Admission Guidelines

• Preference for admission into the Ph.D. program with full graduate standing will be given to applicants who have a GPA of at least 3.5 in history courses in an earned bachelor's or master's degree.
• Applicants shall complete an application for admission to the Graduate School of the university of their choice.
• Applicants shall submit a statement of intent clearly outlining the applicant's research interests, career goals, and purpose for seeking a Ph.D. in History.
• Applicants shall submit a substantial paper submitted for a class in History to provide evidence of ability to research thoroughly, interpret and analyze primary and secondary sources, synthesize information, organize thoughts logically, and communicate clearly and effectively.
• Applicants shall submit three letters of recommendation from individuals qualified to report on the applicant's suitability to successfully complete the Ph.D. program..
• Applicants shall submit their scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).  Preference for admission into the Ph.D. program with full graduate standing will be given to applicants who score a combined total of 1000 points on the verbal and analytical sections of the GRE aptitude test.
• The program requires students for whom English is not a native language to have a minimum TOEFL score of 600.

Degree Requirements

• Students must satisfactorily complete 90 credits beyond the bachelor's degree.  Students entering with an M.A. degree must complete at least 60 additional semester graduate credits.  Core course requirements must be met including Methods of Historical Research, Historiography, Seminar in the Teaching of History, at least 2 research seminars, and at least 2 readings courses.  Students must complete 36 course credits with at least 27 credits in History courses.    Students will earn 12 credits in one major field.  Students will earn at least 9 credits in each of two minor fields.
• Students must have a proficiency in two languages other than their native language, or one foreign language and one special research skill such as statistics or computer science.
• The program will require at least one academic year in residence at either campus.  Students will register at one of the universities that will be the student's academic "home."  The student's adviser must be employed in the home university.  At least one member of the student's committee must be employed at the other (not home) university. Students will have to take courses at both universities.
• The student will write three comprehensive examinations in their major and minor fields.  The exams will be read and graded by the supervisory commitee.  Students will complete an oral examination based on the written exams.  The oral examination is to be conducted by the supervisory committee.
• Students will write a dissertation (up to 24 credits) on an approved topic in consultation with the faculty adviser and the supervisory committee of five faculty.  The dissertation must be based on extensive research in primary and secondary sources, must argue an original thesis, and must be defended before the supervisory committee.
• The committee will be composed of the faculty adviser who represents the student's field of study and will direct the research and writing of the dissertation.  A second member of the committee (second reader) represents the student's major field of study.  A third member of the committee will represent the student's minor field of study.  The fourth member of the committee represents either the student's major field or minor field.  At least one of the four History faculty must be from the cooperating (non-home) university.  The Graduate School will appoint the fifth member of the committee.

Residency Requirements

• Students enrolled in the Ph.D. program are required to complete at least one academic year (18 credits minimum) in residence at one campus.
• Resident students may qualify for teaching assistantships.  Students who have completed a M.A. degree may be assigned full responsibility for undergraduate courses or may be assigned to assist a faculty member in teaching courses.
• Students will be required to take some courses from faculty at both campuses, but will register at only one university.  Some courses will be offered by interactive video network, some will be offered through internet on-line systems, some courses will require students to travel to the other campus.
• Students not residing on one of the cooperating campuses, will have to have access to a satisfactory research library for various courses and for dissertation research.