history phd 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.

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Top 10 Best History PhD Programs in 2024

History helps us understand societies and allows humanity to learn from patterns and past mistakes.

Many are fascinated and enamored by history, leading to a passion that makes them want to know more.

If you’re a history lover thinking about further deepening your knowledge and establishing a career in the field, a PhD in the subject may be for you. The list of history PhD programs below contains some of the best available in the United States.

Table of Contents

Best PhD Programs in History

North dakota state university.

• North Dakota Residents $405/credit
• Minnesota Residents $514.58
• Non-US Students $607.77
• International Students $709.07

The North Dakota State University has offered its master’s degree in history since 1954. It wasn’t until 2002 that it began offering a PhD program in History. NDSU’s PhD program commonly takes three to five years to finish for full-time students, although it is not uncommon for some students to take longer.

Admission is available year-round, and applicants are required to provide GRE scores. International students whose first language is not English must pass the TOEFL. To apply for the PhD program, you must already have a master’s degree in history or hold one from another closely-related field.

There are limited funding and financial aid  opportunities available at NDSU, primarily as assistantships with tuition waivers and small stipends. This funding is renewable for four years for PhD students, provided academic requirements are met.

Unfortunately, if you’re looking for a program that allows distance learning, you will not find it in NDSU. NDSU also requires one year of residency on campus.

Boston College – Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences

• Your full-time PhD studies at Boston College will be fully paid for by tuition remissions with the expectation of good grades and an obligation to complete research/teaching assistantships and teaching fellowships.
• You may also get stipends of up to $35,875 per year.

Boston College offers masters and PhD degrees in different history specialties, with British, medieval, modern European, and United States history as some of their strongest. There are also other graduate studies interests in South Asian, East Asian, and Latin American history, and the history of religion.

Earning your PhD at Boston College means you can expect small class sizes that allow for individual and specialized attention. This institution’s program also allows for flexibility, although you are expected to complete your studies full-time.

Boston College is located in one of the best academic life centers globally, allowing students to network and collaborate with other universities through their studies.

University of Texas Arlington

• $10,828 per year in-state

The University of Texas Arlington offers students an on-campus PhD program that they can participate in part-time or full-time. Full-time course loads are nine credit hours per term, and full-time students are expected to complete their doctoral degrees within six years, while part-time students may take longer.

To apply for the PhD program at the University of Texas Arlington, you must have a BA or MA in history or  a minimum of eighteen hours of upper-division history courses during your undergrad. You must also provide your GRE scores.

The PhD in history program at the University of Texas Arlington specializes in transatlantic, transnational, and global history approaches focusing on US, European, Latin American, Transatlantic, and Transnational history. The award-winning faculty at this institution provides personalized attention to small class sizes.

The University of Texas Arlington has North America’s only specialized History of Cartography track that provides students access to the Garrett Map Collection , a world-famous map library.

Alumni of the program often establish careers as educators. They may find work as museum professionals or archival administration specialists outside of academia. They may also work for nonprofits or the government, and enjoy careers involving writing, research, and analysis at the highest level.

The University of Texas at Dallas  – PhD in History of Ideas

• $18,276 per semester

The University of Texas at Dallas offers something a little different — a PhD in History of Ideas. This PhD program was designed specifically for those who want to do advanced research or teach at a college level or higher. It concentrates on the study of philosophy as well as intellectual and cultural history with a focus on European and American history.

Students of this program can expect a flexible interdisciplinary approach to their studies that connects among specific areas of interest. Aside from their coursework in the History of Ideas, students must also attend two seminars each for visual & performance arts and literature.

Alumni of this program may become teachers and educators. They can also become curators of museums or historical sites. Other potential careers are research, history administrator, and archivist. Additionally, graduates of this program can work as managers of public or private historical organizations and work for governments or non-profit organizations.

University of California –  Santa Cruz

• $13,850 in-state
• $28,952 out-of-state

The University of California Santa Cruz offers an on-campus history PhD program that emphasizes a cross-cultural and interdisciplinary approach to the study of history with a transnational and global orientation.

UCSC provides a rigorous program that blends instruction and independent work with the intent of training students in original historical research techniques. Students are encouraged to think innovatively and trained to talk, think, and teach beyond boundaries. This program prepares its students to teach university-level courses while also providing them with the tools they need to succeed in careers outside of academia.

The University of California’s Department of History, as well as its Santa Cruz campus, is well-known for its many strengths including:

• Gender, Sexuality, & Feminist Studies
• Colonialism
• Critical Race Studies
• Internationalism
• Nationalism
• Decolonial and Postcolonial Studies
• Class & Transnational Labor Studies

Admission to UCSC’s history PhD program is highly competitive. The institution states that they only admit the most qualified, highly motivated applicants and welcome and encourage diversity in their student body.

Note: The University of California Santa Cruz no longer requires applicants to provide GRE scores.

Indiana University – Bloomington

• Indiana residents:  full-time direct costs $25,406/total estimated costs $33,272
• Non-Indiana residents: full-time direct costs $45,594/total estimated costs $53,460

​​Indiana University Bloomington has one of the largest libraries and history departments in the United States, making it one of the top choices for those interested in a future career in the field. This institution provides one of the best history doctoral programs nationwide taught by 50+ talented faculty members.

According to the program itself, Indiana University Bloomington is dedicated to training first-class historians for careers in and out of the classroom. Despite having a larger faculty, classes remain small in size so that students can receive individualized attention and advisor support.

Interested students may apply for a PhD directly without having a master’s degree. Admitted students are allowed seven years to complete their coursework and another seven years for their dissertation. However, students commonly finish their studies at a much faster pace than the allowance.

Provided they qualify, students in need of financial aid can find it by working as an associate instructor, course assistant, research assistant, or editorial assistant. Fellowships and grants are also within reach for those interested enough to apply.

New York University (Arts & Science)

• $50,638 per year
• Most new students at the NYU GSAS receive multi-year funding through the Henry M. MacCracken Program  that offers four/five-year award terms, tuition remission for degree-required courses, health insurance, a nine-month living expenses stipend OR research assistantship, and a one-time $1,000 grant that students can use at their discretion.

New York University’s Graduate School of Arts and Science, founded over a century ago in 1886, is one of the oldest schools in the US that offers doctoral degrees. It has one of the best history PhDs available in the country.

Earning your PhD at NYU GSAS means you’ll need to commit to full-time studies of 12 points per semester. A PhD is 72 points, and students must complete 24 units within the first three years of their studies.

Learning is on-campus and there are no distance-learning opportunities at this time.

The history PhD program at the New York University Graduate School of Arts and Science is research-focused. Its main objective is to develop students’ professional skills in historical research and teaching history. This objective prepares students for an eventual career in academia or research. It also prepares future graduates, part of the job hopping generation , for other jobs such as archival management.

NYU GSAS’s major areas of study include but are not limited to:

• African Diaspora
• African History
• Atlantic History
• East Asian History
• Latin American and Caribbean History
• Medieval European History
• Early Modern European History
• South Asian History
• United States History

*Interested students do not need to take the GRE if they apply for a standalone master’s or PhD in history. However, applying to joint PhD studies will require GRE results.

*International students whose first language is not English must pass the TOEFL.

Rutgers (School of Arts & Science)

• New Jersey residents:  $19,724/year
• Non-New Jersey residents:  $32,132/year

Rutgers offers funding opportunities for qualified students in the form of partial or complete tuition remission and a stipend of up to $25,000 disbursed annually. Students eligible for this aid are obligated to complete fellowships and assistantships throughout their studies.

The history PhD program at the Rutgers School of Arts and Science was designed for full-time study, taking 5 years on average. The distinguished faculty of more than 60 historians cover all sorts of areas of study and time periods, though they have strong specializations in traditional regional, thematic, transnational, comparative, cultural-intellectual, social history, and more.

Students in the program publish their research and scholarly work relatively often in major historical journals. They also present their research both nationally and internationally.

This institution’s history PhD programs such as women’s and gender history, modern U.S. history, and African-American history are often some of the most top-ranked nationwide.

University of California Berkeley

• Admitted students receive a fully-funded fellowship that includes tuition and fee remission, insurance, and an additional stipend.
• In the following years, students receive a salary and a stipend during teaching assistantships and instructorships.
• A department research year grant is also awarded alongside a stipend.
• To find out more, see their financial aid page here .

UC Berkeley’s history department is one of the top-ranked in the USA, and it offers one of the best PhD history programs in the nation.

Students learn from award-winning faculty members who have won some of the most prestigious awards in the field, including the MacArthur “Genius Award” and more. The faculty and their research cover practically everything — most of the globe and almost all of humanity’s recorded history.

The PhD program at UC Berkeley is well-known for cultural history, but it also specializes in the history of science, political history, religious history, economic history, urban history, and more.

It prepares students in four fields of study:

• Three selected fields in history (first, second, and third)
• One outside field in another discipline

UC Berkeley is committed to diversity in its student body and accepts students from all over the world.

University of Michigan (College of Literature, Science & Arts)

• The plan involves six terms of fellowship support and six years of appointment as a grad student instructor or GSI.
• Students also receive summer support for the first four years.
• After the six years are over, there are additional funding opportunities  possible.

The history PhD program at the University of Michigan has an interdisciplinary, global, and multidimensional approach to student education and training. It is regularly among the top-ranked history departments in the United States, which is a testament to the quality of education the diverse students receive here.

The program combines innovative teaching by the institution’s talented faculty with state-of-the-art research and techniques. The aim is to provide students training and preparation in their research fields, allowing them to succeed in their careers in or out of academia.

After graduation, alumni of this program enjoy relatively great placement numbers. The institution reports that only three out of nineteen graduates say they are unemployed or have no opportunities upon graduation in the past two years.

Because of the generous funding package and bright future for alumni, this program is extremely competitive. It receives around 350-400 applications for only eighteen open slots per year. It’s also worth mentioning that the average master’s GPA for applicants is 3.87.

Students must complete one year (18 credits) of the program in residence on-campus and complete the entire program within six to seven years.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many years does it take to get a phd in history.

One of the main deterrents of earning any PhD is the time investment involved. The same applies to students who are earning their doctorate in history. According to Historians.org , the average time to finish a PhD in history programs is roughly eight years.

As a history PhD candidate , your program expects you to enroll in a minimum of three academic years for your graduate studies, known as your “residence.” Another common expectation is that PhD students should spend at least one year of residency at the university or institution awarding them the doctorate.

Despite requiring only three years of residence, it’s extremely rare for candidates to finish this quickly. Candidates must also fulfill the other important requirements, such as their dissertations, which often take around four years to complete.

Do I need a master’s in history to get a PhD in History?

If you’re thinking about applying for a PhD history program, you might be relieved to know that you don’t always need a master’s in history to qualify. For some educational institutions, the minimum educational attainment interested applicants need is a bachelor’s degree. However, there may be other requirements to apply, such as entrance exams, proof of interest in history, and recommendation letters.

The best thing you can do is find out whether the program you’re interested in requires a master’s degree before you apply.

How much does a history PhD cost?

The amount you pay per year may vary depending on where you choose to do your PhD.

On average, doctorates can cost as much as $30,000/year in tuition costs alone. Multiply that by eight years, and you may be paying $240,000 in total — not including any other costs incurred along the way.

If that amount sends you reeling, it might give you some relief to know that many of the best history PhD programs offer full funding and stipends to all admitted students.

There are also PhD programs in history that cost only half to a third of this amount overall.

How competitive are history PhD programs?

Those who have earned their history PhDs may tell you that the job market can be a challenge due to the limited number of positions available. The tight job market also means a more competitive admissions process, where it can be difficult to get into the PhD history programs of your choice. For example, some programs get almost four hundred applicants with fewer than twenty spots to fill.

Wrapping Up: Is a PhD in History for You?

The answer to this question depends on your preferences.

A PhD in History is often highly specialized, resulting in few career options upon graduation. However, those extremely passionate about the subject find extreme satisfaction in deepening their knowledge.

If you want a career in academia, or if you want to be working with history in some capacity in your job, a PhD may just be for you. Who knows, you may even qualify for a program that offers full funding!

Related Reading:

• Master’s in History: Ultimate Guide
• Top 5 Best PhD Programs in English
• Top 10 Highest Paying PhD Degrees
• Top 20 Online PhD Programs
• EdD vs PhD: Which One is Right For You?

Chriselle Sy

Chriselle has been a passionate professional content writer for over 10 years. She writes educational content for The Grad Cafe, Productivity Spot, The College Monk, and other digital publications.  When she isn't busy writing, she spends her time streaming video games and learning new skills.

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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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Graduate Program Contacts:

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Graduate coordinator.

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Graduate Degree Programs

Our graduate program aim at training world-class scholars in History.   We offer the following degree programs:

• Ph.D. Minor in History : Become a world-class historian by training with 
• Joint J.D./M.A. Program in Law and History  : Obtain top-notch training in law and history and explore complex intersections between the two fields toward a J.D./ M.A.
• Masters in History : Train with world-class faculty before pursuing a Ph.D. in History.

Over 1,500  doctoral dissertations have been completed in the department since 1895.  Student accomplishments are recognized through a number of endowed awards and fellowships.   Our alumni   pursue successful careers in teaching, research, or higher education administration at colleges and universities both in the United States and worldwide .

Fields of Study

Our graduate students work closely with faculty members in fourteen 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. Graduate training is based on cross-cutting methodologies and approaches, ranging from gender to digital history.  Explore each field and its faculty .

Beyond the Classroom

In close collaboration with Stanford  faculty members  and  department leadership , our graduate students organize number of event series that contribute to the department's intellectual life and community.   Graduate student representatives , "grad reps", act as a liaison between the department leadership and graduate student body, actively participate in department issues, and help provide a supportive community for the first year cohort as well as other graduate students. Graduate students also engage with unique research, curricular, and professionalization activities offered on Stanford campus. 

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.

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

Please review admissions for policies and requirements for each degree program by visiting the specific degree program page listed above. Please also consider reviewing the Stanford School of Humanities & Sciences'  Guide on Getting into Grad School  to explore which graduate program may best suit your interest, what graduate committees look for, and the benefits and challenges for pursuing a graduate degree.

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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

Joseph Bishop received an essay prize.

Hasan Hameed published an article. Nikianna Dinensis and Jiya Pandya were named Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellows.

His multimedia installation, ”Neighbours: Forms of Trauma (1945-1989),” takes visitors inside a chapter of Bulgarian history that has been largely absent from textbooks,…

On April 17, the Graduate School hosted a Tribute to Teaching Reception, hosted by Rodney D. Priestly, dean of the Graduate School.

The graduate program in History values an approach to scholarship grounded in the particular while retaining a sense of the whole. The faculty encourage students to take as comprehensive a view of history as possible with the goal of cultivating a far-reaching understanding of the past. Throughout their enrollment, students develop the necessary skills to conduct discipline-defining research.

Vibrant intellectual communities within the department and across campus encourage students to engage in interdisciplinary conversations with faculty, other students, and visiting scholars. Faculty advisers supervise the progress of each student and closely oversee the research and writing of the dissertation. Deep departmental commitment to professional development aids students in becoming expert historians and effective teachers.

Explore the various fields of inquiry pursued by currently enrolled students by reading their profiles .

PhD in History

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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.

Discover CAS: The Humanities

Explore our community.

Video Take a Video Tour .

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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

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• 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

History, PHD

On this page:, at a glance: program details.

• Location: Tempe campus
• Second Language Requirement: No

Program Description

Degree Awarded: PHD History

The PhD program in history offers outstanding opportunities for graduate study in North American, European, public and global-comparative history.

The School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies' world-class faculty members deliver courses and individualized mentoring in a wide range of historical topics, such as urban history, environment and sustainability studies, politics and policy, immigration, gender, race and ethnicity, and comparative history. In addition, doctoral history students are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the numerous collaborative opportunities that exist throughout the university in ASU's many innovative schools and centers.

Degree Requirements

Curriculum plan options.

Required Core (16 credit hours) HST 502 Public History Methodology (3) HST 640 Historical Methods (3) HST 641 North American History (3) HST 643 Global History (3) HST 644 Area Studies in History (3) HST 682 Advanced Research Skill (1)

Electives and Research (44 credit hours)

Other Requirement (12 credit hours) HST 591 Seminar (6) HST 792 Research (6)

Culminating Experience (12 credit hours) HST 799 Dissertation (12)

Additional Curriculum Information In general, all credit hours must be at the 500 level or above. Graduate credit may be awarded for 400-level courses; it must be approved in advance and documented in the student's file.

The doctoral program requires a minimum of 84 credit hours and may be completed in four to five years. Students with a master's degree may apply 30 credit hours toward the 84 required credit hours with approval of the academic unit and the Graduate College. If the student does not already have a master's degree in a related field, then the remaining 30 credit hours are made up of electives and research to reach the 84 credit hours required for the doctoral program.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree, in any field, from a regionally accredited institution.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program. The most competitive applicants have a GPA of 3.30 or higher.

All applicants must submit:

• graduate admission application and application fee
• official transcripts
• statement of purpose
• resume or curriculum vitae
• writing sample
• three letters of recommendation
• proof of English proficiency

Additional Application Information An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency. The history program requires a TOEFL iBT score of at least 90. A student whose native language is not English also must submit a copy of an article or research paper in the student's native or principal research language in addition to the English writing sample required of all students.

Students are required to submit a minimum of three email addresses of faculty or others qualified to speak to the student's suitability for graduate study in history. Letters of reference should be submitted by the recommenders in addition to the electronic reference form they are asked to complete.

The statement of purpose is to be addressed to the history admission committee and should explain the applicant's scholarly background and training, career goals, the primary field the applicant wishes to pursue, the proposed research specialization, and why the applicant wants to pursue graduate study at ASU; it should be about 500 words in length.

The writing sample, either published or unpublished, may be an article, a research paper, or any other extended sample of expository skill, and it must be no longer than 35 pages in length. Longer writing samples should not be submitted without first consulting the graduate director. Documents and files should not be password protected. Acceptable file types are .rtf, .pdf and .doc.

Next Steps to attend ASU

Learn about our programs, apply to a program, visit our campus, application deadlines, learning outcomes.

• Identify and complete applications for funding opportunities that can support their research
• Demonstrate mastery of three domains of historical knowledge as well as display expertise in their proposed topic of study
• Accomplish meaningful contributions to the profession through accepted publications and presentations

Career Opportunities

Graduates possess the foundational skills in research, writing, and communication and fundamental training needed for careers in research, archival work, higher education, teaching, public history, government service, and a host of other areas in the public, private and nonprofit sectors.

They serve as first-rate historians, highly qualified instructors at two-year schools and universities, researchers and consultants for business and government, archivists, foreign service officers, management professionals, community organizers and public servants. Other career examples include:

• editorial and publishing professional
• K-12 school teacher
• museum director and staff
• nonprofit director
• university professor

Global Experience

With over 250 programs in more than 65 countries (ranging from one week to one year), study abroad is possible for all ASU students wishing to gain global skills and knowledge in preparation for a 21st-century career. Students earn ASU credit for completed courses, while staying on track for graduation, and may apply financial aid and scholarships toward program costs. https://mystudyabroad.asu.edu

Program Contact Information

If you have questions related to admission, please click here to request information and an admission specialist will reach out to you directly. For questions regarding faculty or courses, please use the contact information below.

• [email protected]
• 480/965-5778

History, PhD

Zanvyl krieger school of arts and sciences, program requirements.

Students are required to have a reading knowledge of those foreign languages that are necessary for the satisfactory completion of their program of graduate study. Students in European history must have a reading knowledge of at least two languages, and students in medieval history must also have a reading knowledge of Latin. Students of Chinese history are expected to have reading knowledge of modern and classical Chinese and in most cases should also have reading knowledge of Japanese and/or a European language. Students in the Latin American area must have a reading knowledge of two of the following, depending upon their particular specialties: French, Spanish, Portuguese, or Dutch. In African history, students must have a reading knowledge of three languages including English and French. Depending upon their fields of specialization, students in African history may have other language needs. Students are expected to pass a written examination in one language within a month after entering the department, and they are required to do so before the end of the first year.

All entering students are required to take the AS.100.647 Historical Methods  seminar within their first year in the program.

Each student is required to take a seminar under their major professor and to participate in at least one departmental seminar each semester.

The student’s knowledge of four fields will be tested by written and oral examinations before the end of the second year of graduate study.

The student must write and defend a dissertation that is a major piece of historical research and interpretation based on primary sources and representing a contribution to historical knowledge. Its content, form, and style must be adequate to make it suitable for publication.

Normally, eac h stu dent is required to perform some supervised teaching or research duties at some point during the graduate program, most often as a teaching fellow during the second and fourth years.

• PhD History
• Prospective Students
• MA Programs

The Department of History offers a PhD program centered on rigorous research within a vibrant and diverse intellectual community. While most of our students have a history degree (BA) or degrees (BA and MA), we accept students with a variety of backgrounds and interests. 

Admission is highly competitive. All offers include a full university fellowship for the duration of the program. Between 2017 and 2024, a number of excellent students selected for admission were named  Neubauer Family Distinguished Doctoral Fellows and received additional fellowship support over for five years.

Admissions Deadline (Autumn 2025 program start):  December 5, 2024 at 11:55 

Application Process

Interested students apply to the PhD program through the  Division of the Social Sciences . For questions regarding the application submission and fee waivers, please contact  SSD Admissions.  For questions regarding the History PhD Program or History-specific application components, please contact our  graduate affairs administrator .

Official decisions are sent by the Social Science Admissions Office by late February. The Department cannot release any information on admissions decisions.

Application Advice

The requirements for the application can be found on the divisional  admissions pages . The following advice is specific to your application to the Department of History.

Your  writing sample  should be a complete self-contained work. The ideal sample should be in the field of history (or a closely related field) that you plan to pursue at Chicago. Include the class or publication for which the sample was written. We do not have a page or word limit for writing samples. For papers longer than thirty pages, please flag a section for the committee.

Your  candidate statement  provides us with vital insight into the intersection of your intellectual goals and personal trajectory. It should communicate: 1) the ambitions you wish to pursue through doctoral work in history; 2) the specific questions and themes that will shape your dissertation research; 3) the personal and intellectual trajectory that has brought you to those themes and questions and prepared you to pursue them; and 4) the reasons that the University of Chicago and its faculty are well-matched to your doctoral plans.

The most helpful  letters of recommendation  come from faculty members who can assess your ability to work on your proposed historical topic.

Prospective students are asked to identify one or two primary fields of scholarly interest from a list in the application. Our faculty pages are sorted by field. Please see those pages for more information on faculty working in your field of interest. Please note, however, that we highly encourage applicants who work across field boundaries and do not apportion admissions by field.

There is no minimum  foreign language requirement  to enter the program, but successful applicants should possess strong language skills in their proposed research language(s) and be aware of the  language requirements for the various fields . All students are required to take a language exam in the first quarter of the program.

The University sets the  English-language assessment  requirements. Refer to the  Division of the Social Sciences  for English-language requirements and waivers.

Submission of  GRE scores  is entirely optional. Those who choose not to submit scores will not be disadvantaged in the admissions process.

MA Program Consideration

All applicants who are not admitted to our PhD program are automatically forwarded for consideration by our MA programs, unless the applicant specifically opts out of this process on their application. That said, as referred applications are considered later than most other MA applications, scholarship assistance for students admitted to an MA program through the referral process may be limited. If you are interested in our MA programs and would need scholarship assistance to attend, we would encourage you to apply directly to the MA as well as our program (note that this would require a separate application and application fee). MA applications are accepted  multiple times per year  with decisions typically issued within 6 to 8 weeks. Questions about applying to an MA program should be directed to  [email protected] .

Campus Visits

We encourage prospective students to reach out to potential faculty mentors through email. Please consult our faculty page to find professors who share your interests. Our graduate affairs administrator can provide additional information about the program.

The University also offers  graduate campus tours  throughout the year that are led by graduate students. Please check their website for campus visitor updates.

Admitted PhD students are invited to visit campus for "History Day" at the beginning of Spring Quarter.

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The Graduate Program

 fields of study.

Like all major history departments in this country, we divide our graduate program into fields, most of which reflect the geographic and chronological boundaries that have traditionally organized historical research in the West, but others of which cross those boundaries (such as sociomedical sciences, Jewish history, and International & Global History).Those boundaries continue to define most faculty positions in American history departments. Every prospective Columbia student thus applies to work in a specific field. There are 13 of them, each of which has slightly different requirements:

• Early Modern Europe (1350-1750)
• International and Global History
• Jewish History
• Latin America
• Medieval Europe
• Middle East
• Modern Europe
• Socio-Medical Sciences
• United States

Prospective students should realize, however, that our history department, like many others, also provides opportunities for students to embrace broader lines of inquiry- both within and across traditional divisions by field. We urge our students, first, to explore the convergence of different methodological and theoretical approaches to history- to explore, for example, the intersections between political and social history, or the connections between diplomatic, cultural, and intellectual history. And we encourage our students, second, to consider research that moves beyond the period and place associated with their field. We continue to emphasize deep training in source analysis and empirical research,which are the foundations of professional history-writing. But we also urge students to take on research projects that situate their particular time or place in historical processes that decisively cross traditional boundaries.

We welcome applications, therefore,from students with strong interests in particular fields, who are eager to immerse themselves in the records of particular cultures and are prepared to acquire the techniques necessary for such work (languages and, for certain subjects, such specialized skills as paleography, statistics, or even musical training). But we also encourage applications from students who want as well to think about their work in terms of longer histories and broader theoretical questions.

Faculty members at Columbia conduct research and train students in several such broad, transnational areas, including:

• International history, emphasizing imperial and post-imperial histories from the 1500s forward
• Western intellectual history, medieval to modem
• Diasporic Jewish history
• Ethics and public health
• Women’s history and the history of gender
• Social and political history of the West, including history of markets, commercial culture, labor, and associated legal institutions
• The international history of race, slavery, and emancipation
• The international history of the Cold War and other systems of geopolitics
• The history of science and technology
• The global history of medicine, disease, and public health

However they define their fields, history students are not confined to the resources of our department. They are, rather, encouraged to look beyond our walls to other areas of the university or to other institutions in the New York metropolitan area.

In addition to Columbia’s fine departments in associated disciplines, such as languages and literature, art history, music, philosophy, sociology, political science, or anthropology, Columbia has a wide range of energetic interdisciplinary institutes that provide formal and informal training to graduate students throughout the university, among them the Harriman Institute for Soviet and Post-Soviet Studies , the Middle Eastern Institute , the Institute for Research on Women and Gender , and the East Asian Institute  (along with the Department of East Asian Languages and Culture ). Columbia’s School of Public Health, which offers a Ph.D. in the history of medicine and public health in association with our department; the Law School, with which we offer a joint Ph.D./J.D. program; Teachers College; and the School of International and Public Affairs are four of Columbia’s many professional schools that offer courses and other intellectual opportunities to enhance a student’s training in the history department.

Columbia history students are also entitled to take courses at no additional cost at other area universities through the Inter-University Doctoral Consortium , such as NYU, the New School, CUNY Graduate Center, Stonybrook, Fordham, Princeton, and Rutgers .

Whatever larger interests a student may have or may develop, each enters the history program through a particular field. The Graduate Student Handbook lists the thirteen fields and details the specific requirements for each (the principal differences concern language requirements, orals preparation,and seminars). Students and their advisors may, however, agree on adjustments to those requirements in response to a student’s particular interests. Students should also keep in mind that they can formally change fields, with faculty permission, and consequently adjust their programs to reflect their particular needs.

DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY

Welcome to the Department of History's Graduate Program page.  

Prospective Students are invited to learn more About the Program, to find out more about Admissions and Financial Aid, to read our Application FAQ, to peruse our Course Offerings, to examine the Cross-Field Strengths of our faculty, to investigate our Interdisciplinary Cluster Initiative, and to read about the Scholarly Environment in our program.

Current Students may be interested in reviewing our Degree Requirements, in investigating our Course Offerings, in learning more about our Departmental Prizes, in browsing the profiles of Current Graduate Students, and in reading through a list of Graduate School Links.

Incoming Students please see this resource for information regarding your rights, responsibilities, and resources for living off-campus from Northwestern’s Off-Campus Life , including How-To Guides and videos (such as the How to Move Off Campus or Navigating Places4Students videos).

Prospective students, current students, and alumni may also be interesting in following our Grad News and gathering information about the career placement of our graduates.

All history graduate students belong to the History Graduate Student Organization . HGSO's student representatives support current students and the graduate program by working on issues including teaching, professional development, and new student recruitment.

English Graduate Course Descriptions

Summer 2023, english 792.s01 topics: gothic film, sharon smith.

Horace Walpole’s 1764 novella "The Castle of Otranto " established many of the conventions we associate with Gothic narrative: distressed heroes and heroines pursued by tyrannical villains; gloomy estates with dark corridors, secret passageways, and mysterious chambers; haunting dreams, troubling prophecies, and disturbing premonitions; abduction, imprisonment, and murder; and, of course, a varied assortment of corpses, apparitions, and “monsters.” These conventions infiltrated cinema early in its history, establishing Gothic film as a significant genre that continues to engage audiences in the present day. Like their literary predecessors, these films explore the darker side of family, marriage, gender, and sexuality, often revealing the power dynamics that shape them. As they do so, they demonstrate how the true horrors of human existence often have less to do with inexplicable supernatural phenomena than with the horrific realities of life. Among these realities is our inability to escape a past that relentlessly haunts the present and that must be confronted before it can be left behind. During this five-week online course, we will watch films that engage Gothic conventions and concerns and will read a selection of criticism focusing on the films we watch. Films may include Alfred Hitchcock’s Rebecca , Stanley Kubrick’s "The Shining," Tim Burton’s "Edward Scissorhands," Georgina Lightning’s "Older Than America," Ana Lily Amirpour's "A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night," Jennifer Kent’s "The Babadook," Jordan Peele’s "Get Out," Rian Johnson’s "Knives Out," and Jane Campion’s "The Power of the Dog."

ENGL 592.S01 Professional Editing and Publishing

On Campus: Mondays 3-5:50 p.m.

Katherine Malone

This course focuses on the theory and practice of professional editing in the field of English studies. Our readings will consider questions relating to authorship, textuality, and the role of the editor in journal, book, and web publishing. In addition to exploring contemporary debates in scholarly editing, we will consider how editorial decisions (such as introductory essays, appendices, footnotes, illustrations, and textual sources) shape meaning across various editions of a work. You will learn how to build style sheets, ensure error-free copy, and manage editorial projects while gaining hands-on experience with a top-tier academic journal. Assignments include a course blog, two edited articles, a textual history essay, and a final project for which you will use your research and editing skills to create an anthology of nineteenth-century short stories.

REQUIRED TEXTS

• Einsohn, Amy, Marilyn Schwartz, and Erika Buky. The Copyeditor's Handbook and Workbook: The Complete Set . Oakland: University of California Press, 2019. (9780520306677)
• Keleman, Erick. Textual Editing and Criticism: An Introduction . New York: Norton, 2009. (9780393929423)
• Williams, Joseph M., and Joseph Bizup. Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace . 12th ed. Boston: Pearson, 2016. (9780134080413)

ENGL 592.ST1 Screenwriting

Steven wingate.

Students will learn the fundamentals of screenwriting: good format, believable and imaginative stories, solid characterization, and well-turned narrative arcs. The class will read outstanding screenplays as craft examples, adapt a literary work to learn format, then draft, workshop, revise, and expand original scripts or adaptations. At the end of the course, students should have either a complete and polished first act of a feature script they can complete on their own time, or a fully-realized script for a short film or series episode. While we will not focus on “making it” in Hollywood, we will cover the basics of how the film industry works and what that means for writers who want to see their work onscreen.

ENGL 705.S01 Seminar in Teaching Composition

On Campus: Thursdays 1-3:50 p.m.

Nathan Serfling

This course will provide you with a foundation in the pedagogies and theories (and their attendant histories) of writing instruction, a foundation that will prepare you to teach your own writing courses at SDSU and elsewhere. As you will discover through our course, though, writing instruction does not come with any prescribed set of “best” practices. Rather, writing pedagogies stem from and continue to evolve because of various and largely unsettled conversations about what constitutes effective writing and effective writing instruction. Part of becoming a practicing writing instructor, then, is studying these conversations to develop a sense of what “good writing” and “effective writing instruction” might mean for you in our particular program and how you might adapt that understanding to different programs and contexts.

As we read about, discuss, and research writing instruction, we will address a variety of practical and theoretical topics. The practical focus will allow us to attend to topics relevant to your immediate classroom practices: designing a curriculum and various types of assignments, delivering the course content, and assessing student work, among others. Our theoretical topics will begin to reveal the underpinnings of these various practical matters, including their historical, rhetorical, social, and political contexts. In other words, we will investigate the praxis—the dialogic interaction of practice and theory—of writing pedagogy. As a result, this course aims to prepare you not only as a writing teacher but also as a nascent writing studies/writing pedagogy scholar.

At the end of this course, you should be able to engage effectively in the classroom practices described above and participate in academic conversations about writing pedagogy, both orally and in writing. Assessment of these outcomes will be based primarily on the various writing assignments you submit and to a smaller degree on your participation in class discussions and activities.

ENGL 726.S01 Seminar in English Literature since 1660: Living “In the Wake” of Colonization and Slavery

On Campus: Tuesdays 3-5:50 p.m.

This course examines representations of race in literature of the long eighteenth century, considering how these representations were used to both rationalize and critique colonization and transatlantic slavery. Though we’ll consider texts written from the perspective of the colonizing culture, a significant portion of the course will focus on voices from multiple historical, geographical, and generic contexts that push back against and fill gaps within colonial narratives. Engaging a “presentist” approach to the study of eighteenth-century texts, we’ll discuss how twenty-first-century Americans are currently living “in the wake”—to use Christina Sharpe’s phrase—of colonization and slavery, as can be seen in the movements for and reactions against ending systemic racial violence, teaching Black and Indigenous histories, reforming the prison system, and returning stolen Indigenous lands. Literary texts will include Aphra Behn’s "Oroonoko," Daniel Defoe’s "Robinson Crusoe, The Woman of Colour," Olaudah Equiano’s "Interesting Narrative," Mary Prince’s "Autobiography," and a variety of shorter texts that engage with subject matter related to colonization, indigeneity, enslavement, abolition, and rebellion. We will also consider the work of more recent authors and scholars, including Robert Hayden, Toni Morrison, Saidiya Hartman, Christina Sharpe and Layli Long Soldier.

ENGL 792.ST1 Reading Contemporary Poetry and Creative Nonfiction

Amber jensen, m.a., m.f.a..

In this course, we will explore how contemporary poetry and creative nonfiction build upon traditional models but also continue to innovate and blur genre distinctions. We will draw from theoretical texts "How to Read (and Write About) Poetry, Second Edition " by Susan Holbrook and "The Next American Essay (A New History of the Essay) " by John D’Agata and read individual poems and essays, as well as complete collections and memoirs, including (selections subject to change): Kaleb Ray Cadrilli’s "Water I Won’t Touch," Tyree Daye’s Cardinal, Christine Stewart’s "The Poet & The Architect," Joy Harjo’s "Crazy Brave," and Mary Alice Haug’s "Out of Loneliness." Our rhetorical reading of these texts will focus on the relationship between text and context, examining how these works reflect and impact the world they are produced and consumed in, what we bring to our reading of these texts and what these texts offer to us.