Doctor of Philosophy in History
Admission
In addition to fulfillment of the general requirements of the Graduate College, admission
to doctoral study in history is based upon the recommendation of the Graduate Studies
Committee to the Head of the department.
A Master of Arts degree is required for admission into the Ph.D. program. Preference
will be given to applicants who hold an M.A. in history and have completed a thesis.
The Graduate Studies Committee will consider other applications on an individual basis.
Students with insufficient hours in history may be required by the Graduate Studies
Committee to take additional hours at the 5000/6000 level. Students should already
have made progress toward proficiency in a foreign language before seeking admission.
The Graduate Studies Committee will give preference to applicants with an overall
grade point average of 3.5 or above in their M.A. program. For more information about
application requirements:
Fields of Study
The Ph.D. program requires at least sixty hours beyond the M.A. degree. Students
must, in consultation with their Advisory Committee, select three fields of study
– a major field (at least twelve credits), and two minor fields (at least six credits
each), with at least one of the three fields representing a geographic field, from
the options shown below. To be admitted to candidacy, students must pass comprehensive
examinations, demonstrate a reading knowledge of one foreign language, have an approved
dissertation proposal, and submit a Plan of Study to the Graduate College before writing
a dissertation. All Ph.D. students must take Historiography (HIST 6023), Teaching
History at the College Level (HIST 5021), and at least 36 total coursework hours, not counting Historiography, Teaching History at the College Level, or Methods, if
the latter is required. This means that, because the major and minor fields require 24 credits total, students
must take twelve hours of electives (which can overlap with the major and minor fields),
in order to get to the required 36 coursework hours. Students must take at least eighteen
hours of seminar, including at least three hours of research seminar. HIST 6100, HIST
6130, and internships do not qualify as seminars. Students without an M.A. thesis
must take Historical Methods (HIST 5023). With the consent of their Advisory Committee,
students may apply graduate course work taken outside the History Department to their
major or minor fields.
Major Field (12 Credits)
Minor Field (6 Credits)
Minor Field (6 Credits)
Electives (12 credits)
Students must pick at least one geographically focused field
Major Fields:
United States
Native American and Indigenous
Europe
World
Public History
Minor Fields:
Native American and Indigenous
Health and Environment
Religion
Women and Gender
War and Society
Race and Ethnicity
Public History
United States
Europe
Ancient World
United States West
Middle East
Asia
Latin America