The graduate curriculum is a good starting point, but
there is more to being a professional historian than the meeting of
curricular requirements. This page
sets out my expectations for a historian seeking the PhD. There is no formula for the complete
historian, nor any guarantee of success, but it seems to me a PhD historian
would do these things.
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Sphere
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Aspect
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Evidence
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The Literature of
History
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Major Field: The Great Plains
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HIST 730 review essay
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Comprehensive examination
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Historiographic paper for
presentation or publication
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Minor Field 1
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Comprehensive examination
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Minor Field 2
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Comprehensive examination
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The Practice of
History
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Research and writing
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HIST 790 research paper
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Dissertation of publishable quality (substantially ready
for submission to a university press)
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Presentation of 4 research papers at professional
conferences
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Publication of 2 research articles in refereed journals
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External funding
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Successful proposal for a grant-in-aid or fellowship and
completion of work proposed
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Successful proposal for an institutional grant from
external sources and completion of the project proposed
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Conventions
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Publication of at least 2 scholarly book reviews
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Successful experience organizing, moderating, and
commenting on sessions of papers at professional conferences
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Communications
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Completion of foreign language requirement
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Demonstrated mastery of computer software appropriate to
professional aspirations
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Successful oral presentations in professional settings
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Successful oral presentations in public settings
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Proficiencies
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Successful work experience in area of professional
aspiration (such as teaching, historic preservation, curatorship,
or interpretation), showing mastery of tools and methods
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Successful work experience in a second area of
professional practice, showing mastery of tools and methods
|
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The Values of
History
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Collegiality
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Notable contributions to the activities of Phi Alpha
Theta, the international honor society of historians
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Visible and sustained support to the efforts of fellow
scholars in the program and in the institution
|
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Membership and participation in associations appropriate
to professional aspirations
|
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Service
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Successful participation in public outreach activities
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Demonstrated commitment to public welfare and awareness
of public responsibility
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Ethics
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Scrupulous observance of recognized standards of
academic honesty and professional ethics
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Ethical and considerate treatment of peers and clients
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