History (PhD)

Requirements for the Degrees

Candidates for the MA degree are required to complete 30 hours of course work, of which 21 hours must be in history. The history credits must include one of the department’s five basic historiography courses, 4 reading seminars, 2 research and writing seminars or 1 research and writing seminar and a 6-credit MA thesis.

The PhD degree recognizes the candidate’s command of specific fields of history as well as the ability to conceive and execute a PhD dissertation. The following specific requirements must be met: completion of 30 credits of graduate work of which at least 24 must be in history; the history credits must include 2 of the Department’s 5 basic historiography courses, 4 reading seminars, and 2 research and writing seminars; demonstration of reading competence in a foreign language (faculties in certain specialties require additional language or skill requirements); passage of written field exams; a defense of the dissertation prospectus within six months of passing exams, and a presentation of a dissertation-based research paper to a departmental assembly of faculty and graduate students within a year of passing exams. After the preceding requirements have been met, the candidate must finish a dissertation and defend it in an oral exam.

Last Revised 2016-2017 Academic Year