Program of Study (60 credits, minimum)
The program has a thematic orientation. The student will choose a major concentration and a minor concentration from among these five fields: Public Policy History; International, Global, and Comparative History; Social and Economic History; Gender History; Cultural History. The student must also choose one or more areas of geographic specialization. Those available are: United States, Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia.
- History (44-60 credits):
- Teaching Practicum His 500 (2 credits);
- Colloquium on the Theory and Practice of History His 600 (4 credits);
- Dissertation Prospectus Workshop His 898 (4 credits)
- Courses as advised, including two history research seminars and two reading seminars in the major field, and one history reading seminar appropriate to the required minor field.
- Cognate Discipline (0-16 credits): Students are required to demonstrate competence in the content and research methods of at least one cognate discipline.
- Research Tool Requirement: Students are required to demonstrate reading proficiency in one foreign language, or in quantitative methods, or in multimedia methods in historical research and publishing. The major concentration and geographic specialization of a student will determine if more research tools are required before the start of the dissertation. When a foreign language examination is required as a research tool, it will be satisfied by a two-hour departmental examination or by an examination administered by a language department with the approval of the History Department or by satisfactory completion of a graduate-level language course approved by the History Department. In the event that a student fails a language exam, it may be taken a second time, but not more than two times for a particular language.
- Comprehensive Doctoral Qualifying Examination: Students should take this examination by the end of their third year in the program or, if they have entered with an M.A. degree in hand, by the end of their second year. The students will be examined in a major thematic concentration with one or more geographic specializations, in a minor thematic concentration, and in a cognate discipline. In the event of failure the first time, a student will be afforded a second opportunity to take the examination.
- Full Time Study in Residence: Each student in a doctoral program must engage in full-time study beyond the master's degree or equivalent at the University in at least two sessions after admission to the advanced program. This requirement is designed to insure for each doctoral student a sustained period of intensive intellectual growth. For this purpose, a student will enroll in full-time study (9 credits) taken in each of two sessions, or in a regular session and a summer session, not necessarily consecutive, which must be completed satisfactorily.
- Dissertation: The dissertation will consist of a substantial body of original work which, upon completion and before acceptance by the department, candidates will defend in an oral examination.
Admission to Candidacy
A student is admitted to candidacy for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy upon the following:
- Satisfactory record in course and seminar study;
- Completion of University residence requirements;
- Satisfactory completion of the research tool requirement;
- Satisfactory completion of the qualifying examinations.