by future employers.

How long are the courses in this program, and what are the scheduling options like?

This program is offered in an 8-week course format, with 8 different start dates each year, and no set login times!

Are there any networking opportunities in this degree?

You will benefit from networking opportunities with other professionals in the program from around the country.

What makes Liberty University’s PhD in History unique?

The PhD in History is the first program of its kind offered from a conservative Christian, accredited university.

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Course Catalog | Liberty University

Doctor of philosophy in history (ph.d.), program learning outcomes.

The student will be able to:

• Apply a Christian worldview to the study of history.
• Apply doctoral level research methodology.
• Analyze historiographic positions at the doctoral level.
• Apply historical methodology to professional settings.

Program Specific Admissions Requirements

In addition to the general admission requirements, admission to candidacy in the Ph.D. in History program requires:

• Earned Master’s degree in History or a related field in the humanities (Public/Applied History, Political Science, Philosophy, Government, International Relations, Geography, English, Theology, etc.) from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (e.g., SACSCOC, TRACS, ABHE, etc.)
• A graduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above (on a 4.00 scale).
• TOEFL (if applicable)

Students who do not meet the minimum good-standing GPA requirement may be admitted on Academic Caution status. Students who have less than a graduate 2.80 GPA will not be admitted to the program.

Transfer Credit

Students may transfer up to 36 credit hours from an accredited institution subject to department approval. In order to transfer credit, students must have earned the minimum grade of B-, and courses must have been completed within seven (7) years of the start date of the program. Credits from a prior degree on the same academic level earned through Liberty University are considered transfer credits.

Delivery Format: Online Only

• History (Ph.D.)
• Academic Publisher
• Archaeologist
• Federal Government Employee
• Higher Education Administrator
• International Development Specialist
• Museum Curator
• Professional Researcher

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Liberty University 2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

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• School of Arts & Sciences
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• Graduate Program in Ancient History
• Graduate Programs

Graduate Program in Ancient History   The Graduate Group in Ancient History is an interdisciplinary, cross-departmental program that encompasses the study of the ancient history of the Near East and the Mediterranean Basin, from the origins of civilization in the fertile river basins of the Tigris and the Euphrates to the rise of Islam and the emergence of the so-called barbarian successor kingdoms. Ancient History is a discipline that draws on literary, documentary, visual, archaeological, and environmental evidence, and employs a range of methodologies in combining these evidentiary categories to answer questions about the structures, processes, and thought-worlds of ancient societies.

Administratively, the Graduate Program in Ancient History is housed in the Department of Classical Studies. The department possesses its own colloquium series, which members of the group customarily attend. Faculty members of the Graduate Group in Ancient History come together from a range of Departments: Anthropology , Classical Studies , History of Art , Religious Studies , and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations .

The expertise and interests of members of the group are diverse and heterogeneous. What unites us is the enterprise of building historical narratives from the fragmentary and diffuse textual and material evidence available to us.

Students admitted to the Graduate Group in Ancient History will receive training in the political, intellectual, cultural, socio-economic, and religious history of at least two discrete ancient societies as part of their preparation for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.   For more information on the Graduate Program in Ancient History, see here: https://anch.sas.upenn.edu

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Recent News

History students present research at 2024 honors symposium.

Eighteen undergraduate honors students showcase theses at annual celebration

U-M History Recognizes 2024 PhD Recipients

Ceremony celebrates graduate students who completed their doctorate in 2023-24

What Is U-M History?

Global, multidimensional, interdisciplinary. Regularly ranked among the top history departments in the nation, we combine state-of-the-art research with innovative teaching and a commitment to embrace all the diversity of the past. Whether you want to learn about your own community or some distant time and place, U-M history faculty can help you deepen your knowledge and enhance your skills, as they encourage you to look beneath the surface and think about not just what is said, but what has been left silent.

Why study history? History helps us place the past in context and gain a better understanding of the contingency of the present and the possibilities for the future.

Come explore our website and see how U-M History engages complexity and change in both the present and the past.

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We strive to support our students and faculty on the front lines of learning and research and to steward our planet, our community, our campus. To do this, the Department of History needs your support.

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History Courses Prior to Fall 2024

1300 | the united states in global perspective.

Introduction to history, historical thinking and the history of the United States within a global context, examining the ways a distinct American society developed within larger patterns of world history. Themes will vary by instructor but may include democracy, freedom and equality; global conflict; imperialism; industrialization and economic systems; migration and immigration; nationalism; and revolution. 

1305 | World History to 1500

Principal civilizations of Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas from prehistory to about 1500 A.D., focusing on religious ideas, patterns of economic and cultural development, and artistic and literary achievements of these civilizations, as well as their influences on one another.

1307 | World History since 1500

History of major world civilizations and the growth of the modem global community as well as the spread of ideologies and cultures. 

1365 | History of the United States to 1877

A chronological, thematic, and analytical study of the political, economic, social, cultural, and diplomatic history of the United States from colonial origins and early nationhood through the era of Reconstruction. 

1366 | History of the United States Since 1877

A chronological, thematic, and analytical study of the political, economic, social, cultural, and diplomatic history of the United States from the end of Reconstruction to the present. 

2370 | History of Warfare

Military conflicts and practices throughout history and around the world with emphasis on broad strategy and tactics. 

2380 | Introduction to Slavic and East European Studies I

Cross-listed as SEES 2380 --Primary Department: Modern Languages & Cultures. Basic introduction to the peoples, history, and cultures of the countries covered by Slavic and East European Studies, including the post-Communist states and Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Republics, and the former Federated Yugoslavia up to the mid-1700's.Basic introduction to the peoples, history, and cultures of the countries covered by Slavic and East European Studies, including the post-Communist states of Central and Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Republics, and the former Federated Yugoslavia up to the mid-1700's.

2381 | Introduction to Slavic and East European Studies II

Cross-listed as SEES 2381 --Primary Department: Modern Languages & Cultures. Major events and factors -- e.g., political, economic, and social -- leading to upheaval and change in the area countries from the mid-1760's to the present, with attention to the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, Stalinism, the creation of the Soviet Empire, the collapse of communism in Central and Eastern Europe, and the transition of post-communist states.

2390 | Introduction to Women's and Gender History

Central debates in Women's and Gender History from European, American, and global perspectives. Provides theoretical background and analytical skills for advanced coursework. 

2395 | History Workshop (Historiography)

Prerequisites: Six semester hours of history or consent of the instructor. Historical thought and historiographical practice in the West from their emergence in the classical world to the present. 

2V89 | Introduction to Model Organization of American States

Course prepares students for first-time participation in a Model Organization of American States simulation. Stresses historical and contemporary hemispheric issues. May be repeated for a total of six credit hours under different topics. 

3300 | Methods of Oral and Public History

Prerequisites: Six semester hours of history or consent of instructor. Introduction to the diverse settings in which historians work, including historic preservation, heritage tourism, community history, documentary work, museums, historical societies, historical editing, government, and business, and the various approaches they utilize. Also familiarizes students with oral history theory and practice.

3301 | Internship in History

Prerequisites: HIS 3300. Internship at an institution or program engaged in public history. Applies themes, ideas, and issues covered in HIS 3300.

3305 | Traditional China

Prerequisites: Six semester hours of history or consent of instructor /  Cross-listed as AST 3305. A survey of Chinese history from its origins to 1700. Treatment of artistic, cultural, economic, literary, political, social, and religious developments in China that have shaped East Asian civilizations.

3307 | Japan

Prerequisites: Six semester hours of history or consent of instructor /  Cross-listed as AST 3307. A survey of the internal and external forces which have affected the development of Japanese civilization from ancient times to the twentieth century. Emphasis upon political, economic, and cultural developments which have shaped modern Japan.

3308 | Hitler and the Holocaust

Prerequisites: Six semester hours of history or consent of instructor / Cross-listed as REL 3348. The rise of Adolf Hitler and the policies of war and extermination he pursued before and during World War II, as well as the suffering, complicity and responses of Jews and Christians within and after the Holocaust.

3310 | The Middle East

Prerequisites: Six semester hours of history or consent of instructor. A survey of Islamic civilization, especially under the Umayyad, Abbasid, and Ottoman empires; analysis of contemporary national, and international problems with attention to the historical-geographical and political-geographical elements.

3311 | Middle East History 600-1798

Prerequisites: Six semester hours of history or consent of instructor. A survey of Middle East history from the rise of Islam to Napoleon's invasion of Egypt in 1798.

3315 | History of West Africa

Prerequisites: Six semester hours of history or consent of instructor. Introduction to West African history, culture, customs, and societies from the earliest times to 1975.

3318 | History of Modern Africa

Prerequisites: Six semester hours of history or consent of instructor. History of Africa since the early nineteenth century and analysis of contemporary African issues in a wider historical context. 

3319 | Women and Gender in Modern Africa

Prerequisites: Six semester hours of history or consent of instructor. The social, political, economic, religious, and cultural experiences of women living in Africa from the pre-colonial era to today. 

3340 | Russia to 1861

Prerequisites: Six semester hours of history or consent of instructor. A study of the historical, social, cultural, and intellectual currents of Russia.

3342 | Russia since 1861

Prerequisites: Six semester hours of history or consent of instructor. A study of society, literature, history and politics, of the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, and present post-communist Russia.

3344 | History of Modern Germany

Prerequisites: Six semester hours of history or consent of instructor. A survey of the political, cultural, and economic development of German-speaking Central Europe since the eighteenth century.

3353 | Pre-Columbian and Colonial Latin America

Prerequisites: Six semester hours of history or consent of instructor. A survey of pre-Columbian civilizations in the Americas and an examination of Spanish and Portuguese colonies. Emphasis will be given to Meso-American and Andean civilizations, the creation of colonial society, and the forces leading to the end of political colonialism in Latin America.

3355 | Modern Latin America

Prerequisites: Six semester hours of history or consent of instructor. A survey of the evolution of Latin American countries since Independence. Emphasis will be placed on economic and social factors influencing national development and contemporary issues such as narcoterrorism, the debt crisis, liberation theology, the rights of indigenous peoples, the ecology, and hyper-urbanization.

3360 | History of the American Presidency

Prerequisites: Six semester hours of history or consent of instructor. A survey of the presidency and the presidents. Subjects include backgrounds, parties and elections, ratings of presidents, selected case studies, and the vice presidency.

3362 | History of Religion in America

Prerequisites: Six semester hours of history or consent of instructor. A survey of religion from the period of discovery to the present with emphasis on the diversity of American religion, the origin and development of major denominations, and the interaction of religion and society.

3371 | History of Black Americans

Prerequisites: Six semester hours of history or consent of instructor. A survey of the history of black Americans from their African origins to the present. Emphasis will be given to the economic, social, and political impact of the presence of black people in the American colonies and the United States; attention will be given to the institution of slavery, the emancipation movement, the rise of segregation, black nationalism, and the ideologies and personalities of the civil rights movement. 

3380 | History of Texas

Prerequisites: Six semester hours of history or consent of instructor. The political, economic, and social history of Texas in its regional setting in the American Southwest from the period of colonization to the present.

3384 | American Indian History

Prerequisites: Six semester hours of history or consent of instructor. History of American Indians in the area known as the continental United States from the arrival of the first Europeans to the present day. 

4300 | History of Medicine

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor /  Cross-listed as MH 4300 and PHI 4300  -- Primary Department: Medical Humanities. A review of the origins and development of medicine and medical science from prehistoric times to the present. Consideration will be given to the impact of major diseases on civilization and the emergence of successful measures of control.

4305 | Modern China

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor /  Cross-listed as AST 4305. A history of China from 1700 to the present that considers cultural, economic, literary, political, social, and religious developments. Emphasis will be given to the late imperial state, the Chinese heritage, and decline, conflict with the West, revolution, and modernization.

4312 | Modern Middle East History

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. Political, religious, intellectual and social transformations in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

4313 | War and Peace in the Middle East

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. The interaction of policy, military force and society in the waging war and the quest for peace and security in the Middle East.

4316 | The African Diaspora

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. The history of peoples of African descent in the Diaspora worldwide.

4322 | Ancient Greece

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. Culture and institutions of Archaic and Classical Greece to 323 B.C.

4324 | Ancient Rome

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. Roman Republic and the rise and fall of the Empire to 565 A.D.

4325 | The Vikings

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. Focuses on Viking life, culture, trade, and migrations from AD 790 to 1100. Includes methods and applications of interdisciplinary research, particularly emphasizing the potential of archaeology to make contributions to historical studies. 

4326 | Early Medieval Europe, c. 300-1000

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor; amd upper-level standing. Emergence of medieval civilization through the blending of Roman, Christian, and Germanic institutions, customs, and beliefs.

4327 | High Middle Ages, c. 1000-1450

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. A study of the flowering of medieval civilization, with emphasis on the medieval church and the origins of the modern state.

4328 | Medieval Britain

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor; and upper-level standing. Medieval British history, emphasizing the development of parliament and the common law; the medieval church in the British Isles; the social impact of warfare; the demographic impact of famine and plague in England and Britain.

4329 | The Renaissance and Reformation

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. The political, economic, intellectual, artistic, and religious upheavals in Europe from the thirteenth through the sixteenth centuries and resulting social, political, religious, and cultural changes.

4330 | The Medieval Mediterranean World

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor; and upper-level standing. The Medieval Mediterranean as a global region, highlighting the various connections and cultural hybridities that linked peoples of Europe, Africa, and "Asia" (now called the Middle East). 

4331 | European Expansion, 1400-1800

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. The development and maintenance of permanent contacts by Europeans with other peoples and cultures around the world between the late Middle Ages and the turn of the 19th century.

4332 | Early Modern Europe

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. A history of Europe from the age of absolutism to the enlightenment. Emphasis will be upon the major political, economic, social, cultural, scientific, and intellectual developments of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

4333 | French Revolution and Napoleon

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. Background and history of the French Revolution; relatively brief consideration of the effects of the Revolution and Napoleon upon Europe.

4334 | A History of Women in Europe to 1200

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. From ancient Greece to the early medieval world, this course examines the status and roles of women in European society--the ideas, customs, and laws that affected the lives of women as well as the roles that women performed. We also explore how women both contributed to European culture and society and were prevented from realizing their full potential. 

4335 | A History of Women in Europe Since 1200

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. A study of the status and roles of women in European society from the Crusades through World War I. 

4336 | Europe Since World War I

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. Problems of peace making and international organization; rise of Fascism and Communism; background and history of World War II.

4337 | Europe from 1815 to 1914

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. Political, social, and economic development of the European nations from the Congress of Vienna to the outbreak of the First World War; the rise of liberalism and growth of the nationalism; imperialism and the development of the international rivalry.

4338 | Cultural and Intellectual History of Europe through the Seventeenth Century

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. History of ideas and their social and economic background from Classical Greece through the Baroque period. Course includes Greek and Roman philosophy, early Christianity and Scholasticism, the Renaissance, the Reformation, the Scientific Revolution, and the idea of a mechanistic universe. Considerable emphasis on literature; some attention to art and music.

4339 | Cultural and Intellectual History of Modern Europe

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. History of ideas and their social and economic background from the Enlightenment to the present. Course includes study of Enlightenment philosophy (Reason, Nature, God, and Man), romanticism, Democratic theory and Marxism, Idealism, Darwinism, Fascism, and Existentialism. Considerable emphasis on literature; some attention to art and music.

4340 | Special Topics in History

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. Study in a specialized area of history not covered by regular course offering. May be repeated once for credit provided topic is different.

4341 | Tudor-Stuart England

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. The history of Britain under the Tudor and Stuart dynasties.

4343 | France since 1815

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. Major topics in French history from Waterloo to the present day, including the Bourbon Restoration, the revolutions of 1830 and 1848, the Second Empire, republicanism, colonialism, the world wars, and Gaullism.

4345 | Britain in the Nineteenth Century

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor; and upper-level standing. The political, social and economic history of Britain from the end of the Napoleonic War to the beginning of the First World War.

4346 | Britain in the Twentieth Century

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor; and upper-level standing. The political, social and economic history of Britain from the beginning of the First World War to the end of the first Blair Government.

4348 | Reading Course in European History

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. A tutorial course for undergraduates with intensive study of a given period or topic in European history. The nature and precise limits of the study will be established after consultation between professor and student. No student may take more than one history reading course in a given semester. A maximum of six semester hours of reading courses may apply toward a history major.

4350 | The History of Gender in Latin American

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor; and upper-level standing /  Cross-listed as LAS 4351. The history of the construction of gender and gender relations from pre-Columbian societies to contemporary Latin America. Special emphasis will be given to the creation of archetypes and the contrast between legal codes and realities across time, race, class and regional divides. 

4354 | Religion & War in U.S History

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. The dynamic relationship between religion and war throughout American history, focusing on religious myths of American exceptionalism and power, religious justifications for war, and anti-war activism and non-violence. Coverage stresses, but extends beyond, the Christian faith and traditions.

4357 | Inter-American Relations

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. A history of the evolution of Inter-American relations from colonization to the contemporary development of regional economic blocs. Topics will include relations among the American colonies efforts at unification after independence, the expanding role of the United Sates in hemispheric relations and the Latin-American reaction, and the evolution of regionalism in hemisphere.

4358 | Reading Course in Global History

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. A tutorial course for undergraduates with intensive study of a given period or topic in Global history. The nature and precise limits of the study will be established after consultation between professor and student. May be repeated once with a change of contents for a total of six credit hours. 

4362 | American Colonial History

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. The settlement, growth, and development of Anglo-American colonies in North America. Topics include models of colonization, the development of American individualism, the creating of Atlantic trading systems, the establishment of colonial, political elites and hierarchies, and the social circumstances of women, blacks, and Indians.

4363 | American Revolution and Constitution

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. The creation of an American nation out of thirteen colonies. Topics include the social, economic, political, and ideological roots of the colonists' resistance to the imperial power, the decisions for revolution and independence, the fighting of the Revolutionary War, the Rise and fall of the Confederation, and the drafting and ratification of the Constitution.

4365 | The Early Republic, 1789-1860

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. An overview of the challenges related to creating the new nation of the United States including political, diplomatic, social, economic, and cultural issues and controversies.

4366 | American Legal History to 1877

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. A survey of legal and constitutional documents, ideas, cases, and debates, in American history from the colonial era to 1877. 

4368 | Civil War and Reconstruction

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. Causes, military operations, and the aftermath of the American Civil war.

4369 | Religion in America, 1877-Present

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. Religion in America from the end of Reconstruction to the present. Special attention devoted to religion's intersection with culture and politics and to the growth of religious pluralism in America.

4371 | United States 1877-1920

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. Major economic, social, and political, developments in the United States within the prescribed chronological limits, with secondary emphasis on the rise of the United States as a world power and its involvements in World War I. Primary emphasis given to industrialization, the farmer revolt, the Progressive Movement, and the ramifications of these events in politics and society.

4374 | United States Since 1920

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. Continuation of HIS 4371 with emphasis on the Post-Progressive decade, the Great Depression, the New Deal and domestic developments since the New Deal. Of secondary emphasis is the coming of World War II and the consequent rise and development of the Cold War.

4375 | The American Civil Rights Movement

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. The origins, major events, and legacy of the struggle to gain full equality for African Americans in the century following the American Civil War. Emphasis on the philosophies and strategies employed to realize full citizenship rights for blacks, individual and institutional leadership, the participation of women, the role of religion, and the impact of this social justice movement on the South, the United States, and the world. (Graduate students may not receive credit for both HIS 4375 and HIS 5375.)

4377 | History of the American Woman, 1600-1865

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. Women's history in America from the colonial period to the end of the Civil War, emphasizing the changing roles of women and their contribution to and participation in American society.

4378 | History of the American Woman Since 1865

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. A social, political, economic survey of women in the United States from the end of the Civil War to the present, emphasizing the women's movement and its influence on American society.

4379 | The Cold War

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor /  Cross-listed as SEES 4379. History of global conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union from 1941 to 1991 including cultural, social, economic, political, and religious aspects. 

4380 | The American West

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. The frontier in American history from early colonial times to the end of the nineteenth century, with emphasis on the significance of the frontier in American history and historiography.

4383 | History of the South

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. Southern culture with three topics in the ante-bellum period and three topics in the post-bellum period.

4385 | The United States in the 1960's

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. The political, economic, social, and diplomatic development of the United States in the 1960's.

4386 | The City in American History

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. Emergence, expansion, and impact of urban growth in America from colonial times to the present. Emphasis given to the mechanics of city building, the social, economic, political, and cultural dimensions of urban development and the changing image of the city in the minds of the American people.

4388 | American Environmental History

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor /  Cross-listed as ENV 4389 . Investigation of the physical, social, cultural, and economic relationships between humans and their environment in America from precontact to the present.

4391 | The Vietnam War

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. Overview of the origins, course, and legacy of the US experience in the Vietnam War.

4392 | American Foreign Relations since 1919

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. Role of the United States as a great power, with emphasis upon the changing attitudes toward world affairs.

4393 | American Military History to 1865

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. Major military conflicts in North America from European exploration through the American Civil War. 

4394 | American Military History from 1865

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. Major military conflicts in United States history since the Civil War.

4395 | History of American Thought, 1630-1859

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. Enduring beliefs about attitudes toward the world and themselves held by Americans. Emphasis on patterns of beliefs as bases for assurance and commitment. From Puritans through transcendentalists.

4396 | History of American Thought, 1859 to Present

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. Beliefs Americans have relied on to define and comprehend the world and themselves. Emphasis on what Americans needed and were able to believe in their search for assurance from the naturalism of the Gilded Age to the personal experiential quest of the present.

4398 | Reading Course in American History

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of history or consent of instructor. A tutorial course from undergraduates with intensive study of a given period or topic in American history. The nature and precise limits of the study will be established after consultation between professor and student. No student may take more than one history reading course in a given semester. A maximum of six semester hours of reading courses may apply toward a history major.

4V89 | Advanced Model Organization of American States

Prerequisites: HIST 2V89 /  Cross-listed as PSC 4389.  Course prepares advanced students for leadership roles in a Model Organization of American States simulation. May be repeated for a total of six credit hours under different topics.

Department of History

Department of History One Bear Place #97306 Waco, TX 76798

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Graduate Studies at Winthrop

Located in Rock Hill, SC, just thirty minutes south of Charlotte, NC, Winthrop University offers 40+ high-quality, affordable graduate programs for students who want an outstanding experience, not just a degree.

Graduate education at Winthrop helps students realize their intellectual and personal potentials and enables them to advance in their fields or enter careers which require education beyond the baccalaureate level.

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If you are seeking further information regarding specific programs, please contact individual departments .

For problems accessing information on this website, please contact Teresa Sheppard .

Master of Arts for Teachers in History

Collaborative online degree.

This 100 percent online, consortial program is taught by IU South Bend , IU Bloomington, IU East, IUPUI, IU Kokomo, IU Northwest, and IU Southeast. This consortial model allows you to take coursework from several campuses and learn from a wide range of faculty. 

This program is authorized, exempt, or not subject to state regulatory compliance and may enroll students from all 50 states

Many online support services are available to assist you as you progress through the program.

The IU Online Master of Arts for Teachers (MAT) in History combines coursework in education and history to prepare you to be a dual-credit instructor at the high school and community college levels.

The educational component of the program teaches you how to apply the science and art of teaching to college-level instruction. Coursework covers instruction and curriculum, assessment, diversity and inclusive teaching, and research.

As a student in the history component of the program, you focus on the historiographic trends and historical context necessary to properly analyze current events. You gain a depth of knowledge in a variety of historical subjects while learning the most effective methods to teach those subjects to an undergraduate audience. You learn to perform historical research and construct original arguments while assessing the validity of the historical sources you use.

Areas of focus include:

• Historical methodology 
• Early America 
• The Nineteenth century 
• Modern United States history 
• Comparative history 

Of Special Interest for Teachers/Instructors Needing to Meet HLC Dual-Credit Standards

The stackable structure of the MAT in History is ideal for those who want to teach dual-credit courses and who need to meet Higher Learning Commission dual-credit qualification standards. These standards require teachers wanting to teach dual-credit courses in history to hold either a master's degree in history or a master's degree in another discipline (such as education), plus at least 18 credit hours of discipline-specific graduate coursework.

• If you need both discipline-specific coursework and a master's degree, the MAT in History meets HLC standards. 
• If you already hold a master's degree in a discipline other than history, you can meet HLC standards by completing the   Graduate Certificate in History .

Admissions requirements vary by campus.

MAT Requirements (30 cr.)

Requirements are broken down as follows:

Graduate United States History (15 cr.)

History capstone (3 cr.), education component (12 cr.).

• All courses are 3 credit hours, unless otherwise noted.

Select five from the following:

• HIST-T 510 Historical Methodology
• HIST-T 520 Teaching College History
• HIST-T 530 Early America, 1400-1800
• HIST-T 540 The Long Nineteenth Century, 1800-1917
• HIST-T 550 Modern United States, 1917-Present
• HIST-T 560 The United States and the World: Comparative History
• HIST-T 590 Research Seminar in History
• EDUC-H 520 Education and Social Issues
• EDUC-J 500 Instruction in the Context of Curriculum
• EDUC-P 507 Assessment in Schools
• EDUC-Y 520 Strategies for Educational Inquiry

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• Kent State Florence

Get to know Kent State in one of Italy’s most iconic cities.

Designed to broaden your perspective while providing a transformational education experience, you’ll enjoy a comprehensive range of coursework taught by renowned faculty, award-winning student services and unparalleled access to opportunities in the city.

At Kent State Florence, you will be supported and empowered at every step of your education abroad journey. 

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A Warm, Open Community Waiting for You in Italy

Kent State University has been educating students in Florence for more than 50 years. From architecture to fashion to hospitality management, Kent State Florence provides multifaceted academic and cultural programs. In addition to completing a full course load, you will have many opportunities to get acquainted with Florence and Italy during your time studying abroad thanks to numerous activities introducing you to Italian life and culture.

Living and Studying in Florence

The Kent State Florence program is based in Palazzo Vettori, a prestigious and ancient building situated in the heart of Florence next to Piazza del Duomo. With student apartments also located in the city center, this program provides a more accessible and immersive experience, unlike other programs positioned outside the city center.  

Why Choose Florence

Year-Round Programs Offered in Florence

The Kent State Florence Center offers a wide range of education abroad opportunities to students.  Students can choose to study in Florence for a semester, summer, or a shorter period over the spring and summer break.  You can search for all program options available at the Kent State Florence Center by using the " Education Abroad Program Search ".

Kent State Florence Semester

Spending one or two semesters abroad is a fully immersive experience which allows you to live like a true Florentine, soaking up the culture and academics over time. All majors are welcome and all courses are taught in English. In addition to all levels of Italian language, you’ll find a variety of courses in many disciplines. Students live with others from Kent State, while attending classes from KSU professors. 

Kent State Florence Summer Institute

Enjoy one or two months at Kent State University's beautiful Florence Center while taking two classes and earning six to seven credits per month. Open to students of all majors, this is a perfect way to experience a snapshot of what it's like to live and learn in Europe. Classes meet Monday through Thursday, so you’ll have ample time to use your weekends to get to know the city of Florence and explore Europe.

Kent State Florence Health Institute

Students pursuing careers in health-related fields (such as Public Health, Nursing, Medicine, or Pharmacy) can take a total of seven credits in Florence for one month during the summer. All courses are available at the undergraduate and graduate level. This study abroad program offers a unique opportunity to appreciate the impact of health sciences through an international lens.

Say Buongiorno to Kent State Florence

Videos from florence, italy, the world in a flash.

We invite you to explore our video collection featuring on-site lectures by renowned professors, insights about daily life in new locations, private museum tours, and the history of the city’s most iconic buildings and architectural features.

A Tour with the Director of KSU Florence

Join Fabrizio Ricciardelli, Director of the Kent State University Florence Center for a tour of Florence. In less than 10 minutes, you’ll get a clear idea of what to expect!

Life in Florence, Italy

This 20-minute video takes you back into Florence’s history to learn how the city is laid out, where its major landmarks are, and how to get around. Our local housing partner created this video for KSU students, and you’ll get a sneak peek at what to expect upon arrival.

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Florence faqs.

We’ve put together a comprehensive list of the most common questions we receive about studying abroad in Florence, Italy. It includes information on academics, costs, housing, traveling and living in the city.

Meet With an Advisor

Make an online or in-person appointment with us and we’ll talk through some factors to consider such as your program choice, visa requirements, funding, travel dates and application deadlines.

Meet Florence Faculty

Schedule an in-person or remote advising appointment with our Kent State University Florence program coordinators and get to know our esteemed faculty overseas before you study abroad in Italy.

One-of-a-Kind Events in Florence

The Kent State Florence Center runs events year-round both in-person and on-demand. Events are open to undergraduate and graduate students studying abroad in Italy for a semester, summer or a full academic year.

When you study at Kent State Florence, you will enjoy a comprehensive academic and cultural program. In addition to completing a full course load, you have many opportunities to get acquainted with Florence and Italy. Our ongoing events include activities that introduce students to Italian life and culture, art, history, food, and so much more!

Whether you’re in Florence for a few weeks or full year, don’t miss the opportunity to connect with your fellow Florentines, learn something new, and soak up the Italian culture!

Ongoing Support During Your Time Abroad in Italy

How do faculty support students abroad.

Our faculty provide an outstanding education in the classroom and out, capitalizing on the Florentine setting with city walks, museum visits, cultural experiences, and field trips.

How does the Kent State Florence team support students abroad?

Our Florence-based staff is there to help you get settled and is available all year round to assist with everything from a medical emergency to a restaurant recommendation.

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What first began in 1972 with a small group of Kent State architecture students and faculty traveling to Florence, Italy, for a few weeks has blossomed into one of the most prestigious education-abroad programs in the country.

Kent State University is the sole university in the U.S. to receive the prestigious 2022 Senator Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization from NAFSA: Association of International Educators. The honor recognizes Kent State for overall excellence in integrating international education throughout all facets of the university and its campuses.

Kent State celebrates 50 years in Florence with a gala event and weeklong trip.

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Learn about tips for students before, during, and after their study abroad experience.

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40 Facts About Elektrostal

Written by Lanette Mayes

Modified & Updated: 01 Jun 2024

Reviewed by Jessica Corbett

Elektrostal is a vibrant city located in the Moscow Oblast region of Russia. With a rich history, stunning architecture, and a thriving community, Elektrostal is a city that has much to offer. Whether you are a history buff, nature enthusiast, or simply curious about different cultures, Elektrostal is sure to captivate you.

This article will provide you with 40 fascinating facts about Elektrostal, giving you a better understanding of why this city is worth exploring. From its origins as an industrial hub to its modern-day charm, we will delve into the various aspects that make Elektrostal a unique and must-visit destination.

So, join us as we uncover the hidden treasures of Elektrostal and discover what makes this city a true gem in the heart of Russia.

Key Takeaways:

• Elektrostal, known as the “Motor City of Russia,” is a vibrant and growing city with a rich industrial history, offering diverse cultural experiences and a strong commitment to environmental sustainability.
• With its convenient location near Moscow, Elektrostal provides a picturesque landscape, vibrant nightlife, and a range of recreational activities, making it an ideal destination for residents and visitors alike.

Known as the “Motor City of Russia.”

Elektrostal, a city located in the Moscow Oblast region of Russia, earned the nickname “Motor City” due to its significant involvement in the automotive industry.

Home to the Elektrostal Metallurgical Plant.

Elektrostal is renowned for its metallurgical plant, which has been producing high-quality steel and alloys since its establishment in 1916.

Boasts a rich industrial heritage.

Elektrostal has a long history of industrial development, contributing to the growth and progress of the region.

Founded in 1916.

The city of Elektrostal was founded in 1916 as a result of the construction of the Elektrostal Metallurgical Plant.

Located approximately 50 kilometers east of Moscow.

Elektrostal is situated in close proximity to the Russian capital, making it easily accessible for both residents and visitors.

Known for its vibrant cultural scene.

Elektrostal is home to several cultural institutions, including museums, theaters, and art galleries that showcase the city’s rich artistic heritage.

A popular destination for nature lovers.

Surrounded by picturesque landscapes and forests, Elektrostal offers ample opportunities for outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, and birdwatching.

Hosts the annual Elektrostal City Day celebrations.

Every year, Elektrostal organizes festive events and activities to celebrate its founding, bringing together residents and visitors in a spirit of unity and joy.

Has a population of approximately 160,000 people.

Elektrostal is home to a diverse and vibrant community of around 160,000 residents, contributing to its dynamic atmosphere.

Boasts excellent education facilities.

The city is known for its well-established educational institutions, providing quality education to students of all ages.

A center for scientific research and innovation.

Elektrostal serves as an important hub for scientific research, particularly in the fields of metallurgy , materials science, and engineering.

Surrounded by picturesque lakes.

The city is blessed with numerous beautiful lakes , offering scenic views and recreational opportunities for locals and visitors alike.

Well-connected transportation system.

Elektrostal benefits from an efficient transportation network, including highways, railways, and public transportation options, ensuring convenient travel within and beyond the city.

Famous for its traditional Russian cuisine.

Food enthusiasts can indulge in authentic Russian dishes at numerous restaurants and cafes scattered throughout Elektrostal.

Home to notable architectural landmarks.

Elektrostal boasts impressive architecture, including the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord and the Elektrostal Palace of Culture.

Offers a wide range of recreational facilities.

Residents and visitors can enjoy various recreational activities, such as sports complexes, swimming pools, and fitness centers, enhancing the overall quality of life.

Provides a high standard of healthcare.

Elektrostal is equipped with modern medical facilities, ensuring residents have access to quality healthcare services.

Home to the Elektrostal History Museum.

The Elektrostal History Museum showcases the city’s fascinating past through exhibitions and displays.

A hub for sports enthusiasts.

Elektrostal is passionate about sports, with numerous stadiums, arenas, and sports clubs offering opportunities for athletes and spectators.

Celebrates diverse cultural festivals.

Throughout the year, Elektrostal hosts a variety of cultural festivals, celebrating different ethnicities, traditions, and art forms.

Electric power played a significant role in its early development.

Elektrostal owes its name and initial growth to the establishment of electric power stations and the utilization of electricity in the industrial sector.

Boasts a thriving economy.

The city’s strong industrial base, coupled with its strategic location near Moscow, has contributed to Elektrostal’s prosperous economic status.

Houses the Elektrostal Drama Theater.

The Elektrostal Drama Theater is a cultural centerpiece, attracting theater enthusiasts from far and wide.

Popular destination for winter sports.

Elektrostal’s proximity to ski resorts and winter sport facilities makes it a favorite destination for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter activities.

Promotes environmental sustainability.

Elektrostal prioritizes environmental protection and sustainability, implementing initiatives to reduce pollution and preserve natural resources.

Home to renowned educational institutions.

Elektrostal is known for its prestigious schools and universities, offering a wide range of academic programs to students.

Committed to cultural preservation.

The city values its cultural heritage and takes active steps to preserve and promote traditional customs, crafts, and arts.

Hosts an annual International Film Festival.

The Elektrostal International Film Festival attracts filmmakers and cinema enthusiasts from around the world, showcasing a diverse range of films.

Encourages entrepreneurship and innovation.

Elektrostal supports aspiring entrepreneurs and fosters a culture of innovation, providing opportunities for startups and business development .

Offers a range of housing options.

Elektrostal provides diverse housing options, including apartments, houses, and residential complexes, catering to different lifestyles and budgets.

Home to notable sports teams.

Elektrostal is proud of its sports legacy , with several successful sports teams competing at regional and national levels.

Boasts a vibrant nightlife scene.

Residents and visitors can enjoy a lively nightlife in Elektrostal, with numerous bars, clubs, and entertainment venues.

Promotes cultural exchange and international relations.

Elektrostal actively engages in international partnerships, cultural exchanges, and diplomatic collaborations to foster global connections.

Surrounded by beautiful nature reserves.

Nearby nature reserves, such as the Barybino Forest and Luchinskoye Lake, offer opportunities for nature enthusiasts to explore and appreciate the region’s biodiversity.

Commemorates historical events.

The city pays tribute to significant historical events through memorials, monuments, and exhibitions, ensuring the preservation of collective memory.

Promotes sports and youth development.

Elektrostal invests in sports infrastructure and programs to encourage youth participation, health, and physical fitness.

Hosts annual cultural and artistic festivals.

Throughout the year, Elektrostal celebrates its cultural diversity through festivals dedicated to music, dance, art, and theater.

Provides a picturesque landscape for photography enthusiasts.

The city’s scenic beauty, architectural landmarks, and natural surroundings make it a paradise for photographers.

Connects to Moscow via a direct train line.

The convenient train connection between Elektrostal and Moscow makes commuting between the two cities effortless.

A city with a bright future.

Elektrostal continues to grow and develop, aiming to become a model city in terms of infrastructure, sustainability, and quality of life for its residents.

In conclusion, Elektrostal is a fascinating city with a rich history and a vibrant present. From its origins as a center of steel production to its modern-day status as a hub for education and industry, Elektrostal has plenty to offer both residents and visitors. With its beautiful parks, cultural attractions, and proximity to Moscow, there is no shortage of things to see and do in this dynamic city. Whether you’re interested in exploring its historical landmarks, enjoying outdoor activities, or immersing yourself in the local culture, Elektrostal has something for everyone. So, next time you find yourself in the Moscow region, don’t miss the opportunity to discover the hidden gems of Elektrostal.

Q: What is the population of Elektrostal?

A: As of the latest data, the population of Elektrostal is approximately XXXX.

Q: How far is Elektrostal from Moscow?

A: Elektrostal is located approximately XX kilometers away from Moscow.

Q: Are there any famous landmarks in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal is home to several notable landmarks, including XXXX and XXXX.

Q: What industries are prominent in Elektrostal?

A: Elektrostal is known for its steel production industry and is also a center for engineering and manufacturing.

Q: Are there any universities or educational institutions in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal is home to XXXX University and several other educational institutions.

Q: What are some popular outdoor activities in Elektrostal?

A: Elektrostal offers several outdoor activities, such as hiking, cycling, and picnicking in its beautiful parks.

Q: Is Elektrostal well-connected in terms of transportation?

A: Yes, Elektrostal has good transportation links, including trains and buses, making it easily accessible from nearby cities.

Q: Are there any annual events or festivals in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal hosts various events and festivals throughout the year, including XXXX and XXXX.

Elektrostal's fascinating history, vibrant culture, and promising future make it a city worth exploring. For more captivating facts about cities around the world, discover the unique characteristics that define each city . Uncover the hidden gems of Moscow Oblast through our in-depth look at Kolomna. Lastly, dive into the rich industrial heritage of Teesside, a thriving industrial center with its own story to tell.

The Unique Burial of a Child of Early Scythian Time at the Cemetery of Saryg-Bulun (Tuva)

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Pages:  379-406

In 1988, the Tuvan Archaeological Expedition (led by M. E. Kilunovskaya and V. A. Semenov) discovered a unique burial of the early Iron Age at Saryg-Bulun in Central Tuva. There are two burial mounds of the Aldy-Bel culture dated by 7th century BC. Within the barrows, which adjoined one another, forming a figure-of-eight, there were discovered 7 burials, from which a representative collection of artifacts was recovered. Burial 5 was the most unique, it was found in a coffin made of a larch trunk, with a tightly closed lid. Due to the preservative properties of larch and lack of air access, the coffin contained a well-preserved mummy of a child with an accompanying set of grave goods. The interred individual retained the skin on his face and had a leather headdress painted with red pigment and a coat, sewn from jerboa fur. The coat was belted with a leather belt with bronze ornaments and buckles. Besides that, a leather quiver with arrows with the shafts decorated with painted ornaments, fully preserved battle pick and a bow were buried in the coffin. Unexpectedly, the full-genomic analysis, showed that the individual was female. This fact opens a new aspect in the study of the social history of the Scythian society and perhaps brings us back to the myth of the Amazons, discussed by Herodotus. Of course, this discovery is unique in its preservation for the Scythian culture of Tuva and requires careful study and conservation.

Keywords: Tuva, Early Iron Age, early Scythian period, Aldy-Bel culture, barrow, burial in the coffin, mummy, full genome sequencing, aDNA

Information about authors: Marina Kilunovskaya (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Dvortsovaya Emb., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation E-mail: [email protected] Vladimir Semenov (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Dvortsovaya Emb., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation E-mail: [email protected] Varvara Busova  (Moscow, Russian Federation).  (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences.  Dvortsovaya Emb., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected] Kharis Mustafin  (Moscow, Russian Federation). Candidate of Technical Sciences. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.  Institutsky Lane, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected] Irina Alborova  (Moscow, Russian Federation). Candidate of Biological Sciences. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.  Institutsky Lane, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected] Alina Matzvai  (Moscow, Russian Federation). Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.  Institutsky Lane, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected]

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12-year-old graduates from high school, heading to college for double degree

Malverne High School senior Suborno Bari has been described as “a prodigy.”

Twelve-year-old Suborno Isaac Bari is graduating from Malverne High School in Malverne, New York, Wednesday, making him the youngest scholar to ever graduate from the history of the Nassau County school, according to Malverne Union Free School District.

Suborno told "Good Morning America" he's excited to graduate and it's been a "long" journey for him so far, even though the high school senior skipped 5th, 6th, 7th, 9th and 11th grades – completing his 4th, 8th, 10th and 12th grades in Malverne Union Free School District while passing the New York State Regents examinations to graduate.

"It's been an absolutely wonderful experience," Suborno said of his high school career.

"I met so many great people and I've learned a lot in both math and science and other disciplines. But I think I'm ready to move on and pursue my higher education to the best of my ability," Suborno added.

12-year-old girl finishes high school, earns college degree

Rebecca Gottesman, the director of K-12 school counseling at Malverne Union Free School District, has been in education for the last 25 years and called Suborno, whom she first met as a fourth grader, "a prodigy."

"Every year, school counselors are asked on behalf of the students that are applying to these colleges to answer the question, 'Is this one of your most exceptional students that you've ever seen in your career?' … and I can say without any doubt that Suborno is the most exceptional student I've ever met academically," Gottesman said. "He's really a prodigy."

Gottesman said the school district and the Bari family worked together to figure out a tailored plan that would let Suborno take higher-level classes but still integrate with his peers and develop socially and emotionally.

"We entered into an agreement where we would allow him to take high school-level courses but take them at our middle school. So he would come into our middle school as [an] eighth-grader [and take core classes] … and then after he took his morning classes, we would put him on the bus and he would take a bus to our elementary school where he would reintegrate with his fifth-grade peers, which were his same-age peers and participate in fifth-grade electives and after-school activities," Gottesman explained.

Suborno said even though he accelerated through grades and split his time, teachers and fellow students embraced him and gave him space to pursue his interests.

"They treated me just like any other high school student … and that's how I really wanted to be treated by the community," the young whiz said.

Gottesman said Suborno, who earned a 1500 on the SAT, 34 on the ACT, and took five AP classes, has left an indelible mark on the Malverne community as an academic leader and is more than ready for college.

9-year-old graduates from high school, now attending college

"He really a wonderful, wonderful young man. He's got an inquisitiveness and a thirst for knowledge, like nobody I've ever seen," Gottesman said. "He's been a joy to work with."

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The 12-year-old aspires to earn a Ph.D. and become a professor. Suborno is heading in the fall as a commuter student to New York University on a scholarship to study for a bachelor's degree in math and physics.

"Many people are doing it only because their parents said so or because engineers just make the most profit, not because they actually love what they're doing. So I hope to fix that and help other people understand math and science and love it in all its beauty," Suborno said.

"Do what you do because you like it because of the passion you feel when describing it or doing it," he added.

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Elektrostal

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Elektrostal , city, Moscow oblast (province), western Russia . It lies 36 miles (58 km) east of Moscow city. The name, meaning “electric steel,” derives from the high-quality-steel industry established there soon after the October Revolution in 1917. During World War II , parts of the heavy-machine-building industry were relocated there from Ukraine, and Elektrostal is now a centre for the production of metallurgical equipment. Pop. (2006 est.) 146,189.