Ph.D. Program
The Ph.D. program requires mastery of history in certain fields demonstrated by completing at least 45 credit hours of coursework (not including dissertation hours), satisfying a language or tool skill requirement, passing a comprehensive qualifying examination in one major and at least two minor fields, as well as writing and defending orally a dissertation that represents an original contribution to historical knowledge.
Graduate Guide (For Students Beginning Fall 2026 and Later)
Graduate Guide (For Students Beginning Before Fall 2026)
The requirements for the PhD include:
- 45 hours of coursework*, not including credit hours for dissertation research and
writing, of which:
- at least 6 hours must be in 80000-level research seminars;
- at least 6 hours must be in readings seminars in the major field;
- a total of 3 hours must be in HIST 50693, Historiography and Bibliography;
- a total of 3 hours must be in HIST 80083, History as a Profession;
*Students admitted to the PhD program with an MA from another institution may petition to transfer up to 18 hours of graduate coursework.
In addition to these course requirements, a student must:
- Demonstrate reading knowledge of one foreign language or proficiency in one equivalent tool skill, in consultation with their advisor;
- Successfully complete the qualifying examination;
- Successfully defend the dissertation prospectus;
- Successfully defend the dissertation.