Ph.D. Requirements

Our doctoral curriculum encourages breadth and depth in your graduate experience during the first two years, while also starting to direct you towards your specific areas of research interests. Beginning in the third year, you will turn to more individualized work on your dissertation proposals, in consultation with advisers and other committee members.

Degree Requirements

  1. Courses (see suggested coursework sequence for the first three years)
  • HISTORY 701S: Research Seminar in History
  • HISTORY 702S: Research Seminar in History
  • HISTORY 703S: Focusing on Teaching and Pedagogy
  • HISTORY 704S: Focusing on Preparing Portfolios for Preliminary Certification
  • 6 to 7 Reading Colloquia courses (courses numbered HISTORY 790S-01 through 790S-14).  Students may substitute up to 4 colloquia for Independent Studies (HISTORY 791 / 792), 500, 600 or 700 level History graduate classes, or, with approval of the DGS, graduate seminars from other departments or other universities.
  • 2 to 3 Research Seminars (courses numbered HISTORY 890S-01 through 890S-14). Students may substitute 1-2 of these seminars for an independent study (HISTORY 791 / 792 Independent Study) or another research-centric seminar offered or cross-listed in History. Students need to take at least one HIS 890S seminar.
  1. Foreign Language Proficiency
  2. Supervisory Committee
  3. Preliminary Certification
  4. Dissertation
  5. Dissertation Defense
  6. Payment of 6 semesters of full-time tuition (or 5 if transfer credit has been approved) AND continuous registration

Optional, accelerated path for students entering with an M.A.

Students who enter with the M.A. have the option to move directly to prelims and the prospectus in their second year, should they choose to do so. The requirements are:

  • HISTORY 701S
  • HISTORY 702S
  • HISTORY 703S
  • HISTORY 704S
  • 1 research seminar (HIS 890S)
  • 2 readings colloquia (HIS 790S)

Independent studies would be determined in consultation with the primary adviser and Director of Graduate Studies (DGS). Students who wish to pursue this option need the approval of their advisers and the DGS.

Optional, accelerated path for students wishing to complete Ph.D. in four years or less

Students who enter under special programs that require completion of the Ph.D. in four years or less will work out a specific plan of study with the DGS and their advisers. The department understands that a certain amount of flexibility is required in such cases and the DGS will work to keep the academic spirit of the requirements, without creating insurmountable programmatic barriers for the students.