Doctor of Philosophy in Humanities: History
Director
Matthew Osborn
Student Learning Outcomes
Students graduating from this program will:
- Demonstrate a thorough degree of knowledge in the discipline
- Demonstrate an ability to use proper investigation techniques for the discipline
- Use oral and written forms of communication to convey their ideas
Program Structure
Total Credits Required for Graduation: 36
Residence requirements: Ph.D. students must satisfy the doctoral residency requirement by satisfactory completion of at least 18 credits in no more than 24 consecutive months. When satisfying the residency requirement, all Ph.D. students are subject to the following restrictions:
- The doctoral residency requirement must be satisfied no later than the end of the semester in which the student completes his or her comprehensive examinations.
- Students must achieve a cumulative graduate grade-point average of at least 3.0 in all courses counted toward satisfying the residency requirement.
The Ph.D. program in Humanities includes foundational courses, advanced coursework, research seminars, and a comprehensive doctoral dissertation. The coursework requirements include 36 credit hours minimum:
- 21 hours of formal coursework,
- 3 hours for portfolio creation, and
- 12 dissertation hours.
Students will pursue coursework in English, History, Digital and Public Humanities, and/or General Humanities. Credits must be divided as follows:
- A minimum of twelve hours of coursework in English or History. English and History are the primary discipline options.
- A minimum of nine hours of coursework in a secondary humanities discipline. English, History, Digital and Public Humanities, and General Humanities all qualify as secondary disciplines. Students must select a secondary discipline different from their primary discipline.
- Three hours for completion of the portfolio, which can include a body of creative and scholarly work from coursework, literature review essays or comprehensive examination questions connected to subject matter reading lists, Digital and Public Humanities projects, and the dissertation proposal.
- Twelve dissertation hours. The dissertation would involve either a traditional dissertation or a substantial digital project, which will include a written component that describes the methodology, components, the scholarly context of the work, etc.
Admission Requirements
Applicants are expected to:
- Hold an MA or equivalent in the primary discipline with a suggested GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale in graduate coursework.
- Provide a brief explanation of academic and professional goals, including a statement of purpose that specifies an intended research topic compatible with the department's faculty expertise.
- Submit a sample of written work relevant to the primary discipline and/or to the stated research focus.
- Request three letters of recommendation from individuals who are academically or professionally qualified to assess the applicant's ability to pursue doctoral work.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students graduating from this program will:
- Demonstrate a thorough degree of knowledge in the discipline
- Demonstrate an ability to use proper investigation techniques for the discipline
- Use oral and written forms of communication to convey their ideas
All coursework in both the primary and secondary discipline must be approved prior to registration by the student's committee chair.
Primary Discipline in History
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| A minimum of 12 credit hours in coursework. Courses are selected from those offered in the discipline. The 4 courses listed below are an example of how a student might fulfill the coursework requirement; students need not take these 4 courses specifically. | 12 | |
| Introduction to Graduate Studies | ||
| Colloquium in U.S. History | ||
| Colloquium in World History | ||
| Research Seminar | ||
| HISTORY 5697 | Doctoral-Level Independent Reading (For Portfolio) | 3 |
| HISTORY 5699R | Dissertation | 12 |
| Total Credits | 27 | |
Secondary Discipline in Humanities Field
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| A minimum of 9 credit hours in coursework. Students with a primary discipline of History may select one of the following secondary disciplines: English, Digital and Public Humanities, or General Humanities. | 9 | |
| Total Credits | 9 | |
Total Credit Hours: 36