what to do with a history phd

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What Can You Do with a PhD in History?

You’re a history buff — the person everyone wants on their trivia team. You can rattle off the dates, facts, and names of the world’s most significant events and periods. If you’re considering using your powers for good, getting a PhD in history is a great option. 

People with a passion for being stuck in the past have options once they’ve completed their history doctoral program. Beyond history jobs in academia, there’s a spot for a historian around the table in nearly every industry. The skill set required to complete a PhD opens up a variety of doors in whichever direction you choose to pursue. Here’s an idea of some things you can do with a PhD in History . 

If you see yourself leading the nation’s young people through their own historical journeys, a PhD prepares you to teach at almost any level, though going the professor route could be more lucrative than teaching high school. On average history professors make between $80,000-$164,000 per year. 

You’ll select your focus and spend your days sharing your passion with undergraduate and master’s level students. Along with teaching, if you pursue a history career in academia, you’ll likely spend some time researching topics within your wheelhouse. Re: your passion! 

If spending your days in front of the class, hosting debates, and leading young minds excites you, there might be even more time on a college campus in your future. However, tenured history professor roles may take some time to find and the salaries can range based on the type of university and location.  

Future Planning

Those studying the past usually have some insights into the future. If you’re looking to explore the world outside of strictly history, you might use your skills to find a career in future planning. No, not retirement planning (though that’s an option too).

Historians have a knack for identifying themes and patterns in culture, politics, and the world. A history PhD program allows you to use your historical knowledge to contribute to the modern world by making an impact on the community around you. Many politicians, inclusion officers, grant writers, and even human resource managers use their history PhDs to influence their worlds. 

Your ability to think critically about the past and lend your knowledge to the future makes you an asset to any organization looking to excel into the modern world. Be prepared to market yourself as someone who can best set the organization up for success in an ever-changing world. 

Business/Technology

In the business and technology world, it’s all about understanding the customer. Who are you selling to? What is their day-to-day life like? How do you best understand their needs and wants? 

As a historian, your ability to communicate with a diverse population and understand the context of their lives makes you especially valuable on a sales, marketing, development, or innovation team. As a PhD, employers know you are well-read, have strong research skills and have spent many, many, many hours writing. It’s no surprise that Historians make excellent copywriters, marketers, and editors. 

We won’t lie to you, there aren’t many Fortune 500 CEOs that can claim a doctorate in history. Most CEOs have MBAs or degrees in engineering. But there should be more historians up at the top — maybe you have what it takes. 

Intelligence Analysis

You may not be the next Indiana Jones, but you might cut it as a secret agent. The ability to analyze and synthesize information from various sources is crucial for intelligence analysts — and history PhDs have that in spades. 

Skilled at recognizing biases, evaluating the reliability of sources, and making informed judgments based on incomplete or uncertain information, historians have a strong ability to think critically and evaluate evidence. 

Additionally, historians have a deep understanding of the historical, cultural and social context in which events occur. This understanding can help you identify underlying factors and motivations that may not be immediately apparent to others. 

Archivist/Historian

If you’ve always dreamed about a career in history, this is likely what you’ve pictured. Spending days dusting off old newspapers and curating the perfect collection of artifacts — historians and archivists are often hired by governments or organizations to collect, analyze, organize, and preserve important documents and artifacts. 

Companies may hire a historian to reflect on the organization’s past in order to better inform their future choices or to maintain an existing collection of artifacts. We get it. We saw National Treasure, too. This would be a pretty amazing career.

The salary for historian jobs   can vary based on size of the organization and unfortunately, the importance they place on preserving their history. For reference, the average PhD in history salary is $75,000 in the U.S.

Become a Historian at SMU

So, what can you do with a PhD in history? You can make sense of the past to inform the future, you can write exceptionally well, and you can excel in nearly any industry. Simply holding your doctoral degree in history shows employers the determination you have. There should be a seat saved for you at every company, college, and organization looking to succeed.

Ready to get started?

Explore what you can do with a PhD in History, read the guide Reanalyzing Our World, PhDs in The Humanities at SMU !

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Graduate Students

Learn more about our  students' research interests and dissertation projects.

CURRENT STUDENTS

Ph.D. Program

Stanford Ph.D. Program in History aims to train world-class scholars.

Every year we admit 10-12 promising students  from a large pool of highly selective applicants. Our small cohort size allows more individual work with faculty than most graduate programs in the United States and also enables funding in one form or another available to members of each cohort.

Fields of Study

Our graduate students may specialize in 14 distinct subfields: Africa, Britain, Early Modern Europe, East Asia, Jewish History, Latin America, Medieval Europe, Modern Europe,  Ottoman Empire and Middle East, Russia/Eastern Europe, Science, Technology, Environment, and Medicine, South Asia, Transnational, International, and Global History, and United States. Explore each field and their affiliates . 

The department expects most graduate students to spend no less than four and no more than six years completing the work for the Ph.D. degree. Individual students' time to degree will vary with the strength of their undergraduate preparation as well as with the particular language and research requirements of their respective Major fields.

Expectations and Degree Requirements

We expect that most graduate students will spend no less than four and no more than six years toward completing their Ph.D. Individual students' time-to-degree vary with the strength of their undergraduate preparation as well as with the particular language and research requirements of their respective subfield.

All History Ph.D. students are expected to satisfy the following degree requirements:

• Teaching: Students who enter on the Department Fellowship are required to complete 4 quarters of teaching experience by the end of their third year. Teaching experience includes teaching assistantships and teaching a Sources and Methods course on their own.
• Candidacy : Students apply for candidacy to the PhD program by the end of their second year in the program.
• Orals:  The University Orals Examination is typically taken at the beginning of the 3rd year in the program.
• Languages: Language requirements vary depending on the field of study.
• Residency Requirement : The University requi res  135 units of full-tuition residency  for PhD students. After that, students should have completed all course work and must request Terminal Graduate Registration (TGR) status. 

Browse the Ph.D. Handbook to learn more .

The History Department offers 5 years of financial support to PhD students.  No funding is offered for the co-terminal and terminal M.A. programs. A sample Ph.D. funding package is as follows:  

• 1st year: 3 quarters fellowship stipend and 1 summer stipend 
• 2nd year: 2 quarters TAships, 1 quarter fellowship stipend, and 1 summer stipend 
• 3rd year: 2 quarters TAships, 1 quarter fellowship stipend, and 1 summer stipend 
• 4th year: 3 quarters fellowship stipends and 1 summer stipend 
• 5th year: 3 quarters fellowship stipends and 1 summer stipend

Knight-Hennessy Scholars

Join dozens of  Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences students  who gain valuable leadership skills in a multidisciplinary, multicultural community as  Knight-Hennessy Scholars  (KHS). KHS admits up to 100 select applicants each year from across Stanford’s seven graduate schools, and delivers engaging experiences that prepare them to be visionary, courageous, and collaborative leaders ready to address complex global challenges. As a scholar, you join a distinguished cohort, participate in up to three years of leadership programming, and receive full funding for up to three years of your studies at Stanford. candidates of any country may apply. KHS applicants must have earned their first undergraduate degree within the last seven years, and must apply to both a Stanford graduate program and to KHS. Stanford PhD students may also apply to KHS during their first year of PhD enrollment. If you aspire to be a leader in your field, we invite you to apply. The KHS application deadline is October 9, 2024. Learn more about  KHS admission .

How to Apply

Admission to the History Graduate Programs are for Autumn quarter only.  Interested applicants can online at  https://gradadmissions.stanford.edu/apply/apply-now and submit the following documents: 

• Statement of Purpose (included in Application)
• 3 Letters of Recommendation
•  Transcripts are required from all prior college level schools attended for at least one year.  A scanned copy of the official transcript is submitted as part of the online application.  Please do not mail transcripts to the department.   We will ask only the admitted students to submit actual copies of official transcripts.
• 1 Writing Sample on a historic topic (10-25 pages; sent via  Stanford's online application system  only)
• The GRE exam is not required for the autumn 2025 admission cycle
• TOEFL for all international applicants (whose primary language is not English) sent via ETS. Our University code is 4704.
• TOEFL Exemptions and Waiver information
• Application Fee Waiver
• The department is not able to provide fee waivers. Please see the link above for the available fee waivers and how to submit a request. Requests are due 2 weeks before the application deadline.

The Department of History welcomes graduate applications from individuals with a broad range of life experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds who would contribute to our community of scholars. Review of applications is holistic and individualized, considering each applicant’s academic record and accomplishments, letters of recommendation, and admissions essays in order to understand how an applicant’s life experiences have shaped their past and potential contributions to their field.

The Department of History also recognizes that the Supreme Court issued a ruling in June 2023 about the consideration of certain types of demographic information as part of an admission review. All applications submitted during upcoming application cycles will be reviewed in conformance with that decision.

Application deadline for Autumn 2025-26 is Tuesday, December 3, 2024 at 11:59pm EST . This is a hard -not a postmark- deadline. 

All application material is available online. No information is sent via snail mail. Interested applicants are invited to view a Guide to Graduate Admissions at  https://gradadmissions.stanford.edu/ . 

Questions? 

Please contact  Arthur Palmon  (Assistant Director of Student Services).

Department Bookshelf

Browse the most recent publications from our faculty members.

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Italian Fascism in Rhodes and the Dodecanese Islands, 1922–44

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The Chinese Computer: A Global History of the Information Age

In the Shadow of Liberty: The Invisible History of Immigrant Detention in the United States

Department of History

Ph.d. programs.

The Department of History’s doctoral degree program seeks to train talented historians for careers in scholarship, teaching, and beyond the academy. The department typically accepts 22 Ph.D. students per year. Additional students are enrolled through various combined programs and through HSHM.  All admitted Ph.D. students receive a  full  financial aid package  from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. 

History of Science and Medicine

The  Program in the History of Science and Medicine  (HSHM)  is a semi-autonomous graduate track within the Department of History. HSHM students receive degrees in History, with a concentration in the History of Science and Medicine.  There is a separate admissions process for students interested in the History of Science and Medicine. For more information, please see the  HSHM website . 

Combined Doctoral Programs

Joint ph.d. programs.

• Public History Practicum
• Prospective Students

Theoretically sophisticated, comparative, and interdisciplinary approaches are a hallmark of the doctoral program at the University of Chicago. The Department of History offers a comprehensive range of fields of study. We strongly encourage students to take courses outside of History and to compose one of three oral fields in a comparative discipline. A rich series of  interdisciplinary workshops  and conferences bring together students and faculty from throughout the university for intellectual exchange.

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College of Arts & Sciences

PhD Program

For Academic Year 2024-25 : Director of Doctoral Studies : Prof. Katie Benton-Cohen Graduate Programs Manager : Carolina Madinaveitia

Welcome to Georgetown’s Ph.D. program in History! We are a top-notch program with strengths in multiple fields , and we encourage students with interests that span geographical regions, time periods, and thematic foci.  Our doctoral student community numbers roughly 100, with new cohorts of 10-12 fully-funded students each year. Our alumni have gone on to distinguished careers as historians in and out of the academy.

Our Ph.D. program has much to offer. In addition to the attention of a distinguished and award-winning History faculty, our students benefit from Georgetown’s many regional studies programs and intellectual centers, where interdisciplinary activity is prized. Opportunities for language training abound. No city has greater resources for historians than Washington, D.C.: the Library of Congress, the National Archives, the National Library of Medicine, the Folger Shakespeare Library, and many other institutions hold an unparalleled wealth of research material.

Our doctoral program is collegial and collaborative, with a vibrant intellectual life. Outside of class, students participate in seminars and conferences along with faculty, share in the activities of our Institute for Global History, grow through professional development workshops, and socialize with each other when the academic day is over. It’s a fun place to be a serious historian.

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PhD in History

The PhD is taught by individual supervision .

There are lots of opportunities on offer: you can gain instruction in specialist disciplines, such as palaeography, languages, and computing; you can undertake training in professional skills appropriate for historians; you will be able to attend research seminars and workshops, and lots more. There is also now training available in transferable skills, such as communication, self-awareness and team-building. Although you will be focusing on your own research for most of your time, we want to help you to become a well-rounded and successful PhD candidate.

• 3-4 years full-time
• 5-7 years part-time

If you are interested in part-time study, please visit our Part-Time PhD in History page for more information.

At a glance

Students will research and write a doctoral thesis of up to 80,000 words, representing an original contribution to knowledge.

They will be supported throughout the course by a Supervisor, an experienced Cambridge academic who will provide one-to-one advice and feedback. At the same time, the student will take part in Cambridge's vibrant research community, attending seminars, postgraduate workshops and a broad spectrum of skills training.

Students are formally assessed twice. At the end of their third term, they submit a Progress Essay (up to 10,000) words and meet formally with their Supervisor and Advisor (another academic who provides additional guidance). This meeting determines whether the student has made sufficient progress to complete their thesis on schedule.

At the end of their research project, students submit their completed thesis and take part in an oral ('viva voce') examination on its contents. The two examiners will be leading academics in the field. 

Students can expect to receive:  

• Regular oral feedback from their supervisor, as well as termly online feedback reports;
• Oral feedback from peers during postgraduate workshops and seminars;
• Access to regular training sessions and relevant undergraduate lectures to develop key skills;
• Support for fieldwork research;
• Opportunities to teach and supervise undergraduate students in their field of research.

If you have any questions, drop us a line on  [email protected]

What are we looking for?

We see the primary purpose of the PhD being the preparation and presentation of a substantial piece of original research. From the very beginning of the PhD course, the student focuses on the writing of the doctoral dissertation. History is a broad subject which covers many areas, and we are always very excited to see the sheer range of research proposals submitted. When looking at this, we consider:

• Whether it represents a significant contribution to learning through the discovery of new knowledge, the connection of previously unrelated facts, the development of a new theory or the revision of older views;
• Whether it takes due account of previously published work on the subject and you are therefore well-read;
• Whether the thesis is clearly and concisely written, without exceeding the maximum limit of 80,000 words (excluding footnotes and bibliography).

If a research proposal is likely to take significantly longer than three years to complete, we don’t tend to accept it. However, if your topic seems feasible within the time-frame then we will be very interested!

Are there any course requirements?

Please also see the ‘ Requirements ’ tab in the prospectus on Graduate Admissions page:

For full-time PhD candidates, we require that you pursue supervised research in residence in Cambridge for nine consecutive terms (three calendar years). ‘In residence’ means living within a distance of 10 miles from the centre of Cambridge.

The dissertation must be submitted by the end of the twelfth term, earlier if possible.

In terms of applicant requirements, you can see our language and academic requirements on the link provided above. Otherwise, we encourage people from all backgrounds to apply – we are a multicultural university and in your life as a PhD candidate, you will meet people from all over the world! The PhD is intellectually demanding so consider whether you have the self-motivation to pursue research at a high level of scholarship, and whether you have the enthusiasm to keep going when the going gets tough. You will not be alone in your studies, though – there are plenty of people here to help, including supervisors, administrators, college tutors, as well as many others.

PhD students are expected to begin their studies at the start of the term they choose to enter, usually October, January, or April. You will be in residence continuously throughout the year, apart from short breaks for research.

As the full-time PhD requires full-time study, we ask that students do not take any outside employment (even part-time employment).

How is the PhD examined?

Once you have submitted a full dissertation, it is examined by two examiners. These examiners are appointed by the Degree Committee after consultation with your supervisor. You will then have a viva voce – an oral examination – on the dissertation and the general field of your knowledge into which your dissertation falls. The University of Cambridge does not offer any qualifying grades or credits, so you will be awarded a pass or a fail – we hope it’s the former!

The below outlines, for full-time candidates, the registration and submission dates:

Minimum number of terms of research needed before submitting

• Qualification: PhD
• Term (1 being your first term): 9

Minimum number of terms of research which need to be in Cambridge (in order to qualify for the PhD)

• Term (1 being your first term): 3

End of term by which your draft dissertation must be submitted to your supervisor

• Term (1 being your first term): 10

Absolute final submission deadline

• Term (1 being your first term): 12

Maximum number of terms for which an exemption or allowance will be made following a one-year course

For full-time PhD students their first year is a probationary year, at the end of which they undertake something called the RAE. This is the Registration Assessment Exercise, which is held between the student, the supervisor, and an Advisor (we appoint them for you). You submit work and then have a meeting to discuss what you have submitted, in order to check that you are on track and help you continue to frame your research.  This exercise should take place in the third term of study. Once registered by the Faculty Degree Committee, you are a registered PhD student; up until this point, you are a NOTAF, which means ‘not at first registered’.

The piece of work you submit for the RAE is likely to be surveying your field of research, summarising progress so far, proposing a research strategy and timetable, and indicating the original contribution to knowledge that is intended.

Although it might sound like a scary process, this is your chance to shine and show off how much work you have done during your first year and how your research is coming along! It’s also a chance to discuss any problems, issues, or worries you may have with your research in a formal setting, though you will have ample opportunity to do this with your supervisor before the third term RAE.

Often, you will be starting the PhD course with a background of suitable research training which you undertook before admission, e.g. your Masters or MPhil degree. While you are at Cambridge, you can broaden this as much as you wish with the number of different opportunities available.

You may find it useful to consult our current Postgraduate Training pages

There are also plenty of other options within the University, for example other Departments and Faculties, as well as University-wide seminars, workshops, and conferences held throughout the year. There is a fantastic Language Centre as well as a specialist training system .This is before we’ve even started on what may be offered through your particular college!

Your supervisor is an excellent resource to use in terms of asking what is available and if there is anything which would suit you. They will be happy to help.

We actively encourage all of our full-time students to complete their PhDs within three years.

Students, or their supervisor, may request that an assessment exercise take place in the third year in order to check progress towards submission. You submit a one- to two-page synopsis of your dissertation together with a timetable for completion. You then have a formal discussion with your supervisor, and sometimes the Advisor.

The major government grant-giving bodies expect all our full-time students to complete within a maximum of four years. Therefore, in order to secure future funding for its students, the Degree Committee monitors its submissions rates closely. This is why we place emphasis on your research proposal being something feasible for completion in three years, and also why we have the first and third year assessments in order to help you as much as we can.

The fourth year isn’t guaranteed, so do try to plan your topic within a three-year time span. By that time, we hope you’ll be eager to get started on your career after the training you will have received at Cambridge!

History PhD

First awarded by the University of Maryland in 1937, the Doctorate in History is conferred for superior achievement in historical research, writing, and interpretation.

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PhD Program Overview

The Doctorate in History (PhD) is an essential component in the training of professional historians. The most significant requirement of the PhD degree program is the dissertation, an original and noteworthy contribution to historical knowledge. In anticipation of dissertation research, students spend several years mastering bibliographical tools, research and writing methods, and general, special, and minor fields of study.

Admission to the PhD program is offered to highly qualified applicants holding at least a Bachelor's (BA) degree, normally in History or a related discipline. Application and admissions procedures are described on the Department of History's  graduate admissions page .

The length of time required to complete the PhD varies by field of study and student. Students admitted with a Bachelor's (BA) degree might expect to complete the program in five to six years of full-time study. Students entering with a Master of Arts (MA) degree might expect to complete the program in four to five years of full-time study. The degree must be completed in no more than nine years.  Students typically take two years of course work, prepare for and take language exams (if required for their field) and comprehensive exams, and then research and write the dissertation.

Program Requirements and Policies

General program requirements.

• Course work in the major and minor fields
• Language examinations if required by field
• Comprehensive examinations
• Dissertation prospectus
• Advancement to candidacy
• The dDssertation

Each of these program requirements must be met before the PhD can be conferred.

Course Requirements

All PhD students entering with a Bachelor's (BA) degree (or equivalent) must take, at a minimum, the following courses (total 30 credits, not including 12 credits of “Dissertation Research”):

• Contemporary Theory (HIST 601; 3 credits)
• Major Field General Seminar (HIST 608; 3 credits)
• Readings courses in the major field (HIST 6XX and 7XX; 9 credits)
• Readings courses in the minor field (HIST 6XX and 7XX; 9 credits)
• Research seminars (HIST 8XX; 6 credits)
• Dissertation Research (HIST 898/899; 12 credits)

Special Notes:

• Courses completed during previous post-baccalaureate degree programs and/or at other institutions may be considered to satisfy course requirements. However, students entering the PhD program with a Master's (MA) degree or equivalent in History or a related discipline must take a minimum of two  600-800 level courses in the major field, one of which should be with the major advisor.
• Requests for course requirement waivers, equivalency, and credit transfers should be directed to the Director of Graduate Studies. A request must include the course syllabus and transcripts showing the final grade. The endorsement of the advisor is typically sought.
• Up to nine credit hours of major and minor field readings courses may be taken at the 400 level.  Students seeking to take a 400 level course for graduate credit should consult the instructor of record to discuss course expectations before registering.
• HIST 708/709: “Directed Independent Reading for Comprehensive Examinations” does not count toward the nine-credit readings seminar requirement.
• Students in the U.S. and Latin America fields are expected to take two major field seminars (HIST 608)–in this case, one of these 608s will be counted toward the “Readings courses in the major field” requirement.
• Students must complete the entire program for the doctoral (PhD) degree, including the dissertation and final examination, during a four-year period after admission to candidacy, but no later than nine years after admission to the doctoral (PhD) program. Students must be advanced to candidacy within five years of admission to the doctoral (PhD) program. 

Fields of Study

Doctoral students should choose one of the following as their “major field” of study:

Global Interaction and Exchange

• Jewish History (Classical Antiquity to the Present)

Latin America

Middle East

• Technology, Science, and Environment

United States

Learn more about fields of study and faculty work produced in each field by visiting the research fields page .

The Minor Field

All doctoral students are required to complete a minor field of study outside the major field of study. This requirement is typically met through nine credit hours of coursework. However, a student may opt to satisfy the requirement by written examination.

A minor field is usually a field of history outside the student's major field of concentration. For example, a student in the U.S. field may select a minor field in Latin American history; a student in the Women & Gender field may select a minor field in European history. The minor field may be a standard national-chronological field (e.g., 19th-century United States; Imperial Russia; Postcolonial India), or it may be a cross-cultural, cross-regional thematic field (e.g., the Atlantic in the era of the slave trade; gender and Islam). Or, it might be taken in a department or program outside of History (e.g., Women's Studies, English, Government & Politics, Classics and Comparative Literature).

For students opting to satisfy the minor field requirement via coursework, all courses must be approved by the student's advisor and must, to the satisfaction of the advisor and the Graduate Committee, form a coherent field of historical inquiry distinct from the general field. Courses taken at the master's level may count towards fulfillment of the minor field requirements, subject to the approval of the advisor and, in the case of courses taken at outside institutions, of the director of graduate studies.

Language Requirements

Language requirements must be fulfilled before a student is admitted to candidacy. While no MA degree requires language examinations, students will often have to learn one or more foreign languages in their field of study to successfully complete their research. They will also need to learn these languages if they wish to continue on towards a PhD. When applying for either program, preference will be given to students with prior experience with languages in their fields of study.

Language requirements differ across the varying fields within history.

No foreign language requirements for the PhD. If a student’s dissertation topic requires research in foreign language materials, the advisor will decide if the student needs to show proficiency by taking an examination in the language in question.

Spanish and Portuguese. For admission, applicants will be evaluated on their language abilities, and preference will be given to applicants with a strong command of Spanish and/or Portuguese. All PhD students must show proficiency by examination in both languages by the time they are admitted to candidacy. Exceptions to one of those languages (typically Portuguese) if the student’s dissertation requires the use of indigenous languages or documents produced by ethnic minorities. In such cases, students must be proficient in those languages.

One language (in addition to English). Depending on the field, the adviser may determine that the student needs to show proficiency in an additional language.

For admission, students must have proficiency at the advanced intermediate level in at least one major Middle Eastern language (Arabic, Persian or Turkish). All PhD students must acquire advanced proficiency in their chosen language either by course work or exam by the time they are admitted to candidacy. In addition, students must demonstrate proficiency in one European language by the time of their comprehensive exams.

Ancient Mediterranean

For admission, students should present knowledge of classical Greek and Latin at the intermediate level and reading knowledge of either French or German. Knowledge of classical Greek, Latin, French and German is required for the PhD. Other language skills, eg. Italian, Spanish, Modern Greek or Hebrew, may prove to be necessary for dissertation research but are not formal program requirements. Students satisfy the requirement in Latin and Greek in one of two ways: either by completing three upper level or graduate courses (400-600 level) in each language and obtaining at least a B in all courses and an A- or better in at least two of the courses; or by passing a departmental sight translation exam. This exam consists of translating (with the help of a dictionary) three passages of three sentences each (roughly one-fourth to one-third OCT page) selected from prose authors of average difficulty. Students show proficiency in French and German through the regular departmental language exams.

Medieval Europe

For admission, proficiency in either Latin, French or German and familiarity with a second of those languages. All PhD students must demonstrate proficiency in Latin, French and German. They can satisfy the Latin requirement in one of two ways: either by taking three upper level or graduate courses (400-600 level) and obtaining at least a B in all courses and an A- or better in at least two of the courses; or by passing a departmental sight translation exam. This exam consists of translating (with the help of a dictionary) three passages of three sentences each (roughly one-fourth to one-third OCT page) selected from medieval prose authors of average difficulty. Students show proficiency in French and German through the regular departmental language exams. Depending on the field, students may have to know an additional national/regional language like Spanish or Italian.

Early Modern Europe

For admission, proficiency in one foreign language related to the field. All PhD students must demonstrate proficiency in two foreign languages. Depending on the field, students may also have to know Latin.

Modern Europe

For admission, students must know the language of the country or region in which they are interested. All PhD students must demonstrate proficiency in the language of the country/region in which they are interested plus another European language.

Russia/Soviet Union

For admission, three years of Russian or the equivalent. All PhD students must demonstrate proficiency in Russian plus either French or German. Depending on the area of interest, the adviser may require an additional language.

For admission, advanced intermediate-level proficiency in modern Hebrew. All PhD students must demonstrate proficiency in modern Hebrew and one other language necessary for their fields. The advisor may require other languages as necessary.

Chinese History

For admission, students must have had at least two years of university-level Chinese language courses. All PhD students must acquire advanced proficiency in Chinese since they will be using Chinese documents for their dissertations.  Before admission to candidacy students must pass a Chinese language exam in which they will translate about 30 lines of modern, scholarly Chinese into English. As with all departmental language exams, students will be able to use a dictionary, and they will have four hours to complete the translation.

Language Examinations

Except as specified for Latin and ancient Greek, the typical language proficiency examination includes a summary and translation of a passage from a work of modern scholarship in the student’s field. The director of graduate studies appoints a faculty member, typically the student’s advisor, to coordinate the exam and select an excerpt from a published work of historical scholarship in the student’s field. Students write a 200-300 word summary of this five-to-seven page excerpt from the scholarly literature in their fields, and then they do a direct translation of an indicated 30-line passage within that excerpt. The direct translation must be accurate and rendered in idiomatic English. Students have four hours to complete the exam, and they may use a language dictionary that they themselves provide.

Language exams can be taken at any time before candidacy. The exams are read by two members of the faculty: typically, the student’s advisor, who chooses the passage and serves as chair of the exam committee, and one other member of the faculty chosen by the D\director of graduate studies in consultation with the advisor. Faculty from outside the department who have the necessary expertise are eligible to serve as evaluators. The two possible grades are pass and fail. If the two readers do not agree, the director of graduate studies will appoint a third faculty member to read the exam. Students who do not pass on the first attempt may retake the examination without prior approval. After a second failure, the student must petition for reexamination. The chair of the language exam committee will notify the director of graduate studies about the results of the exam within one week after the exam, and the graduate coordinator will notify the student in writing about the results, which will then be inserted into the student’s records. All students should normally pass their language examinations during their third year of the program, though given the complexity of the language requirements in different fields of study, the department recognizes the need to exercise some flexibility in the timing of this requirement.

• Comprehensive Examinations

Comprehensive examinations (comps) are a standard feature of historical training in the United States. The examinations require the examinee to demonstrate mastery of historical scholarship and historiography in a major field, including specialized mastery of the authors, themes, works and topics most relevant to the intended dissertation topic. All students register for HIST 708/709: “Directed Independent Reading for Comprehensive Examinations” for two semesters, once in the semester prior to the one in which they are scheduled to take the examinations (normally the fifth semester of the student’s program) and the second in the same semester as their examinations (normally the sixth semester of the student’s program). As noted above, these courses do not count towards the nine-credit readings seminar requirement.

Comprehensive examinations include the following:

• A special field examination in the form of an essay. Students prepare an essay of 4,000 to \5,000 words in length, 16-20 pages, double-spaced in a 12-point font. The special field is a subfield of the major field in which the dissertation is centered.
• A take-home major field examination administered in written format. Students have 48 hours to complete the exam, which should be 5,000 to 6,000 words, 20-24 pages, double-spaced in a 12-point font in length.
• A two-hour oral examination by the examination committee, including coverage of both the take-home major field exam and the essay that comprises the special field exam.

Timeline : The comprehensive examinations are administered during the first half of the student’s sixth semester in the program. The special field essay has to be submitted to the graduate coordinator before the student takes the major field examination. The oral examination follows within two weeks of passing the major field examination and the special field essay. Students entering the program with an MA in history might be expected to complete their comprehensive examinations during their fifth semester in the program. (Also see the “Combined Timeline for Comprehensive Examinations and the Prospectus” at the end of this document.)

Reading Lists : The format, content and length of the reading lists for the comprehensive examinations vary by field but the list should normally be in the range of 200 to 250 books. Of these, about two-thirds should be in the major field and one-third in the special field. In all fields, students develop their reading lists in consultation with their advisors and other members of the examination committee. The reading list must be compiled and approved by the examination committee by the end of their second-year summer (after the student’s fourth semester in the program). For students coming in with an MA in history who would like to take their examinations during their fifth semester in the program, the list must be ready by the end of the student’s third semester. After approval, limited changes may be made solely by mutual agreement of the student and his/her advisor.

The examination committee : The examination committee consists of three or four members of the Graduate Faculty, typically all members of the history faculty. The director of graduate studies designates the committee members and chair, in consultation with the major advisor and the student. The committee chair shall not be the student's advisor. All committee members contribute questions to the written and oral examinations. Most or all of these same committee members are normally also on the student’s dissertation committee but the composition of the examination and prospectus committees do not need to be the same.

Grading : Comprehensive examinations will be graded pass, pass with distinction or fail.

Combined Timeline for Comprehensive Exams and Prospectus

• Both the initial version of the prospectus and the special field essay are due before the major field take-home examination during the first half of the sixth semester of the student's program.
• The major field take-home examination should be completed also during the first half of the sixth semester of the student's program after the initial version of the prospectus and the special field essay are submitted.
• The two-hour oral examination on both the take-home major field exam and the essay that comprises the special field exam follows within two weeks of passing the major field examination and the special field exam. This oral exam can take place during the second half of the sixth semester of the student’s program.
• The one-hour oral examination based on the initial version of the prospectus also takes place during the second half of the sixth semester of the student’s program but only after successful completion of the two-hour oral examination (#3 above).
• The final version of the prospectus as approved by the advisor is due on the first day of the academic semester that immediately follows the comprehensive examinations, which is normally the seventh semester of the student’s program.

Prospectus & Candidacy

Dissertation Prospectus

The dissertation prospectus is a written précis of the proposed dissertation research, its significance, the sources and methods to be used, the relevant bibliography including primary source materials and the plan of completion. It is intended to form the substance of grant proposals students will write in order to apply for both internal and external grants and fellowships. Each field of study has its own expectations for the length of the prospectus, but normally these should be concise documents not to exceed 10-12 pages in length, followed by a bibliography. In all fields, the prospectus is developed by the student in close collaboration with the advisor and other members of the examination committee.

The preparation of the prospectus includes the following stages :

• An initial version of the prospectus.
• A one-hour oral examination based on that initial version.
• A final version incorporating any revisions suggested by members of the dissertation committee and approved by the advisor submitted to the graduate coordinator.

Timeline : The initial draft version of the prospectus should be submitted to the graduate coordinator during the first half of the student’s sixth semester before the student takes the major field examination, normally at the same time as the special field essay. The one-hour oral examination of the prospectus based on the initial version is scheduled during the second half of the student’s sixth semester in the program following satisfactory completion of the comprehensive examinations. The final version of the prospectus as approved by the advisor is due on the first day of the academic semester that immediately follows the comprehensive examination. (Also see the “Combined Timeline for Comprehensive Examinations and the Prospectus” at the end of this document.)

The relationship between the prospectus and the special field Essay: The special field essay normally covers the historiography of the entire subfield within the major field in which the dissertation is anchored, while the prospectus is more narrowly concerned with the specific research topic of the dissertation.

The examination committee: The prospectus oral examination committee consists of the advisor and at least two other members of the Graduate Faculty, who are normally also members of the student’s dissertation committee. The advisor chairs the examination. All committee members contribute questions to the oral examination and make suggestions for revisions. Upon passing the oral examination, the student will complete any revisions requested (as determined by the advisor and the committee) and submit the final prospectus approved by the advisor to the graduate program coordinator.

MA “Along the Way”

When a student receives a pass or pass with distinction and the endorsement to continue on in the PhD program, the student has the option to request that the Master of Arts degree be conferred "along the way," subject to fulfillment of the standard requirements of the MA degree.

In some instances, the examination committee may recommend that a PhD student taking comprehensive examinations be given a pass at the MA level, sufficient for the conferral of a terminal master's degree. Such a recommendation will be made with the expectation that the student not continue on towards doctoral candidacy.

Petition for Reexamination

In the case of failure of a language examination taken for the second time or one or more components of the comprehensive examinations and the prospectus preparation process (special field essay, take-home major field examination, two-hour oral examination and prospectus oral examination), the student may petition the director of graduate studies to take the whole examination or the relevant component(s) a second time. If the petition is approved, the student may retake the examination as soon as possible. A student may petition only once to retake all or part of the comprehensive examinations and the prospectus preparation process.

Successful completion of the prospectus is typically the last step before application for advancement to candidacy.

• Advancement to Candidacy

A doctoral student advances to candidacy when all degree requirements (i.e., course work, demonstrated competence in languages or special skills, comprehensive examinations and the dissertation prospectus) have been satisfied, with the exception of the dissertation.

Formal admission to candidacy (sometimes known as "All but Dissertation" or "ABD" status) is granted by the dean of the Graduate School. The application is routed through the director of graduate studies.

Advising & Committees

Each student admitted to the PhD program will choose an advisor who is a member of the Graduate Faculty and whose intellectual interests are compatible with the student's plan of study. All graduate students are required to choose an advisor by November 1 of their first semester. If they do not choose an advisor by that date, the director of graduate studies will appoint one for them. The faculty advisor will be responsible for advising the student on all aspects of their academic program, for approving the student's course of study each semester, for monitoring their progress through the program,and for notifying the student of the nature and timing of examinations and other evaluative procedures. The advisor, in consultation with the student and the director of graduate studies, will be responsible for constituting the Comprehensive Examination and Dissertation Examination committees. The advisor will also represent the student to the Graduate Committee, as appropriate.

At the conclusion of the first year of study, all students will make available to their advisor a transcript of coursework and major written work completed during the first year. Upon review of the appropriate materials, the advisor will then recommend to the director of graduate studies continuation, modification or, as appropriate, termination of the student's program. All recommendations for termination require discussion and approval of the Graduate Committee.

Students may change advisors. The director of graduate studies and the new faculty advisor shall approve changes in advisors before a student advances to candidacy. After advancement to candidacy, changes shall be approved only by petition to the Graduate Committee. A change of advisor must be recorded in the student's electronic file.

Registration and Degree Progress

Continuous Registration

All graduate students must register for courses and pay associated tuition and fees each semester, not including summer and winter sessions, until the degree is awarded.

Pre-candidacy doctoral students who will be away from the university for up to one year may request a waiver of continuous registration and its associated tuition and fees. Waivers shall be granted only if the student is making satisfactory progress toward the degree and can complete all the degree requirements within the required time limits. Interruptions in continuous registration cannot be used to justify an extension to time-to-degree requirements.

Once advanced to candidacy, a student is no longer eligible for Waivers of Continuous Registration. Doctoral candidates must maintain continuous registration in HIST 899: “Doctoral Dissertation Research” until the degree is awarded.

The Graduate School makes available an official leave absence for childbearing, adoption, illness and dependent care. The dean of the Graduate School must approve the leave. The time-to-degree clock is suspended during an approved leave of absence.

Additional information on continuous registration and leave absence policies is published online in the Graduate Catalog.

Time-to-Degree

All students admitted to the doctoral program are expected to

• advance to candidacy within three years from initial enrollment in the Ph.D. program, and
• complete all degree requirements within six years of entering the program.

Progress-to-Degree

All students in the doctoral program will be expected to demonstrate steady progress toward the completion of degree requirements. At a minimum, the Graduate School requires students to maintain a B average in all graduate courses. However, the Department of History expects a higher level of performance, with the great majority of a student’s grades at the level of an A- or above.

Students in major fields that require lengthy language or special skill acquisition might be granted a one-year extension to progress-to-degree expectations. Additional extensions will require the approval of the Graduate Committee.

In order to meet progress-to-degree expectations :

• 800-level research seminar work should normally be completed by the end of the fourth semester in the program.
• The major field reading list must be compiled and approved by the examination committee by the end of the summer after the student’s fourth semester in the program.
• Students should complete their comprehensive examinations by the end of their sixth semester in the program. Students coming in with an M.A. in history should normally complete their comprehensive examinations by the end of their fifth semester in the program.
• Each student will be expected to submit a copy of the final dissertation prospectus approved by the advisor to the graduate program coordinator at the beginning of their seventh academic semester in the program.
• All students should normally pass their language examinations during the third year of their program.
• The director of graduate studies will review fully each student's progress-to-degree as well as the overall progress-to-degree by degree cohort at least once a year.

Failure to make satisfactory progress-to-degree or to maintain the expected grade point average may result in the suspension or loss of departmental funding, the denial of a petition for extensions, and in extreme cases, a recommendation for dismissal.

NOTE : The above guidelines on continuous registration, time-to-degree and progress-to-degree guidelines are for students matriculating in fall 2018 or thereafter. Students entering the graduate program in prior semesters are subject to guidelines at time of matriculation.

Extensions and Waivers

The Graduate Committee will consider petitions for waivers to departmental guidelines. Petitions for waivers to Graduate School requirements must be submitted to the dean of the Graduate School, using the appropriate form. In most instances, the petitioning student will be required to provide a rationale for the waiver request, and, as appropriate, a convincing plan of study. The advice of the student's advisor may be sought. The advisor will be required to endorse any waiver request that involves extensions to overall time-to-degree as well as the major benchmarks of progress-to-degree.

All petitions should be directed to the director of graduate studies. The director of graduate studies, and in some cases the dean of the Graduate School, will notify the student of their disposition of petitions for extensions.

Sample Program of Study

Introduction.

The program of study often varies by field and many factors may extend or reorder the sequence and length of the program of study.

The following program of study assumes that the doctoral student will be assigned a teaching assistantship in the second, third and fourth years of study. Students coming in with an MA in history will be expected to complete the program in five or five and a half years.

Foreign language study is not incorporated into this program.

 First Year (Departmental Fellowship)

• Major Field General Seminar (608) or Contemporary Theory (HIST 601)
• Major Field Readings Seminar
• Minor Field Course

Spring 

• Research Seminar OR Minor Field Course
• Exploratory Research

Second Year (Teaching Assistantship)

• 2 courses out of the following three categories:
• Research Seminar 
• Research Seminar
• Reading for Comprehensive Examinations
• Initial Prospectus Preparation

Third Year (Teaching Assistantship)

• HIST 708: Readings for Comprehensives”
• Prospectus Preparation 
• Grant Applications
• HIST 709: “Readings for Comprehensive Examinations”
• Prospectus Oral Examination 
• Final Version of Prospectus
• Dissertation Research

Fourth Year (Teaching Assistantship)

• Dissertation Research (HIST 899)

Fifth Year (Departmental or External Fellowship)

• Grant Applications  

Spring & Summer

• Dissertation Writing

Sixth Year  (Departmental or External Fellowship)

• Job applications  
• Job applications

Graduate Placement

Learn more about the career and life paths of our PhD alumni.

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Study History Where It Is Made

AU’s PhD in History will prepare you for a career as an educator, researcher, analyst, and writer working in academia, public and institutional history, and other fields requiring investigative and analytical skills. In this program, you will develop a deeper understanding of how historians investigate and interpret the past while you explore the past with your own original research .

You will receive a high level of mentorship and develop close working relationships with your professors. Under the guidance of our award-winning faculty , our students complete strong dissertations and present work at top conferences while making valuable connections and gaining experience in the Washington, DC, area.

This program is ideal for students interested in American and modern European history, including Russian history. Our department also has strengths in a variety of subfields , including public history, African American history, women’s/gender history, politics and foreign relations, and Jewish history. This diversity will open your options for research and allow for specialization without sacrificing breadth of study.

Rigorous Study with a Degree of Flexibility

Our program combines rigorous training in scholarship with the flexibility to pursue your intellectual interests. Our coursework will give you a solid foundation in historical theory and methodology, research methods, and United States or modern European history. Together with your academic advisor, you will design a program of study to match your academic goals . You will acquire and demonstrate mastery of tools of research , such as foreign languages, quantitative research methods, oral history, new media, and other methodologies. Your doctoral examinations will be tailored to fit your individual fields of study. You will then pursue your own research in writing your doctoral dissertation.

The Department will supervise PhD dissertations in the history of Modern Europe (normally for the period 1789 to the present), United States history (including the colonial period), US foreign relations, and modern Jewish history.

See all admissions and course requirements .

Cutting-Edge Faculty Dedicated to Your Success

Our history faculty makes national news, uncovers under-represented areas of history, and guides doctoral students , helping them generate innovative and influential research . From predicting presidential elections to publishing award-winning books and articles, our distinguished professors produce relevant historical scholarship and will train you do the same. With academic and professional mentorship from our faculty, you will you will enter the field as a thoroughly prepared and well-connected scholar.

Endless Opportunities in a Historic City

Pursuing your doctorate in the nation’s capital provides you with unparalleled access to renowned museums, archives, institutions, and resources . From the Library of Congress, Smithsonian Institution and National Archives to the DC Historical Society, our students are only a metro ride away from exceptional local and national repositories. As part of the Washington Consortium , students at American University are able to take courses at colleges and universities throughout the DC metropolitan area, providing the opportunity to work with a variety of faculty in diverse programs and fields of study.

A truly global city, DC, contains hundreds of embassies, cultural organizations, and enclave communities. Brimming with history , the DC area offers Civil War battlefields, the Capitol, Mount Vernon, the White House, and countless landmarks of the colonial period, Revolutionary War, Civil War, and more recent American history. The city is also home to smaller historical organizations like the DC Historical Society and the DC Preservation League. Whether your interest is global, national, or local, this historic city undoubtedly has something for you.

Explore the Possibilities

Our students go on to become university and college faculty and administrators or work in federal and state governments, for museums and archives, and in other exciting fields. Our alumni teach at universities around the world , from the University of Houston in Texas to University of Prince Edward Island in Canada and Ludwig Maximilians Universität in Munich. Our PhDs hold positions with the nation’s most important institutions , including the Library of Congress, Department of State, National Archives and Records Administration, American Historical Association, National Endowment for the Humanities, US Holocaust Memorial Museum, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Recent and Current PhD Dissertation topics

• Auketayeva, Laura : "Gender and Jewish Evacuees in the Soviet Union during the Holocaust" 
• Barry, Michael : "Islamophobic & Anti-Islamophobic Ideas in America"
• Brenner, Rebecca : "When Mail Arrived on Sundays, 1810-1912" 
• Boose, Donelle : "Black Power and the Organizing Tradition: Work-ing Women of Washington, DC. 1965-1990"
• Chatfield, Andrew : "American Support for India’s Self-Determination from 1915-1920: Progressives, Radicals, and Anti-Imperialists"
• Duval, Lauren : "Landscapes of Allegiance: Space, Gender, and Mili-tary Occupation in the American Revolution"
• Englekirk, Ryan : "The Third Team: Unmasking Fraternity and Mascu-linity Among Major League Baseball Umpires 1970-2010" 
• Estess, Jonah : "The People’s Money: The American Revolution, Cur-rency, and the Making of Political Economic Culture in American Life, 1775-1896" 
• Frome, Gavin : "American Protestant Service Workers in Viet Nam, 1954-1975"
• Gabor, Ruth : "'Moda' for the Masses: Moscow Fashion’s Appeal at Home and Abroad during the Cold War"
• Gibson, Laura : "It’s Love that Counts: The History of Non-Nuclear Families in American Domestic Sitcoms"
• Grant, Jordan : "Catchers and Kidnappers: Slave Hunting in Early America" 
• Grek, Ivan : "Illiberal Civil Society in Russia, 1992-2000"
• Harris, Curtis : "Hardwood Revolution: The NBA's Growth & Player Revolt, 1950-1976" 
• Hawks, Julie : "Capital Investments: Engineering American Cold War Culture" 
• Jobe, Mary "Allison" : "'We Remember Him for His Character': The Life of James W. Ford and the Communist Party USA" 
• Kaplan, Anna : "Left by the Wayside: Memories and Postmemories of the Integration of the University of Mississippi"
• Killian, Linda : "Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Paine: The Shared Political Ideology at the Heart of American Democracy" 
• Kitterman, Katherine : "'No Ordinary Feelings': Mormon Women’s Political Activism, 1870-1896" 
• Langford, Amy : "Creating a Body Politic: Boundary Crossings and the (Re) Making of Latter-Day Saints on the U.S. Border, 1885-1920"
• Levin, Jeffrey : "Felix Warburg and the Establishment of the Hebrew University" 
• MacNeill, Lindsay : "Policing Politics in Austria, 1918-1955"
• Milwicki, Alon : "Baptizing Nazism: An Analysis of the Religious Roots of American Neo-Nazism"
• Rafferty-Osaki, Terumi : "'Strictly Masculine': Reforming and Per-forming Manhood at Tule Lake, 1942-1946" 
• Recordati, Maurizio : "Russia Turns Inward: Russian Grand Strategy in the Post-Crimean War Period (1856-78)"
• Sowry, Nathan : "Museums, Native American Representation, & the Public: The Role of Museum Anthropology in Public History, 1873-1929"
• Styrna, Pawel : "Polish-Russian Relations, 1904-1921"
• Vehstedt, Scott : "'Lets Help Finland': The Return of American Relief Aid in the Winter War, 1939-1940"
• Weixelbaum, Jason : "At the Crossroads of Fascism: The Decision of Ford, General Motors, and IBM to do Business with Nazi Germany"

Alumni Job Placements

Graduates of the history PhD program are working as professors, researchers, and directors across the US and at international locations. Here is a list of where select graduates have or are currently working:

• Director, National Coalition for History
• Assistant Professor, University of Prince Edward Island
• Assistant Professor, Towson University
• Assistant Professor of History and Director of American Studies, West Chester University
• Independent historian
• Senior Archivist, National Archives
• Associate Professor, Ryerson University
• Assistant Professor, University of Arkansas at Little Rock
• Historian, US Army
• Senior policy adviser and special assistant to the president of the Humane Society
• Historian, Office of the Historian, Department of State
• Museum Director, Renton History Museum, Oregon
• Public History Coordinator, American Historical Association
• Assistant Professor, Bridgewater State University
• Lecturer in Sociology, California State University at Bakersfield
• Assistant Professor, Delaware State University
• Historian, Global Classroom, US Holocaust Museum
• Director, Digital Archive, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library
• Assistant Professor, Illinois State University
• Adjunct Professor, University of Maryland at College Park
• Senior Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
• Assistant Professor, University of West Florida
• Independent historian and filmmaker
• Adjunct Assistant Professor of History, US Naval Academy
• Administrative Support Specialist at FEMA
• Senior editor and writer, National Endowment for the Humanities
• Instructor, Religion Dept., National Cathedral School (earned Master of Divinity after PhD)
• Curriculum and Publications Coordinator, AU Registrar's Office
• Assistant Professor, Seminole State College

News & Notes

PhD candidate Reza Akbari presented at the Middle East Studies Association's annual conference in Montreal, Canada. His presentation,  Etched in Mistrust: Continuity and Change in US-Iran Nuclear Negotiations (1969-1978),  argued that America's drive to keep Iran's nuclear program peaceful began decades before the establishment of the Islamic Republic.

PhD candidate  Andrew Sperling  published " A Halloween Party in Boston Turned Ugly when a Gang Hurled Antisemetic Slurs and Attacked Jewish Teenagers ," detailing the events of an antisemetic attack on Jewish teens at a Halloween party in 1950. 

Theresa Runstedtler 's new book on Black ballplayers of the 1970s and '80s setting the NBA up for success: Black Ball: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Spencer Haywoof, and the Generation that Saved the Soul of the NBA (2023) .

Doctoral student Maurizio Recordati Koen won first prize in the 2022 Trench Gascoigne Essay Competition for "The Stuff of Strategy: How Sublime Strategics Turned into a Real Thing" in RUSI Journal.

John Schmitz (CAS/PhD '07) published Enemies among Us: The Relocation, Internment, and Repatriation of German, Italian, and Japanese Americans during the Second World War .

Doctoral student Jonah Estess presented his paper, "Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems: The American Revolution and the National Origins of the Politicization of Money" as part of the panel at this year's Business History Conference.

Andrew Demshuk published Three Cities after Hitler: Redemptive Reconstruction across Cold War Borders .

PhD candidate Katherine Kitterman wrote on women's voting rights in Utah for the Washington Post.

Inaugural Postdoctoral Fellow

Nguyet Nguyen brings new perspective to the Vietnam War.

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• May 5, 2019

12 Exciting Careers to Pursue with a History Degree

Valerie David

Lifestyle and Career Expert

History classes at university level are often a fascinating and exciting revelation after the typically watered-down (and sometimes inaccurate) curriculum presented in primary and secondary schools. Learning every detail about your country's past, as well as other cultures, quickly fills up four years of intensive research, study, and oh-so-many papers.

Despite your enthusiasm and hard work, however, it may not be immediately apparent at graduation what to do with a history degree. So, if you’ve chosen a history major without fully considering what options this would open up for you, you’ve come to the right place! Here we uncover the 12 most popular history-related careers.

1. Historian

Average salary: $61,140 / £30,000

For many history majors, the ideal job after graduation will utilise every facet of their education. Historians research topics extensively, collecting data and verifying facts from numerous sources including books, letters, interviews, personal diaries, government records, archival photos and more. They analyse these materials and share their significance with the world via presentations, exhibits, and publications.

Historians often choose a specific area of study, like a region, time period, or event, and complete a master's degree with a focus on that speciality. They can be independent experts who provide their expertise to a variety of organisations or take a position as an in-house historian for a community, business, government, university, non-profit, or other entity.

2. Librarian

Average salary: $59,050 / £30,250

Forget the image of librarians sitting quietly and reading, only stopping to shush patrons who make noise. Modern libraries are often lively with group discussions, tutoring, book readings, children's interactive play areas, and even coffee shops. There's a wide array of technology available for you to assist students, teachers, and community residents with their research and study, from archaic microfilm up to archival photos on the internet.

There are busy jobs in university and law libraries, or for careers catering to your introverted side , look for smaller, private, museum, or historical society libraries. For the highest paying research-related jobs, an accredited library science programme is suggested in the UK, or a master's in library science in the US.

3. Secondary School Teacher

Average salary: $60,320 / £42,363

In 1905, philosopher George Santayana wrote 'those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it'. If you want to use your history degree to teach the next generation about important people, eras, wars, philosophical shifts and societal changes, and put it in a useful context for them, then working as a history teacher in a secondary school could be a rewarding job for you.

While your historical knowledge is valuable in this career, a teaching job also requires good interpersonal communication , organisational and planning skills, flexibility, and an ability to maintain order in a positive learning environment.

4. Archaeologist

Average salary: $62,410 / £28,500

Archaeology is the perfect pursuit for those interested in delving into the tangible aspects of history. While only a small percentage of archaeologists discover a lost city or a secret Egyptian tomb, you still might get the opportunity to sift through historical artefacts on smaller sites, often in your home country.

Archaeologists also preserve historical sites and educate visitors, evaluate and carbon-date items for museums, and analyse data and records for details and patterns in the history of a particular region and culture.

If this is the path for you, you'll need to pursue a masters in archaeology for higher-level positions. If you are just leaving school , you might consider a gap year for travel and volunteer for field work to be certain you enjoy the painstaking, detailed work required for archaeology.

5. Archivist

Average salary: $48,400 / £40,000

Many libraries and museum jobs include an archival role, but there are also specific positions in a variety of institutions solely focused on the preservation of historical documents and objects. Archivists also catalogue these items and use specialised equipment to scan, photograph and record delicate materials in modern digital form for longevity and wider distribution. They may also appraise materials, and assist with exhibitions.

The UK requires a postgraduate qualification approved by the Archives and Records Association in addition to your history degree. While in the US, a master's in history or library science will help secure an archival position. Volunteer work or internships are recommended.

6. Museum Curator

If you're looking for a history-related career that combines your knowledge, organisational abilities, creativity and people skills, you'll love a job as a museum curator . You'll get to select and acquire items for the museum's collection, decide how they are displayed, oversee their preservation, and give tours and presentations for the museum. You'll also work on publicity and fundraising.

Your bachelor's in history will help you get an assistant and technician jobs, acquiring the work experience needed for a museum curator position. Depending on the type of museum you want to work for, a relevant post-graduate degree like art history or anthropology is often required.

7. Solicitor / Lawyer

Average salary: $120,910 / £62,500

Did you love arguing for your country's policies and laws in a Model United Nations event, or defending your interpretation of a medieval text for a class presentation? If so, your history major provides an excellent background for a career in law. Along with developing excellent research, analysis and communication skills , your knowledge of the history of governments, laws, political movements, and culture will assist your understanding for arguments, and provide context to complex cases.

Legal systems vary by country, and you'll need to comply with your government's requirements for qualification before becoming a lawyer . In the UK, solicitors typically work more closely with clients, and barristers present on their behalf in court, with the latter commanding much higher salaries.

8. College Professor / Higher Education Lecturer

Average salary: $78,470 / £44,250

You can pass your knowledge on to older students, helping shape their views of the world before they set off onto their own careers, by teaching at a university . The hours may be longer and the workload more complex than teaching at a lower level, but the reward is lecturing to more students who are interested in the material. Particularly at larger universities, you'll also have more colleagues in your field that you can converse and collaborate with.

Along with your history degree, institutions will be looking for someone with a PhD and relevant teaching experience as a graduate assistant. Once you get a position, you'll also be encouraged to further your knowledge of your favourite historical subjects and publish scholarly works based on your research.

9. Historic Building Inspector

Average salary: $59,700 / £41,000

If you're not sure what to do with a history degree that doesn't require a lot of time spent behind a desk, consider a job as a historic building inspector. You'll utilise knowledge of architectural styles and colours throughout history, as well as vintage building techniques and materials that also meet current safety standards. You'll get to inspect historic buildings and advise on restoration, alterations, and meeting guidelines set forth by historical associations and the government.

Work experience in construction, as well as coursework in areas like structural engineering and architecture , can assist in getting permanent paid positions with contractors, local authorities, and educational institutions. Freelance work for individuals, communities and organisations is another option.

10. Broadcast Journalist

Average salary: $43,490 / £46,500

A history degree provides a solid foundation for many different fields, and your search for the perfect career may take you in some unexpected directions. Your affinity for research, analysis, and putting events into historical context make you an excellent candidate for broadcast journalism. You'll pursue news and human interest stories and write scripts for TV, radio, or Internet streams. You'll attend press conferences, interview interesting people, and present completed stories or breaking news on air.

Internships and internet gigs can help you work your way up to major broadcast roles. In the UK, you can also look into advanced degrees in journalism accredited by the Broadcast Journalism Training Council.

11. Conservator

Average salary: $48,400 / £42,000

If you want to work towards preserving history, you could consider becoming a conservator. In this role you'll be responsible for checking the condition of museum objects, preventing further deterioration, and restoring items as accurately to their original state as possible. You'll also conduct studies and keep records on how to display historical materials in the optimum light and temperature levels to minimise ageing, discolouration, and other damage.

Attention to detail is a vital skill for a conservator role. Internships are the best way to get hands-on experience and training, and advanced degrees in a relevant speciality like art history are often required in the US.

12. Event Planner

Average salary: $49,370 / £48,500

As you consider what to do with a history degree, it can be fun to thoroughly explore all the professions that are related to your studies and skills. Event planning may not seem an obvious choice at first, but the position can be adapted to your interests. Historical properties, including both buildings and grounds, often host organisation meetings, weddings, charity auctions and other events.

Whether working for clients hoping to book a historical location, or planning for the site itself, you can use your degree and research skills to create period-specific events, or simply honour the site's legacy while being careful to preserve original materials and furnishings.

Whether you're shifting career paths, or deciding on your next step after graduation , you should now be aware that many of the most rewarding and lucrative jobs in the history field require additional education and certification.

What are your plans for your history degree? Join the discussion in the comments and let us know!

Salary information is based on data compiled and published by various sources, including the National Careers Service and the Bureau of Labour Statistics .

Career Exploration

Culture and Heritage

What Can I Do with a History Doctorate?

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If you are looking into pursuing a history doctorate and are hoping to get some insight on jobs with a history Ph.D., you have come to the right place. Because achieving a terminal degree in history is often quite specific, you probably already have a finger on the pulse of what you would like to do once you publish your dissertation and call it a day. But maybe you don’t. History Ph.D. job prospects are not one size fits all. In fact, achieving a career once your program is complete is most likely going to be dependent on what specialization you emphasize in your doctorate studies, the connections you have made, and what scholarship you have created. However, job projections in the field of history have a positive outlook. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , the history Ph.D. job market is going to grow by three percent in the next ten years. That may not seem like a huge increase, but it’s not going anywhere. This is good to know that the investment in your education will most likely not be in vain. History Ph.D. jobs are vast and expansive. Let’s take a look at some of the possibilities here. 

First off, when you complete a Ph.D. program in history, you most certainly will have honed your research, writing, and critical thinking skills. All of these are valuable tools for which to engage countless professions. Such skills come with the territory and will be deduced by employers, just by seeing the fact that you have made such an accomplishment. Maybe you have already achieved your master’s degree in history and are trying to determine if you should go further. This can get you far in business, project management, teaching/ education, journalism, and many related and unrelated paths. Many people assume that history Ph.D. jobs primarily consist of teaching and that is not the case. There are many options for you when it comes to history Ph.D. jobs outside academia. We will look a little more deeply at some of those options below.

Jobs with a History PhD

History professor.

Ok, I know. This is the most obvious job on the list. Many people equate the trajectory to achieve a Ph.D. in history to working towards a job teaching postsecondary history courses. While this is one of the most common goals for achieving a Ph.D. in history, it’s not the only job option out there. As aforementioned, there are many history Ph.D. jobs outside academia, but regardless this is an excellent way to contribute to the academy while, in many cases, being able to still write and offer research in your discipline. It might not be right away that you will be able to achieve a full-time professorship, but there is a lot to be learned from being an adjunct. You will also be able to help shape the next generations of thinkers and historians. 

Historians are charged with gathering information and going after origin and historical legacies. Historians often write books, comb through oral histories, research documents, and find information in places they are skilled to find. They may also be the ones responsible for finding information on old buildings and plots of land. Historians might choose to look specifically at a specific area, region, or population for which to place their focus. As far as history phd jobs go, historians can find a very rewarding career that is entirely in line with their own interests and passions. 

Archivists and curators have similar jobs. Archivists are generally responsible for working with documents. This can include historical records, maps, land deeds, articles, among others. They may be responsible for restoring documents so they will be able to have a lifespan beyond our own. Archivists might work for historical societies, institutions of higher learning, and even libraries. They are also generally the ones responsible for organizing the documents and setting up a protocol for how to handle the materials. The phd will be your ticket to the necessary research based skills you will need for this profession. 

Academic Dean 

Obtaining a doctorate is an amazing accomplishment, it takes years of hard work and dedication so it comes as no surprise that individuals that make it to the finish line would qualify to hold one of the high positions in a college institution. A college Dean is the key figurehead of a single aspect of the college like the Dean of the History Department, or Education. Achievement of a doctorate in education would qualify former history majors for a seat at the head of a department, and according to payscale, academic deans make an average of $92,201 each year.

What Can I Do with an Master’s in History?

25 Best Online Bachelor’s in History

25 Best Online Master’s in History

25 Best Online Doctorate in History

What Can You Do With A History Degree? 7 Careers In History

Updated: Aug 2, 2023, 12:05pm

Do you ever daydream about life in a long-dead civilization? Or imagine how your city looked 50 years ago? Are you drawn to fascinating characters from the past? If so, you might enjoy a career in history.

Historians spend their days and nights with the world’s great personalities, immersed in pivotal battles and wild controversies, from the Big Bang all the way to the present. And then it’s their turn to educate others about what they learned.

History is a fascinating field and even a lifelong obsession for many. But what jobs can you get with a history degree? It turns out many fields offer promising jobs for history majors.

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What Is History?

History is the study of all that humans have done on Earth. This academic discipline attempts to explain the past using verifiable evidence, viewing prominent events and personalities from other eras through a modern lens. Taken together, different historical accounts offer a view of the world that is complicated, incomplete and even contradictory. History is a never-ending project undertaken around the world with discipline and rigor.

History Professionals

Historians use various research tools and techniques to investigate people, places and events, crafting narratives that inform the public and adding to an ever-growing historical record. They use primary sources like diaries, artifacts and statistical data to get as close to their subject matter as possible. They read—a lot—and are also skilled communicators, able to bring the past to life through dramatic retelling of consequential events.

Historians work in many positions in diverse settings. The skills gained by history students—like critical thinking, research and analysis—are coveted by employers and useful in many careers.

History Students

By studying history, you can gain useful skills like critical thinking and argumentation. You can also build deep knowledge of an area of specialization, which can be as narrow as a single event like the Battle of Gettysburg or as broad as all of U.S. history.

History majors learn to analyze, contextualize and properly cite their sources. They study topics that interest them and are encouraged to follow their curiosity.

Careers in History

The largest portion (20%) of history degree holders works in education and libraries, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). But many other opportunities exist for history majors, including the jobs we explore below. We sourced salary data from the BLS.

Median Annual Salary: $63,540 Minimum Required Education: Master’s in history or a related field Job Overview: Historians research and write about the past. They gather first-hand information using primary sources like historical documents, working to inform and engage with the public. Historians work in museums, libraries, archives, governments, schools, consultancies and historical societies.

Median Annual Salary: $61,660 Minimum Required Education: Master’s degree in history or a related field Job Overview: Librarians help people find information and utilize a library’s research tools. They organize research materials to make them easy to find, which involves cataloging data. They also instruct on research techniques. Librarians work in public, school and special libraries in governments, museums and other organizations.

Median Annual Salary: $135,740 Minimum Required Education: JD degree Job Overview: Lawyers advise and represent clients in legal matters. They work in various settings, from law firms to governments to nonprofit organizations. In addition to earning a bachelor’s degree in history or a related field, attorneys need to graduate from law school, which typically takes three years, and pass the Bar. A background in history can help as lawyers must understand vast tracts of law and be able to clearly communicate with clients and colleagues.

To learn more, see our guide on how to become a lawyer .

Paralegal or Legal Assistant

Median Annual Salary: $51,740 Minimum Required Education: Associate degree in paralegal studies , history or a relevant field; professional certification sometimes sufficient Job Overview: Paralegals and legal assistants are legal professionals whose work does not require a law degree. Much of what they do involves supporting lawyers and can include research, clerical work and interacting with clients. They typically work for lawyers or law firms, though some states are now experimenting with allowing paralegals to represent certain clients in court to ease crowded dockets and lower client costs.

Learn more in our guide on how to become a paralegal .

Median Annual Salary: $55,960 Minimum Required Education: Bachelor’s degree in journalism , history or a related field Job Overview: Journalists and historians share a mission of providing their audiences with the best available version of real-world events. Journalists just have less time to do it. They produce written and televisual content for media outlets like newspapers and TV and radio stations.

For more information, check out our guide on how to become a journalist .

History Teacher

Median Annual Salary: $62,360 Minimum Required Education: Master’s degree Job Overview: History majors often go on to share their knowledge and love of history with others by teaching, typically at the high school or college level. High school history teachers lead history lessons for subjects including world, state and American history. Their job may also involve advising students and meeting with parents.

History Professor

Median Annual Salary: $79,400 Minimum Required Education: Master’s degree Job Overview: History professors work in colleges, universities and community colleges. They lead lectures on various topics within their specializations and meet with students as academic advisors. Unlike high school teachers, history professors at the college level often conduct their own research, publishing scholarly papers and peer-reviewing the work of others. A master’s degree is usually required, though many history professors have a Ph.D.

History Specializations

Because historians often carve their own unique niche in the field, there are just about as many historical specializations as there are historians. Below we list some common specializations for history majors:

What happened before humans learned to read and write? That’s the focus of the prehistory specialist. Many ancient cultures did not produce written records, so the study of prehistory gives voice to many who might be otherwise forgotten. Rather than written works, prehistory specialists base their scholarship more on artifacts, like carvings and tools, and surviving oral traditions.

Political History

The study of political history concerns the development of political identities and the various forms of government, including feudal monarchies, communist enclaves and democratic republics, like the United States. This specialization may concern one political party, a country or the world at large. Specialists in political history research and write about important ideas, popular movements and great political leaders.

Military History

Military history is the study of human conflict. Subjects include logistics, military doctrine, leadership and ethics. For many years, military history focused on generals and their tactics, though the field now hones in on soldiers and their psychology. The study of military history typically examines various cultural traditions and the significant impact technological advancement has had on warfare.

Religious History

Religious history is the study of world faiths over time. This study often takes place from a secular perspective, covering prehistoric traditions and early polytheistic and monotheistic religions. Learners also study religious history from within religious institutions, as do some scholars of the Catholic Church. This specialization often involves discussion of how religion ties into culture, politics and art.

Black History

Black history is one of many social history subfields. This specialization typically covers the history of Africa and members of the African diaspora, including African Americans, who were brought to North America on the earliest voyages of European explorers and colonists. Other subfields in social history include women’s history, LGBT history and the history of the labor movement.

Professional Organizations for the History Field

American historical association (aha).

The American Historical Association is the nation’s oldest and largest professional organization in the field of history. It offers several useful resources to job seekers, including job boards, professional development literature and informational events held around the country.

Organization of American Historians (OAH)

The Organization of American Historians is the largest organization dedicated to the study of American history. Like other professional organizations, the OAH has an ethical code intended to maintain academic standards and guard against plagiarism and other unethical practices.

National Organization for History Educators (NCHE)

The National Organization for History Educators is an Ohio-based organization for history teachers. It offers a job board featuring open positions and online career development resources like résumé critiquing and career coaching.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Careers in History

What are some careers that have to do with history.

Journalism is often associated with history and is often called the rough draft of history. The legal field is another history-associated field, with history majors often working as lawyers or paralegals. Aspiring teachers at various levels prepare to communicate and share their knowledge by studying history in college.

What should you study if you like history?

History is a great major for students interested in the field. And you can take one of two paths when registering for history courses: You could sign up for the classes that immediately interest you, or you could let your curiosity be your guide and take classes about subjects you know nothing about.

What is a good career for someone who likes history?

History students can pursue various careers that involve researching the past and communicating their knowledge. These fields include journalism, teaching and the law. History majors also work in libraries, archives and interpretive historical sites.

Do historians get paid well?

According to the BLS, historians earn a median annual wage of $64,540, though salaries vary widely depending on experience, education and location.

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Garrett Andrews is an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Political Science at Portland Community College where he teaches State and Local Government.

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Celebrating 13 Years of History

The Portal for Public History. Please read the rules before participating, as we remove all comments which break the rules. Answers must be in-depth and comprehensive, or they will be removed.

I'd really love to get a PhD in history and teach and research at the college level, but everything I'm reading about getting a history PhD just makes me more and more discouraged. Is it worth it or should I give up my dream?

I'm a senior undergrad working toward a BA in history. Ever since I got into college, I've wanted to teach history. I went into college wanting to do that and I still want to do that. I've been thinking increasingly about getting a PhD for a number of reasons.

First, I absolutely love to learn and share what I've learned with others. I would love to teach at the college level. I would love to teach on subjects that are more specialized than just World History or US History. Being a doctor of history would give me so much more opportunity to research, to learn, and to write. Being able to do that as a job would be my dream.

My family, friends, coworkers, fellow students, and even my profs have been incredibly supportive of me, telling me that they think I should go for it and that I would be a good professor. I think I would, too: I'm passionate about history, I know I'm good at explaining information and concepts in an engaging way, and I love to learn and write. Every historian I know tells me how much they love their job and it's very inspiring to me.

But everything I've read, including similar advice on this subreddit, is really discouraging me. I keep reading how long it takes to get a history PhD, how few opportunities there are for people with them, and how unlikely it is for me to find a job in the field. I read about how stupid people think getting a history PhD is, and I find lists telling me all sorts of reasons why getting one is a bad idea. This subreddit especially has been vocal on how foolish pursuing a history PhD is.

Talk about crushing. I'm becoming afraid that everything I've been working towards is for nothing and that I'm going to have to give up what I really want to do. I'm afraid that what I want isn't the right thing for me for to do.

I'll be talking to my advisor and academic advising about this, but I could really use some honest but gentle advice on what I should do. Thank you. <3

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Everything you need to know about studying a PhD in History

Part of humanities.

History is the study of past events, their consequences and impact on modern societies. It aims to answer questions like: What are the most significant episodes in our past? What were the causes or chain of events behind them? How has our social, economic, and political landscape changed throughout centuries?

Academically, History is often split into different courses or subdisciplines, which are associated with a certain period, country, or subject. Here are a few examples: Economic History, Political History, Cultural History, Women’s History, Ancient History, Contemporary History, Indigenous Studies, Western Civilisation, and others.

A typical History curriculum includes classes in Historical Approaches and Methods, Anti-Semitism and the Holocaust, Major Wars, History of Women, Social Movements, Modern History, Medieval Europe, Politics and Society, Heritage, etc.

People who study History want to know where we come from in order to grasp what the future might look like. Analysing the past is important because trends and events have a natural tendency to repeat themselves. As the old saying goes, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

History graduates can find employment as historic buildings/conservation officers, museum/gallery curators, archaeologists, broadcast journalists or academic librarians.

View all PhDs in History . Keep in mind you can also study an online PhDs in History .

Interesting programmes for you

Specialisations within the field of humanities.

• Language Studies
• Theology and Religious Studies
• Ancient History
• Christian Studies
• Creative Writing
• General Studies
• Islamic Studies
• Liberal Arts
• Modern History
• Linguistics

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AHA Career Diversity Fellows

The Purpose of a History PhD

Lessons Learned from Career Diversity

/ Article Archive

/ The Purpose of a History PhD

Publication Date

August 14, 2020

Perspectives Section

Perspectives Daily

AHA Initiatives & Projects, Graduate Education

The AHA’s Career Diversity for Historians initiative is leading a national conversation to better align the purpose of doctoral education with the varying skills, values, and interests of graduate students and the changing professional opportunities for historians within and beyond the academy. In the spring of 2018, 20 PhD-granting history departments were awarded Career Diversity implementation grants to support a team of faculty and a graduate student fellow to collaboratively build sustainable cultural and structural change in their doctoral programs. After two years of work at our partner institutions, we asked the fellows to discuss what they’ve learned and share some of the innovative ways they are creating student-centered doctoral programs that prepare history PhDs for a range of careers.

AHA Career Diversity fellows at the 2018 orientation. Elizabeth Poorman.

In this post, the sixth of a six-part series, the Career Diversity fellows reflect on how two years of department-focused work has changed their views on the purpose of doctoral education in history, on higher education in general, and their own careers.

What do you think is the purpose of a history PhD?

Vanessa Madrigal-Lauchland (Univ. of California, Davis): Most folks interpret “What is the purpose of a history PhD?” as “What can one do with a history PhD?” The Career Diversity initiative has worked hard to answer that question with a resounding, “Anything you want.” However, the heart of the question, “What is the purpose of a history PhD?” is really asking about our goals as humanists in this world. This forces us to reflect on our values, relationship with our communities, and our impact on society.

Derek Kane O’Leary (Univ. of California, Berkeley): I don’t know. But I would love to see my department bring together faculty, grad students, undergrads, and alumni to collaboratively craft an answer to that and publish it on our website.

Lillian Wilson (Wayne State Univ.): I worked in museums and as a community college and art college lecturer before beginning the PhD and understood that I needed the doctorate to advance in the museum world or in academia. My work for Career Diversity has revealed to me that I can have a meaningful career that merges my strengths as a teacher and mentor, museum administrator, and scholar.

Matt Reeves (Univ. of Missouri–Kansas City),: The PhD is a signifier of professional approval. What, precisely, that sign of approval means is up to faculty in PhD-granting departments. But those expectations can (and should) change as the nature of the work performed by PhDs changes. As graduate students have the freedom to make their degree work for their careers, faculty have the freedom to redefine doctoral degree requirements. If we believe that people with PhDs are a positive good for society both within and beyond academe, then it’s time that faculty accept diverse new comps fields and capstone projects beyond the traditional dissertation.

Stephanie Narrow (Univ. of California, Irvine): The history PhD naturally attracts the intellectually curious, those who seek to find new perspectives on past and present issues. The PhD should foster this curiosity so that graduate students feel empowered to explore professionalization and career pathways with the same spirit of inquiry that they do their research agendas.

Trishula Patel (Georgetown Univ.): A PhD in history provides training not only in the traditional aspects of research, historiography, and pedagogy, but in the intellectual grounding that we’re given to articulate our work’s value beyond the academy. Many PhD students and faculty write for popular media outlets, teach outside the university, or engage with the public in ways that go beyond the occasional interview or op-ed. The ultimate goal, I believe, should be to give students the intellectual and practical tools to teach, research, and apply what we learn to policy, activism, and the greater good of society.

Allison Faber (Texas A&M Univ.): The most challenging part of this question is to determine one purpose of a history PhD. Broadly, a PhD signals that one has completed the highest level of training in historical research methods and historiography. However, that training is fruitless without sharing the knowledge and tools gained during a doctoral program. So, I would say that the purpose of a history PhD is to give students the ability to effectively use historical thinking to shed light on historical problems and to communicate that knowledge to others.

Brian Campbell (Univ. of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign): We need historical expertise now more than ever. Historians excel at explaining difficult concepts in the classroom, and such evidence-based historical learning should be a foundational part of any high school and middle school experience. We could better support graduate students who aspire to teach K–12, as well as in other educational spaces like prisons. Also more historians could be working as analysts and consultants, helping to inform decision-making that affects policy, governance, and culture.

Do you think about higher education differently now?

Vanessa Madrigal-Lauchland (Univ. of California, Davis): The term “higher education” always brought to mind the image of a bar just out of reach. It’s in the name, right? “Higher.” It wasn’t created for me, the Xicana, the first-generation American, the girl who lived squished in a one-bedroom apartment with her giant family. Even as I earned my way into more advanced programs and became part of the system, the mass and momentum of higher education seemed alien and separate from my passive existence as a student. But this experience empowered me (and other students) to collaborate with faculty, cross-campus institutions, and administrators to make concrete and identifiable change. After this fellowship, I think of higher education as a system supported and driven by a passionate community of individuals committed to education and equality, who are willing to work toward changing a structure that was built to resist it.

Stephanie Narrow (Univ. of California, Irvine): My work has opened my eyes to the complexity of universities and their administrative hierarchies, especially in a large system like the University of California. We’ve found success in navigating institutional channels by partnering with other campus organizations, and working through, rather than against, the university.

Tim Herbert (Univ. of Illinois at Chicago): I’ll admit that I had a naive and privileged view of higher education before I started graduate school. (The Ivory Tower! Life of the Mind!) Participating in Career Diversity accelerated the shift in my views already under way and gave me a better framework for thinking about higher education. I also have a greater appreciation for the work faculty do, especially the committee and service work that is often invisible to graduate students. For instance, I’ve watched our department chair handle budgeting at a time when Illinois’s finances—and thus the University of Illinois at Chicago’s financial state—were emerging from total chaos (Illinois effectively did not have a complete budget for two years prior to 2018).

Andrew Brown (Texas A&M Univ.): This fellowship has provided me with the opportunity to wade into the world of faculty politics and helped me learn more about department and college service than ever before. Service is not a small part of each faculty member’s job but it is probably the area most graduate students are unprepared for in the academy. I learned how decisions are made in our department and college, which helped me gain an appreciation for the people who do that work.

Matthew Villeneuve (Univ. of Michigan): We have a lot of “intergenerational” historical knowledge to draw on, and heeding that accumulated wisdom is one of the things that can broaden our sense of what historical thinking is, and where it happens.

Tyler Krahe (West Virginia Univ.): I’ve become even more convinced that higher education has a lot of room to grow. A department doesn’t have to be all things to all students and it is more than just the faculty within it. The expertise and skills of alumni are a way for a department to cater to the wants and needs of individual students. I hope that is the direction we are headed.

With what you know now, what would your ideal of graduate education in history be like?

Vanessa Madrigal-Lauchland (Univ. of California, Davis): Graduate education ought to be flexible, equitable, and diverse. Although social justice might not seem like a key aim of Career Diversity, the topic has been present in every conversation about sustainability, resources, and accessibility. If graduate programs are truly committed to diversity and equal access to education, we must create equitable solutions to facilitate student success.

Tim Herbert (Univ. of Illinois at Chicago): I want graduate education to respond to students’ needs while offering them the proper material, emotional, and intellectual support. Ideally, doctoral programs would be fully funded at a living wage for four to five years in programs designed to be completed in that period of time (though Stacey makes an important point below about the potential problems with this limit). A more flexible education would encourage students to explore the discipline and learn about the different ways of being a historian. This might include teaching, working as interns, and new formats for dissertations. Finally, I’d like to see the “doktorvater” view of graduate advising replaced by a model promoting multiple mentors.

Andrew Brown (Texas A&M Univ.): Teacher training and teaching experience have to be a priority in every graduate program. I would also like to see departments find ways to promote a healthy collegial atmosphere and cohesion in program cohorts through social events and programming. This promotes the mental health of students and reduces the sense of isolation, which is too common in the academy. It takes a long time to finish a PhD and this period cannot be seen as a break from real life. Students need a healthy and friendly atmosphere to get through the rigorous process.

Stacey Murrell (Brown Univ.): Maybe it’s because I work in a premodern field (requiring three languages and travel abroad for research) but four to five years is next to impossible. So not treating the PhD as one size fits all would be ideal. I think that all courses should involve useful assignments that can help students further develop specific skills that are useful in multiple career paths and I second the need for diverse intern opportunities and more opportunities to teach. Finally, I think it’s incredibly important that students have the opportunity to provide feedback on their courses and the program.

Joseph Stuart (Univ. of Utah): I agree with everything said above about the importance of a living wage, more professional development, and a structure that rewards and incentivizes high-quality advisers. I’d also be interested in creating classes designed to orient students to graduate school, not just to the content and historiography of their field. We ask students to figure out too much on their own, like how to apply for conferences, figure out where to do research, and balance school, work, and life. We can do more to help students, particularly underrepresented groups succeed in graduate school.

Hope Shannon (Loyola Univ. Chicago): Historians can and should be trained to bring historical thinking to wherever it might be most useful and valued. To center graduate programs around the idea that students should be trained to pursue meaningful work also requires providing students with the funding and resources necessary to explore those interests. Unfunded career diversity opportunities don’t help anyone, and they exacerbate the financial difficulties already faced by so many graduate students.

Ramya Swayamprakash (Michigan State Univ.): As an international student, I have raised the importance of thinking beyond the academy for those of us whose existence in this country is dependent on visas. Diverse, demonstrable skills would make any candidate more desirable for a variety of careers outside the professoriate. Graduate programs with large numbers of international students also need to make sure their career development programming takes their unique needs into account.

Have your own career aspirations been shaped by participating in this initiative?

Alejandra Garza (Univ. of Texas at Austin): I entered the graduate program at the University of Texas at Austin knowing what I didn’t want to do afterward, but I had no idea what I wanted to do. Now, I aspire to work in higher education administration, ideally an office like Texas Career Engagement, where I could help future graduate students see how their grad degree can help them be whatever they want to be. A graduate degree doesn’t limit you in any way, it does the exact opposite.

Shuko Tamao (Univ. at Buffalo, State Univ. of New York): I graduated during the pandemic and am reassessing my career plans right now. As a fellow, I feel I should have some solid ideas for my career plans, but I have to be flexible right now. I have set a broad, long-term career goal, but I may not get to where I aspired a few years ago. But by participating in this initiative, I learned that I could allow myself to envision my career beyond the confinement of “I should,” encouraging myself to be creative and resourceful.

Matt Reeves (Univ. of Missouri–Kansas City): I credit my time as a career fellow with coming to fully accept the positive value of a career outside the academy. It’s easy to pay lip service to the “No More Plan B” talk; it’s harder to accept and believe it. I now know that I can use the skills I learned in graduate school to positive ends outside the academy. Two years ago, I was hired as a part-time librarian in special collections at the Kansas City Public Library. Within a year, I was promoted into a full-time education and outreach position. I credit the promotion to the entrepreneurial mindset I honed in graduate school: constantly improving programs and always making the case for the value of the humanities.

Joseph Stuart (Univ. of Utah): I always knew that I needed to be open to a wide array of career opportunities. The Career Diversity initiative has given me a language and framework for how to use my historical skills to find meaningful employment that pays a living wage. If given the choice of any option, I still want to be a professor. But I know that I could succeed and be happy doing many things.

Matthew Villeneuve (Univ. of Michigan): After working on Career Diversity, I am recommitted to the broader effort of knocking down the walls of the academy—not just those artificial boundaries between historians and the public, but between historians themselves. That conviction makes me all the more committed to pursue a career in the academy. I’m confident that academic historians can continue to find common cause with everyone who uses rigorous historical thinking skills as a part of making their way in the world, and I look forward to being a part of that effort.

Leah Burnham (Georgia State Univ.): This initiative has opened my eyes to other career possibilities and I plan on applying to a variety of jobs. But it’s important to understand that a PhD does not automatically make one qualified for a job outside of academia. Those interested in other careers should participate in informational interviews through AHA Career Contacts and thoroughly research those careers to make sure they’re doing everything in their power to become qualified before applying.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Attribution must provide author name, article title, Perspectives on History , date of publication, and a link to this page. This license applies only to the article, not to text or images used here by permission.

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Ph.D. Program Overview

The  Doctoral Program in History  combines innovative teaching with rigorous seminars in American, British, and Global history. Within the broader focus on religion and culture, concentrations are offered in American Revolution, Intellectual, Gilded Age and Progressive Era, Twentieth-Century America, Women and Gender Studies, Medieval England, British Empire, the North Atlantic World, and Global history from Africa and the Middle East to Global Christianity.  We accept 3-4 highly qualified students per year.

The  Doctoral Program in History  offers:

• Competitive  funding  (full tuition and stipend available)
• Collegial graduate community
• Small seminars
• Teaching opportunities and professional training
• Support for publication, research, and conference presentation
• Faculty committed to research, publication, and hands-on mentoring

Outstanding Faculty

Baylor’s Graduate Faculty in History is a uniquely distinctive community of scholars specializing in religious history. We understand the significant role played by faculty and especially the advisor in professional academic training. We engage students as junior colleagues, teaching students to follow in the Baylor tradition of excellent teaching and preparing students for success in research, writing, and publishing (academic as well as for the more general public). Faculty excellence in scholarship combined with our serious commitment to faith manifests in our focus on forming historians as whole people who live balanced lives and thoughtfully bring their own ethical commitments to their vocations.

Dr. Andrea L. Turpin , Graduate Program Director Department of History Office Phone: 254-710-6296 Email:  [email protected]

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• 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

• 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.
• Foreign Language Proficiency
• Supervisory Committee
• Preliminary Certification
• Dissertation
• Dissertation Defense
• 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.

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Phd in history: requirements, salary, jobs, & career growth, what is phd in history.

A PhD in history is the highest academic degree in history, given to persons who have completed extensive study and showed skill in historical subjects.

A PhD in history often necessitates several years of further study and research beyond the bachelor’s and master’s degrees, culminating in the completion of a doctoral dissertation, which is an original and substantial piece of research that contributes to the field of history.

Students pursuing a PhD in history conduct extensive research, critical analysis, and scholarly writing on historical issues. They may specialize on a certain field of history, such as ancient history, medieval history, modern history, or the history of a specific region or country.

PhD candidates in history frequently undertake archival research, examine primary and secondary sources, construct historical ideas and arguments, and engage in interdisciplinary historical research approaches.

How much money do people make with a PhD in History?

Academic salaries can range from $50,000 to $150,000 or more per year, depending on the institution, level (e.g., assistant professor, associate professor, or full professor), and location.

It is crucial to note, however, that entry-level professor posts may pay less than more senior or tenured positions.

Salaries for individuals with a PhD in history can vary greatly in non-academic domains such as government, non-profit organizations, museums, and cultural heritage institutes, depending on the organization and level of responsibility. Salary ranges from $40,000 to $100,000 or more per year, based on position and experience.

It’s worth mentioning that historical research and writing can also lead to freelance possibilities, with pay varying based on the individual’s projects, clientele, and success in obtaining contracts or grants.

What is expected job growth with PhD in History?

The job growth prospects for history PhD holders varies based on the field and specific work opportunities.

Overall, the job market for historians, even those with a PhD in history, is competitive, and academic roles in particular can be extremely competitive due to the limited number of tenure-track faculty posts available and the strong demand for those positions.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment of historians, including those with PhDs in history, is expected to expand at a 3% annual pace from 2020 to 2030, which is slower than the national average.

It is crucial to note, however, that job prospects can differ based on the individual field and specialization within history.

Academic employment, such as tenure-track academic posts at universities or colleges, may have limited job growth as a result of reasons such as financial constraints, changes in demand for history courses, and an increased reliance on adjunct or non-tenure-track staff.

However, historians with PhDs in history may be able to find adjunct or temporary posts, as well as postdoctoral fellowships, visiting roles, and other short-term options.

Historians with PhDs in history may find employment in government agencies, non-profit organizations, museums, cultural heritage institutions, archives, libraries, and other related professions outside of academia.

Job development in these fields, however, might vary based on funding availability, government policy, and other variables.

What can you do with a PhD in History?

A PhD in history can lead to a variety of job opportunities outside of academia. Individuals with a PhD in history may pursue the following careers:

1. Academic Positions: PhD-holding historians can work as tenure-track or tenured faculty at universities or colleges, where they can teach history courses, conduct research, and publish scholarly work. They may also function as counselors or mentors to students pursuing careers in history.

2. Research and Consulting: Historians can serve as researchers and consultants in a variety of settings, such as government agencies, non-profit organizations, think tanks, and private research firms. They may do historical research, evaluate data, provide historical context and insights for policymaking, conduct studies on cultural resource management, or contribute to historical documentaries and exhibitions.

3. Museums and Cultural Heritage: Historians can work as curators, archivists, instructors, or researchers in museums, historic sites, and cultural heritage institutions. They may create displays, maintain collections, undertake historical artifact and document research, and engage in public outreach and education.

4. Publishing and Media: Historians can work for publishing firms, media outlets, and internet platforms as authors, editors, or content providers. They may write historical books, essays, or digital content, offer historical commentary, or contribute to historical documentaries, podcasts, or other media productions.

5. Government and Public Service: Historians can work for government agencies such as archives, libraries, historical organizations, and cultural resource management departments. They may conduct historical research, preservation, and documentation, give historical expertise, and contribute to policy development, public programs, and educational activities.

6. Education: Historians can serve as history teachers, curriculum planners, or educational administrators in secondary schools, museums, and other educational settings. They may generate instructional resources, design and teach history courses, and contribute to educational policy and program creation.

7. Freelance and Consulting Historians: Historians who operate as freelancers or independent consultants can provide historical research, writing, and expertise to customers in a variety of sectors, including genealogy, legal support, documentary filmmaking, cultural resource management, and heritage tourism.

What are the requirements for a PhD in History?

The specific requirements for a PhD in history can vary depending on the institution, program, and country. However, here are some common requirements for a PhD in history, presented in bullet points for easy reference:

• Bachelor’s degree in history or a related field (some programs may require a master’s degree or equivalent experience)
• Strong academic record and GPA
• Transcripts from previous educational institutions
• Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores (some programs may not require GRE scores)
• Statement of purpose outlining research interests and goals
• Curriculum vitae (CV) or resume highlighting relevant academic and professional experience
• Letters of recommendation from professors, employers, or other relevant sources
• Writing sample showcasing research and writing skills
• Foreign language proficiency, as required for the specific research interests
• Research proposal outlining the proposed research topic and methodology  

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How long does it take to get a phd in history.

The length of a PhD program in history can vary depending on a number of factors, including the country, institution, program structure, and the progress of the individual student. In general, the average time to earn a PhD in history is 4 to 7 years, with fluctuations on each side of this range.

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Do you need a masters in history to get a phd in history.

In most situations, a Master’s degree in history is not required for pursuing a PhD in history. Many PhD programs in history accept applicants with only a bachelor’s degree and provide students the opportunity to pursue a master’s degree as part of their PhD program.

Specific requirements vary by school and program, and some PhD programs in history may require applicants to have a master’s degree or similar expertise in a related discipline.

What are the Best PhD in History Degree programs?

1. harvard university (usa) 2. princeton university (usa) 3. yale university (usa) 4. university of oxford (uk) 5. university of cambridge (uk) 6. stanford university (usa) 7. university of chicago (usa) 8. columbia university (usa) 9. university of california, berkeley (usa) 10. london school of economics and political science (uk), leave a comment cancel reply.

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A history degree gives you the skills that can take you into a variety of careers from museum and heritage work to teaching or accountancy

Job options

Jobs directly related to your degree include:

• Academic researcher
• Heritage manager
• Historic buildings inspector/conservation officer
• Museum education officer
• Museum/gallery curator
• Museum/gallery exhibitions officer
• Secondary school teacher

Jobs where your degree would be useful include:

• Academic librarian
• Archaeologist
• Broadcast journalist
• Civil Service administrator
• Editorial assistant
• Human resources officer
• Information officer
• Marketing executive
• Policy officer
• Politician's assistant

Remember that many employers accept qualifications from graduates with any degree subject, so don't restrict your thinking to the jobs listed here.

Work experience

Pre-entry work experience is highly valued in the museum and heritage sector. Look for volunteering or work experience opportunities within the area in which you're interested. For example, if you'd like a career in curatorship, try to get experience working with museum collections.

Use any opportunities to build up a network of contacts as well as provide the skills required for your chosen job.

If you're looking for a career in a different area, such as banking or law, internships offer the chance for more structured work experience and are usually well advertised, making them easier to find. Competition for places is strong so research the company well before applying.

Search for placements and find out more about work experience and internships .

Typical employers

History graduates are valued by a range of employers and organisations including heritage organisations, museums and libraries. Other typical employers include:

• accountancy firms
• archive and records offices
• higher education institutions (HEIs)
• international development organisations
• management consultancies
• publishing companies
• television and radio broadcasters.

National and local government and the public services also attract history graduates, particularly the civil service (with some graduates applying to the Civil Service Fast Stream), NHS management, the police and armed services.

Find information on employers in creative arts and design , public services and administration , teaching and education and other job sectors .

Skills for your CV

A degree in history develops your:

• critical reasoning and analytical skills, including the capacity for solving problems and thinking creatively
• intellectual rigour and independence, including the ability to conduct detailed research
• ability to construct an argument and communicate findings in a clear and persuasive manner, both orally and in writing
• capability to work without direct supervision and manage your time and priorities effectively
• ability to discuss ideas in groups, and to negotiate, question and summarise
• capacity to think objectively and approach problems and new situations with an open mind
• appreciation of the different factors that influence the activities of groups and individuals in society.

Further study

Some history graduates go on to further study at Masters level in order to specialise in an area of history and cultures of interest to them.

However, many postgraduate courses accept graduates from any subject and this allows history graduates to enter careers as diverse as:

• accountancy
• librarianship
• museum studies

These courses provide you with vocational training skills in discrete occupational areas.

Courses of further study include law conversion courses, one-year teacher training courses, Masters courses in information management and museum studies, and certificates in corporate finance and personnel practice.

For more information on further study and to find a course that interests you, see Masters degrees and search postgraduate courses in history .

What do history graduates do?

The top ten jobs held by history graduates employed in the UK 15 months after graduation include teaching professionals (10%); sales, marketing and related associate professionals (8%); business, research and administrative professionals (5%); media professionals (4%); and finance professionals (3%).

For a detailed breakdown of what history graduates are doing after graduation, see What do graduates do?

Graduate Outcomes survey data from HESA.

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• Halfway Through My PhD: What I Wish I’d Known At The Start

This September I am officially starting my third year, meaning I am halfway through my PhD! This milestone is full of mixed emotions: I am excited to be halfway, I recognise how much I have learnt and achieved, but I am also slightly terrified by how quickly it’s going, and how much I still want to do! I am a different researcher now to when I started my PhD, so what’s changed? Here are my top tips for my past self of all the things I wish I’d known on day one.

#1 Slow down

Coming straight from my undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, I was used to short deadlines and fast progress. It took me the majority of my first year to slow down and get used to the longer timescale of a PhD. For example, I didn’t start in the lab for four months so I had time to read the literature and understand the methods and rationale for my experiments. This time was really valuable in getting a strong foundation for my studies. I am doing three studies across the course of my PhD, meaning they each take 12-15 months to complete. The longer timescale means that you won’t see progress every day, and some things won’t work first time, but over the months that slow progress will build up. Consistency is the key to your PhD, and a little bit of progress each day leads to big results over time.

#2 It’s a training programme

At the start of my PhD, I felt pressure to be perfect and to know what I was doing. I lost sight of the fact that I am still a student and am on my PhD programme to learn to become an independent researcher: my supervisors weren’t expecting that from day one.

At halfway, I am closer to the end goal of independent-researcher but I still have a long way to go. I am always learning from my supervisors and other students, and will continue to do so for the remainder of my PhD . . . and beyond. Admitting what you don’t know, taking up opportunities for development, and being kind to yourself when you fall short, is all part of the PhD. Whilst you might not go to lectures, you are still a student and that means no one is expecting you to be perfect.

#3 You can’t plan for all the adventures of a PhD

I’m a planner, list-lover and post-it note obsessive. All these things are still the case and I still plan my weekly to-do list, but I realise now that so many things happen in the PhD that you can’t plan for. Sometimes these are experiment related: your equipment might break and the replacement takes two months to arrive; your experiment doesn’t work; or the results aren’t what you expect. All of these require you to adjust your plan, with your supervisors, so you can still make progress on your overall question.

At the other end of the scale, you also can’t plan for the countless opportunities to get involved in. Part of my PhD has included lecturing undergraduate students in China – I never expected to be climbing the Great Wall during the second year of my PhD! Other opportunities have included writing for this blog, attending conferences in France and Germany, and supervising undergraduate students through their dissertations.

If you plan too much, you might miss the exciting opportunities that being a PhD student affords you. There are few times in your career that you are encouraged to follow your interests and develop your skills as much as in a PhD: in light of this, I’m having a lighter hold on the reigns for my third year so I can enjoy some side quests as they come up.

#4 It’s an individual project but you won’t be on your own

There is an element of the PhD that will always be independent: you are looking at a specific research question that no one else has ever done. Coming into my PhD I was ready to work on my own project and expected it to be a fairly isolating experience. I am so lucky to say that I couldn’t have been more wrong! It can be hard for your family and friends to understand what you are going through so having a strong department/research group community has been the unexpected highlight of my PhD. There is always someone to share a cup of tea with, a hug to cheer you up, or an ear to rant to. I know this might not be the case for all students but I think the PhD is less isolating than I thought so reach out to people, whether it’s in person or online (there are some amazing PhD study accounts), to build yourself a network of people going through the same whirlwind journey.

As I enter my third year, I am trying to take my own advice to slow down, make the most of opportunities, and enjoy the adventure with my colleagues and friends. I am so lucky to be able to say I love my PhD and I have another two years to go! Good luck to all students starting their studies this month, and to those of us ticking off another year of the journey.

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