The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2024 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.
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Ph.d. program overview.
The Ph.D. program in History trains students in the skills of conducting original historical research and crafting original historical arguments. In the course of their work as historians, Brown scholars draw on a wide range of methods and engage with a variety of audiences. While training emphasizes the core skills of academic research, writing, and teaching at the college and university level, the program’s goals do not end there. Many Brown Ph.D. students explore teaching and writing for different settings and prepare for a breadth of careers that value the skills that obtaining a Ph.D. in History entails.
Students are expected to complete Brown’s Ph.D. program in five to six years. As a mid-sized program, the department values and cultivates attentive and hands-on faculty who work closely with students throughout their progress towards a degree. Critically, students in an entering cohort proceed through the program together, so that discussions across fields, geographies, and chronologies are built into the Ph.D. program.
Students accepted into the History Ph.D. program who remain in good standing are guaranteed funding for six years. Ph.D. students not supported by external fellowships work typically as teaching assistants in the second, third, and fifth (and, if relevant, a portion of the sixth) years of their program. There are also opportunities to apply for conference, research, and study grants either through the History Department or the Graduate School.
The information presented here is a summary of the Ph.D. program. For a more detailed description, see the Department of History Graduate Handbook. Prospective students should also read carefully the information supplied on the website of Brown’s Graduate School.
The Program is divided into two stages:
During the first and second years, students take seminars that introduce the major historiographical questions and methodologies of various subfields and develop their research skills. They identify the three fields for their Preliminary Exams and begin preparation for the exams, which are usually taken in December of the third year. Students are expected to teach as teaching assistants in their second and third years.
History offers five types of Ph.D. courses, typically to be completed within the first three years of a student’s program:
1) Required seminars (4): "History Now" features cutting-edge historical research and writing, including that being written by History faculty members; "The Roots of History" traces the development of the historical profession, focusing on the major methodological and theoretical landmarks in that development; an advanced workshop, "Writing History," guides students through the writing of a publishable paper; a Dissertation Prospectus Seminar culminates in the student’s defense of the dissertation plan and proposal.
2) Field Seminars offer a broad overview of the historiography of particular fields (e.g., Early Modern Europe, Modern East Asia).
3) Thematic Seminars provide opportunities to explore a particular theme or methodological frame from a transnational and transtemporal perspective.
4) Special Topics Seminars focus on the historiography of a particular nation or region, historical "event," or historiographical debate. They allow for focused, close training, including in specialized skills and readings in languages other than English.
5) Independent Study courses, by arrangement with the instructor, offer students, individually or in small groups, opportunities to explore special interests in depth.
In addition, students will receive course credit for attending "The Practice of History," a series of professionalization workshops that provide guidance in grant-writing, applying for jobs, developing inclusive teaching practices, constructing effective syllabuses, etc.
Students typically take four courses per semester. Up to two graduate courses (exclusive of language courses) may be taken outside the department.
A typical schedule looks like this:
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Fellowship funding |
Fellowship funding | language/skills + year long research project 3 month stipend |
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Teaching Assistantship (TA) - funding |
Teaching Assistantship (TA) - funding | Pre-dissertation research, grant writing, and exam prep 3 month stipend |
| placeholder course (prelim exam in December) Teaching Assistantship (TA) - funding |
Teaching Assistantship (TA) - funding | Dissertation research 3 month stipend |
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Dissertation research Fellowship funding |
Dissertation research Fellowship funding | Dissertation research/writing 3 month stipend |
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TA or Teaching Fellowship |
TA or Teaching Fellowship | Dissertation Completion Fellowship (DCP) Stipend |
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DCP fellowship or DCP TA (one semester each) |
DCP fellowship or DCP TA (one semester each) | Funding ends upon graduation in May |
* Can be filled in a number of ways, including a language course, a 1000-level class, an independent study, a 2000-level class, or with a placeholder independent study with the DGS (HIST2910)
Preliminary Examinations
By the end of the first semester, students should have identified three fields (one major and two minor); these are usually subfields of the primary and secondary fields listed under Fields of Study ). These will be the areas examined in the Preliminary Examinations—three written and one oral exam—usually completed by the end of the fifth semester.
Language Requirement
Language requirements are set by the fields of study. They must be completed before the preliminary examinations are taken at the end of the fifth semester.
After the successful completion of all coursework, the language requirement, and the preliminary examinations, the student, usually during the course of the sixth semester, develops a dissertation prospectus. Once the prospectus is approved by the student’s dissertation committee, the student devotes full effort (outside of work as a Teaching Assistant) to researching and writing the dissertation.
In the sixth semester, students take the Dissertation Prospectus Seminar, which provides a collaborative structure for the process of identifying viable dissertation projects, selecting a Dissertation Committee, articulating the project in the form of a dissertation prospectus, and, when appropriate, developing grant proposals based on the prospectus. The prospectus, in roughly 15 to 20 pages, states the dissertation topic, sets it in the context of the relevant secondary historical literature, explains the significance of the study, outlines the methodology to be followed, describes the types of primary sources to be used, and provides a tentative chapter outline, a bibliography, and a research plan. During the Dissertation Prospectus Defense, usually held in May or June, the Dissertation Committee reviews the prospectus and provides suggestions and advice to the student. Once the prospectus is approved, the student proceeds to conduct research on the dissertation.
Dissertation
Dissertations can vary significantly between students and among subfields. Students should consult regularly with their advisors during the dissertation research and writing process, to report progress and to ensure agreement on expectations for the dissertation. The most basic standard for a dissertation is that it makes an original contribution to the body of relevant scholarship in its field. The doctoral dissertation should be completed within four years after the student passes the preliminary examinations.
The Dissertation Defense is conducted by the graduate advisor and other members of the Dissertation Committee. Its purpose is to provide a forum for a general discussion of the dissertation—its strengths and weaknesses as a contribution to knowledge and its future prospects. If the dissertation is approved by the Dissertation Committee, the student has completed the final requirement of the Ph.D. program and can prepare to graduate.
Candidates for the Ph.D. must normally demonstrate satisfactory performance as a Teaching Assistant in undergraduate courses at Brown, or in teaching at another institution approved by the department. A Teaching Assistant usually works as a grader and section discussion leader under the guidance of the faculty member teaching the course. Ph.D. students not supported by external fellowships typically work as Teaching Assistants in the second, third, and fifth years of their program, and one semester in their sixth year. Explanation of the rights and responsibilities of teaching assistants may be found in the Department of History Graduate Handbook.
The written exam for each individual field may consist of (1) a timed, written, closed or open book exam, (2) a long essay or series of shorter essays, or (3) a draft syllabus and one or several course lectures. (Other potential outcomes must be approved ahead of time by the DGS.) The written exam may be completed (1) when the student finishes reading for a field, leaving only the oral portion for December, or (2) immediately before the oral exam in December. The oral exam, which normally takes place in December of the third year, is two hours long and consists of all three exam committee members querying the student regarding the written exams, the field at large, and/or any materials from the exam list. For more details on the preliminary exams, see the History Graduate Student Handbook.
Summary of Exam Process
Sample Exam Preparation Schedule Note : This is intended only to provide a rough framework for exam preparation; individual exam processes may vary, depending on examiner and student availability and preference.
December : Complete oral exams
The capstone project of the Ph.D. program is the Doctoral Dissertation. The Department’s required core course sequence concludes with the Dissertation Prospectus Seminar, which students take in the sixth semester, usually after passing their Preliminary Exams.
The Dissertation Prospectus Seminar (spring semester of the third year) provides a shared structure for the process of identifying viable dissertation projects, selecting a dissertation committee, articulating the project in the form of a dissertation prospectus, and, where appropriate, developing grant proposals based on the prospectus. The dissertation committee, the selection of which is a requirement of the course, consists of a chair and at least two additional Brown faculty members.
The dissertation committee will be responsible for evaluating the student's dissertation prospectus, to be presented no later than the end of the sixth semester. This usually takes the form of a dissertation prospectus defense, which is an important moment to bring together the dissertation committee to provide input and advice on the prospectus as well as the next steps of research and writing.
After passing the preliminary exams and obtaining approval of their dissertation prospectus by the dissertation committee, Ph.D. candidates are encouraged to proceed with speed and efficiency into the research process. During the research and writing of the thesis, it is the student's responsibility to regularly provide the graduate advisor with evidence of satisfactory progress towards completion. The doctoral dissertation should be completed within four years after the student passes the preliminary exams.
The department expects each student to have a dissertation defense The defense will normally be conducted by the graduate advisor and dissertation committee members, whether in person or via video conference. If the candidate wishes, other graduate students may attend and participate in the discussion.
A Dissertation Defense form must be filled out by the student and submitted to the Department staff. This form should be filed at the same time as the submission of the penultimate version of the dissertation, on March 15 for a May graduation, or no later than one month prior to the dissertation defense date if an October or February graduation.
If the dissertation is approved by the dissertation committee, the student has completed the final requirement of the Ph.D. and is permitted to proceed with preparations for graduation. Students are permitted by the Graduate School to graduate (having fulfilled all requirements) at three points during the year: October, February, and May. Students who wish to take part in Commencement ceremonies may elect to walk in May following their graduation (or at the time of their graduation, if in May). Brown University Commencement usually takes place the Sunday before Memorial Day. There is a separate Graduate School Ceremony as well as a Department Ceremony that graduate students are especially encouraged to attend.
fields of study.
Like all major history departments in this country, we divide our graduate program into fields, most of which reflect the geographic and chronological boundaries that have traditionally organized historical research in the West, but others of which cross those boundaries (such as sociomedical sciences, Jewish history, and International & Global History).Those boundaries continue to define most faculty positions in American history departments. Every prospective Columbia student thus applies to work in a specific field. There are 13 of them, each of which has slightly different requirements:
Prospective students should realize, however, that our history department, like many others, also provides opportunities for students to embrace broader lines of inquiry- both within and across traditional divisions by field. We urge our students, first, to explore the convergence of different methodological and theoretical approaches to history- to explore, for example, the intersections between political and social history, or the connections between diplomatic, cultural, and intellectual history. And we encourage our students, second, to consider research that moves beyond the period and place associated with their field. We continue to emphasize deep training in source analysis and empirical research,which are the foundations of professional history-writing. But we also urge students to take on research projects that situate their particular time or place in historical processes that decisively cross traditional boundaries.
We welcome applications, therefore,from students with strong interests in particular fields, who are eager to immerse themselves in the records of particular cultures and are prepared to acquire the techniques necessary for such work (languages and, for certain subjects, such specialized skills as paleography, statistics, or even musical training). But we also encourage applications from students who want as well to think about their work in terms of longer histories and broader theoretical questions.
Faculty members at Columbia conduct research and train students in several such broad, transnational areas, including:
However they define their fields, history students are not confined to the resources of our department. They are, rather, encouraged to look beyond our walls to other areas of the university or to other institutions in the New York metropolitan area.
In addition to Columbia’s fine departments in associated disciplines, such as languages and literature, art history, music, philosophy, sociology, political science, or anthropology, Columbia has a wide range of energetic interdisciplinary institutes that provide formal and informal training to graduate students throughout the university, among them the Harriman Institute for Soviet and Post-Soviet Studies , the Middle Eastern Institute , the Institute for Research on Women and Gender , and the East Asian Institute (along with the Department of East Asian Languages and Culture ). Columbia’s School of Public Health, which offers a Ph.D. in the history of medicine and public health in association with our department; the Law School, with which we offer a joint Ph.D./J.D. program; Teachers College; and the School of International and Public Affairs are four of Columbia’s many professional schools that offer courses and other intellectual opportunities to enhance a student’s training in the history department.
Columbia history students are also entitled to take courses at no additional cost at other area universities through the Inter-University Doctoral Consortium , such as NYU, the New School, CUNY Graduate Center, Stonybrook, Fordham, Princeton, and Rutgers .
Whatever larger interests a student may have or may develop, each enters the history program through a particular field. The Graduate Student Handbook lists the thirteen fields and details the specific requirements for each (the principal differences concern language requirements, orals preparation,and seminars). Students and their advisors may, however, agree on adjustments to those requirements in response to a student’s particular interests. Students should also keep in mind that they can formally change fields, with faculty permission, and consequently adjust their programs to reflect their particular needs.
Requirements of the ph.d..
The official requirements for the graduate program in History are detailed in the Graduate School of Arts and Science Programs and Policy Handbook . Important elements of the history program are summarized here, but students should refer to the Programs and Policy guide to check any technical requirements.
Each subfield of History has different language proficiency requirements. A list of requirements by subfield i s available here .
Proficiency can be documented in several ways:
Students are strongly encouraged to complete their comprehensive exams by the end of the fifth semester and are required to be completed by the end of the sixth semester. (Some faculty prefer students to complete the prospectus in the fifth semester and take exams in the sixth semester; please consult your advisor.)
The Comprehensive Exams include a written component and an oral portion.
Written component:
Advancing to candidacy (year 3), chapter conference (year 5).
Students must participate in a chapter conference with their dissertation committee no later than the end of their ninth semester. The dissertation committee and student discuss a dissertation chapter to give early feedback on the research, argument, and style of the first writing accomplished on the dissertation.
Submitting the Dissertation
Click here for Overview of Ph.D. Requirements
The full requirements and recommendations for the Graduate Program in History are available in the Guidelines to the M.A. and Ph.D. Curricula. Current students and advisors should refer to the Guidelines and the Canvas "History Department PhD Students" page for detailed requirements, forms, and instructions.
Program Overview
Students are expected to complete all the requirements for the PhD degree in History in a timely fashion. Students are reviewed annually for continuation in the program and are expected to make good progress at all stages of the program. All requirements for the PhD degree, including the final defense, must be completed within seven years from the date of first matriculation.
First- and Second-year Highlights
Language Requirement
The Department requires a high pass (P+) on one or more language translation examinations. Students must take an examination administered through the Department during the first quarter of residence. Students who do not high pass on the first attempt should devote special attention to improving their skill and are required to repeat the exam at least annually until a high pass is achieved. It is mandatory to high pass in at least one language examination before the beginning of the second academic year. In fields where more than one language is required, the additional requirement(s) must be satisfied before the proposal hearing. See the Guidelines for more details on language examinations.
*For fields with extensive language training, students may petition for a one-year postponement of the language examination. ^If the language requirement is met with French or German, it is assumed that the student will also acquire knowledge of area language(s) sufficient for research purposes.
Oral Fields Highlights
Dissertation
Final Defense of the Dissertation
Joint Degree
Joint degrees are rare, but students may apply for a joint degree on an ad hoc basis. The application process begins with the student's Dean of Students Office. The faculty members who work with the student should strongly support the need for a joint degree. Students from other departments should read the Joint Ph.D. Degree Guidelines (PDF) . Students should apply in the late winter or early Spring Quarter so the Graduate Student Affairs Committee can review the file in its annual student review in late May or early June.
History MA Degree for PhD Students from other University of Chicago PhD Programs
In rare cases, the University allows students from another University of Chicago PhD program to receive an MA from an alternate program. Students should first consult with their home unit’s Dean of Students office. After receiving permission to pursue an alternate MA, students wishing to receive an MA from the Department of History should petition the Graduate Student Affairs Committee in Autumn Quarter. For more information contact the graduate affairs administrator .
Students with questions about doctoral program degree requirements and milestones should contact Sonja Rusnak ( [email protected] ) History Graduate Affairs Administrator. Students may also contact Brett Baker ( [email protected] ), Associate Dean of Students in the Social Sciences, and Amanda Young ( [email protected] ), Director, Graduate Student Affairs in UChicagoGRAD.
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2024-25 edition, history, ph.d..
The Doctoral Program in History is designed to provide students with advanced historical research skills and a solid grounding in the theory and methodology of history. This combination reflects the Department’s conviction that scholars should approach significant questions about the past with rigor and sophistication. The Department requires that students develop critical abilities in dealing with primary sources, secondary syntheses, and the interrelationship of history and theory. Candidates for the Ph.D. in History are expected to gain teaching experience as an integral part of their graduate training. This is accomplished through work as a teaching assistant.
Doctoral students take a minimum of 15 formal courses to be completed during the first two years of the program. Ten courses must be taken within the History Department.
Required coursework for doctoral students includes two courses in History and Theory. These courses explore a variety of theoretical issues and methodological concerns that have sparked debate in the humanities and social sciences in the past decades and which remain pertinent to 21st century historical writing. Topics may include the relationship between materialist approaches and cultural analysis; subjectivity and governance; gender and sexuality; ethnicity and racial formation; the politics of religion; "the archive" and archival practice; nationalism and postcolonialism; world history and transnational studies.
Required coursework for doctoral students includes one course in History Methods. This course introduces graduate students to some of the most foundational ideas and debates that have shaped historiographical practice over the past half century. This course explores fundamental questions about how historians imagine the past as they try to write about it, how they constitute it as a domain of study, and how (and why) they argue about it.
Doctoral students are required to take a total of five courses satisfying requirements for specialization in two historical fields, in either area studies or thematic fields. Students take three courses in the first field and two courses in the second field. The Department offers area studies fields in Asian History, European History, Latin American History, Middle East and African History, U.S. History, and World History. Thematic fields vary depending on demand. Students may take courses satisfying field requirements in any order.
Doctoral students are required to take a two-quarter course sequence in research and writing both their first and second year in the graduate program. In the first year, students take a proseminar on historical methodology ( HISTORY 202A ) followed by a second quarter ( HISTORY 202B ) in which they write a research paper that engages the methodologies and questions explored in the previous quarter. Students who enter the doctoral program with a master's may petition to be exempt from the first-year research sequence, pending acceptance of the M.A. thesis as an equivalent to the final research paper of the sequence.
In the second year of study, Ph.D. students take a two-course sequence ( HISTORY 204A and HISTORY 204B ) in which they research and write a paper on a topic of their choice. The second year research paper is required of all doctoral students.
Doctoral students are required to take a three quarter long colloquium (HISTORY 210A-HISTORY 210B-HISTORY 210C) on professional development during their first year in the graduate program. The Professional Development Colloquium introduces graduate students in history to career diversity and life as a professional historian both within and outside academia. It addresses topics including finding support for successful and intellectually rewarding on time degree completion, preparing for different kinds of employment searches, and applying skills learned from academic training to a variety of professional settings.
All students must demonstrate a proficiency in one language other than English prior to taking the Ph.D. candidacy qualifying exam. Competency in a language may be established either by passing a departmental examination (proctored in the department office) or through extensive language use in one of the research seminars. The language used to satisfy this requirement is subject to their advisors' approval.
To continue in the doctoral program, students must satisfactorily pass a departmental evaluation at the end of their first year of study; this includes students who entered with a M.A. from another institution.
Doctoral students can be awarded an M.A. from UCI after fulfilling requirements for residence, one language, and successfully completing 36 units, including 28 units in required courses and one of the following: submitting an approved M.A. thesis, passing a one-hour exam in the primary field, or completing an additional 24 units of approved coursework.
In the third year of the doctoral program, students prepare for their candidacy qualifying exam and write the dissertation prospectus. Most third year students enroll in the intensive readings course ( HISTORY 298 ) or directed readings ( HISTORY 291 ) to work closely with faculty in preparing for exams and writing their prospectus.
The candidacy qualifying exam is an oral, two-hour meeting during which a student is examined in their first and second field by a committee of four faculty members, plus an additional faculty referee. Upon successful completion of the exam, the student is officially advance to doctoral candidacy (all but dissertation) and presents the dissertation prospectus in a colloquium including all members of the dissertation committee for formal approval. Both the exam and prospectus colloquium should be completed by the end of the third year.
The dissertation is the most important part of the Department's doctoral program. The dissertation is an original piece of historical scholarship, involving extensive primary research and original analysis of secondary source material. Students spend a year or more engaged in intensive research, and another year or more writing the dissertation. Throughout this period, students work closely with the advisor and the dissertation committee members. The finished dissertation must be approved by all members of the dissertation committee.
Most graduate students begin work as a teaching assistant for the Department or School courses during their second year and continue throughout their tenure in the program, except when dissertation research or writing require their residency away from the university. Students have the opportunity to apply to teach their own courses during summer session once they have advanced to doctoral candidacy. Students beyond their second year are required to also apply for teaching positions outside the department, e.g. in Composition or Humanities Core.
Normative time to degree for the doctoral program is seven years. Maximum time to degree permitted is nine years.
It is desirable that an applicant have the equivalent of an undergraduate major in History; however, the Department also considers students who have previously specialized in other subject areas and who have strong analytical and writing skills. Many students entering the program hold a Masters degree in History, or an associated field. The Department's required grade-point minimums and English Language Proficiency requirements for international student admission are consistent with university policy. A GRE score is not required for admission. Students are accepted for fall admission only.
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2024-2025 Catalogue
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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.
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:
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.
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.
PhD in History
The PhD program in History enables you to conduct research at the highest level and begin your career as an academic historian or prepare for a wide range of academic and professional careers. You’ll work alongside CGU faculty-scholars who specialize in U.S. and European history and draw on expert faculty from the highly ranked Claremont Colleges as well. With abundant opportunities to traverse disciplines and bring diverse ideas together, you will engage in first-rate historical scholarship. The result: an in-depth education in history with a breadth of expertise and an instructional environment unmatched by most larger universities.
required units
degree awarded
Spring, Fall
program start
4 years | full time*
estimated completion time
7 years | part time
American studies.
The American Studies concentration takes a multidisciplinary approach to the study of United States culture, society, civilization, and identity through the curricular lenses of history, literature, critical theory, and more.
The Early Modern Studies concentration undertakes interdisciplinary examination of history, culture, politics, and society within the transitional and transformative period that stretched between Medieval and modern societies, marked especially by the advent of print, Christian confessional war, and the rise of the modern state.
A comparative analysis of culture in the Americas, the concentration in Hemispheric & Transnational Studies explores how scholarship on the Atlantic, borderlands, and diaspora have reshaped U.S. American Studies, Caribbean Studies, and Latin American Studies, emphasizing the topics of empire, race, religion, and revolution.
Situated at the bustling intersection of cultural studies, new media, critical theory, and popular culture, the burgeoning field of Media Studies examines the creative and critical practices of media consumers, producers, artists, and scholars, focusing on questions of representation, power, technology, politics, and economy.
The Museum Studies concentration investigates the history and political role of museums in society, the interpretation and display of a wide variety of cultural productions, and topics of special concern to museums as cultural organizations, using a multidisciplinary, practice-based approach to understand the historical development of this evolving field.
Smith College
Fort Lewis College
CSU Channel Islands
Mount St. Mary's College
Claremont Colleges Libraries
U.S. Department of Commerce
Walla Walla University
The Drucker Institute
Azusa Pacific University
Associate Professor of Religion and History Howard W. Hunter Chair of Mormon Studies
Research Interests
Mormonism, new religious movements, evangelicalism, religion and American politics
Professor of Cultural Studies and History Chair, Cultural Studies Department
Modern Spain, 19th- and 20th-century Europe, Genocide and racial thought, Museums and commemoration, Memory
Assistant Professor of History
Citizenship, Migration, Sport, Public history, Digital humanities
Professor of History John D. and Lillian Maguire Distinguished Professor in the Humanities Chair, History Department
Colonialism and empire, unincorporated territories, migration and labor, comparative ethnic studies, Asian-American and Pacific Islander studies, 20th-century United States, indigenous issues, environmental history, oral history, U.S. expansionism
Shane bjornlie.
Claremont McKenna College
Late Antique history, Roman history
Scripps College
African diaspora with specialization in its literature
Harvey Mudd College
U.S. empire in Oceania with an emphasis on diaspora, labor, indigeneity, militarization, oral history and settler colonialism in Guåhan
20th century liberalism in the United States, Fair housing, Liberal religion and politics
Pomona College
Italian Renaissance art and architecture; Italian Baroque art and architecture; Medieval art history; history of cities, palaces, villas, and gardens; history of Genoa
Medical technologies, including x-rays, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries
Early American and Atlantic history; Race, family, and slavery in North America and the Caribbean
American Constitutionalism, American founding, Constitutional law, Military history, War and foreign relations
U.S. environmental policy, U.S. public-lands management, Western water politics, Immigration and border security, Urban politics and development, U.S. intellectual and cultural history
Pitzer College
Cultural and social history of early modern and modern Africa, Global diasporas, Gender and sexuality, West Africa, Slavery, Colonialism, Oral history
Design & architecture, East Asian history & political economy, Korean history, Modern Japanese history
American Constitutionalism, American Founding, Constitutional Law, Crime and Criminal Justice, Indian Gaming Issues, Redistricting, Supreme Court, Voting Rights
U.S. History, Alcohol and Drug Studies, History of Sexual/Gender Minorities, The Cold War, Labor Unions, International Labor Movements, U.S. and Britain, San Francisco Bay Area History, California History, Sustainable Development Policy
Up to 24 units transfer credit from previous graduate work in History may be substituted for the elective coursework requirements.
Research Tools Requirement
Research Papers
PhD Completion
Inaugurated in 1962, the Claremont Graduate University Oral History Program has amassed an impressive collection of interviews with persons whose life experiences merited preservation and special projects, such as China Missionaries Oral History Project, funded by the Henry Luce Foundation. It is a premier resource for research into the history of The Claremont Colleges and California state government and politics.
University Requirements | |
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Application Fee | |
Official Transcripts | Applicants must submit a sealed, official transcript from every undergraduate and graduate institution that has granted the applicant a degree. Electronic transcripts sent to are also accepted. For undergraduate coursework, applicants are required to submit proof of a completed bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Unofficial copies of transcripts are accepted for review purposes, but official copies will be required upon admission. Applicants currently earning a degree that will be completed prior to attending CGU are required to submit a transcript showing work in progress for evaluation purposes. Once the degree has been granted, a final official transcript documenting the degree conferred must be submitted to CGU. International applicants are advised to review the for additional information on submitting international transcripts. |
English Proficiency Exam | A valid score on one of the following examinations TOEFL, IELTS, Pearson PTE, Duolingo English Test is required of all non-native English-speaking applicants. The examination is not required for the following applicants: CGU’s school code for the TOEFL exam is . International applicants are encouraged to visit our for more information, including score requirements. |
Resume |
Program Requirements | |
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Statement of Purpose | |
Academic Prerequisites | |
Letter of Recommendation | When filling out the online application, please enter references acquainted with your potential for success who will submit a written recommendation on your behalf. In most academic departments, references from faculty members who can speak to your academic ability are preferred; applicants with substantial work experience may request professional references. Please do not enter family members as references. You will be required to input information for your recommenders (whether they are submitting online or not) in the “Recommendations” section of the online application. Please follow the directions in this section carefully before clicking on “Recommendation Provider List” to input the names and contact information for each recommender. You will have an opportunity to indicate if the reference writer will be submitting online. These reference writers will receive an email from CGU with instructions on submitting an online recommendation. .
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Standardized Test Scores | For applicants applying to begin in a 2024 term, standardized test scores are not required for this program. Applicants who have taken the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) General Test are invited to submit scores but are not required to do so. Applicants who feel that their Grade Point Averages do not adequately represent their ability to succeed in a graduate program may find it helpful to submit GRE scores for consideration. CGU’s school code: |
Writing Sample |
CGU operates on a priority deadline cycle. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit complete applications by the priority dates in order to assure maximum consideration for both admission and fellowships.
Once the priority deadlines have passed, the University will continue to review applications for qualified candidates on a competitive, space-available basis. The final deadlines listed are the last date the University can accept an application in order to allow sufficient time to complete the admissions, financial aid, and other enrollment processes.
Spring 2025 Priority Deadline – November 1, 2024 Final Deadline (International) – November 15, 2024 Final Deadline (Domestic) – December 1, 2024 Classes begin – January 21, 2025
Fall 2025 Priority Deadline – February 1, 2025 Final Deadline (International) – July 5, 2025 Final Deadline (Domestic) – August 1, 2025 Classes begin – August 25, 2025
Program | 72 units |
Tuition per unit* | $2,020 |
*Based on 2024-2025 tuition rates.
$245 Student Fee |
$150 Technology Fee |
International Student Services Fee*: $661 fall semester, $776 spring semester |
For estimates of room & board, books, etc., please download CGU’s Cost of Attendance 2024-2025 .
Review General Costs
View Concentration
These concentrations are available for students pursuing the following degree programs:
Master’s Degrees
Doctoral Degrees
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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.
If you are interested in part-time study, please visit our Part-Time PhD in History page for more information.
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:
If you have any questions, drop us a line on [email protected]
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:
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!
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).
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
Minimum number of terms of research which need to be in Cambridge (in order to qualify for the PhD)
End of term by which your draft dissertation must be submitted to your supervisor
Absolute final submission deadline
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!
Last Updated: September 7, 2024 Fact Checked
This article was co-authored by Felipe Corredor . Felipe is a Senior College Admissions Consultant at American College Counselors with over seven years of experience. He specializes in helping clients from all around the world gain admission into America's top universities through private, one-on-one consulting. He helps guide clients through the entire college admissions process and perfect every aspect of their college applications. Felipe earned a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Chicago and recently received his MBA. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 102,520 times.
A doctorate, or Ph.D., in history generally takes between five to seven years to finish. It is the highest degree that you can earn in the field. To graduate with a Ph.D. in history you will need to successfully complete your coursework and write a book-length dissertation. Reaching out to other students and faculty for support along the way will help you to reach your goal. You will also need to devote the majority of your time to the study of history. It is not easy to earn a doctorate in history, but it is worthwhile for many people.
Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about doctorate programs, check out our in-depth interview with Felipe Corredor .
Deciding to get a doctorate in history can be an exciting step in your career. Before you get a doctorate, you’ll need to earn a bachelor’s degree in history. Once you graduate, look for doctoral programs to apply to. If you have a specific focus, like women and gender history, make sure to look for programs that excel in those areas. During your graduate studies, you’ll usually conduct dissertation research on the specific topic you’re interested in. You may even culminate this research into a final project or book. You’ll also need to pass comprehensive exams before you can graduate with your doctorate in history. Most students finish graduate school in 2-3 years. To learn how to develop a professional profile after you graduate, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No
Avinash Verma
Jul 9, 2018
Sebastian Voorhuis
May 31, 2016
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Are you interested in a career in education, research, politics, archaeology, or management of national landmarks and museums? Whatever your career goals are, Liberty University’s PhD in History can provide a theoretical background as well as research nd writing experience. These tools can help you excel in either academic or non-academic career fields related to humanities and social sciences.
An online doctorate in history can prepare you to pursue a variety of career opportunities. You might join the world of academia as a professor, professional researcher, or publisher. Or you could pursue a position as a museum curator, international development specialist, author, archaeologist, or federal government employee.
Academics and many other career fields need people like you who are knowledgeable about the undercurrents, culture, and societal standards surrounding historical events. Prepare to excel in whichever career field you choose when you pursue Liberty University’s online PhD in History.
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When you choose Liberty, you’re choosing to pursue a degree from an accredited university. We offer a Christ-centered curriculum, flexible course scheduling, and affordable rates. Our goal is to provide you with academic excellence that is grounded in faith and consistent support throughout your academic journey.
Liberty University holds regional accreditation through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges ( SACSCOC ). This means we have earned accreditation that demands high academic standards. Employers can have confidence in your knowledge and abilities gained through the program. And you can rest knowing that your degree will benefit both your personal and professional life.
At Liberty, our mission is Training Champions for Christ . That means each of your professors is a Christian who incorporates a biblical worldview into every course. Your professors are professionals who have doctorates like our online history PhD degree.
You can complete our PhD in History through distance education with 8-week courses and no set login times. This flexibility allows you to pursue your online doctoral degree while maintaining commitments to your family, career, community, and church.
When you pursue our doctorate in history, you’ll learn historical concepts and how to educate others from a Christian perspective. Upon successful completion of this program, you will be able to do the following:
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Degree Completion Plan (PDF)
Speak to one of our admissions specialists to help you choose the program that best fits your needs.
Your success is our success, which is why we are committed to providing quality academics at an affordable tuition rate. While other colleges are increasing their tuition, we have frozen tuition rates for the majority of our undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs for the past 9 years – and counting.
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We want to help you find the doctoral degree you want – at a price you’ve earned. As a thank-you for your military service, Liberty University offers eligible current and former service members like you or your spouse multiple pathways to earn a doctoral degree for only $300/credit hour . Find out how you can take advantage of this unique opportunity as you work toward your goal of reaching the pinnacle of your profession – for less.
Is a phd in history worth it.
If you love history and want to increase your career options and earning potential, then a PhD in History is worth your effort. The types of jobs you could qualify for range from positions in the federal government to academia to private companies.
Your earning potential will also increase because you hold a terminal degree. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, professionals with a doctoral degree earn an annual median salary of $94,900.* This is a 27% increase from the salaries of their counterparts who only have a master’s degree.
*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, at Education Pays (viewed online August 19, 2020). Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.
Yes – with Liberty University’s online programs, you can earn your PhD in History 100% online. Our goal is to provide you with quality academics that are both affordable and flexible. We understand that you are a working professional with commitments. That’s why you have the flexibility to complete your doctorate wherever and whenever is most convenient for you.
When you’re considering career options, a PhD in History is one of the most flexible doctorates you can earn. You will have job opportunities with the United States government, universities, private organizations, and more. Some of the specific careers that may be available to you include:
If you plan to choose Liberty for your PhD, you can rest assured that your degree will be respected. Liberty University is regionally accredited through SACSCOC . This means our program has to meet rigorous academic standards that are respected by future employers.
This program is offered in an 8-week course format, with 8 different start dates each year, and no set login times!
You will benefit from networking opportunities with other professionals in the program from around the country.
The PhD in History is the first program of its kind offered from a conservative Christian, accredited university.
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An Interactive Database of History PhD Career Outcomes
Where Historians Work is an interactive, online database that catalogs the career outcomes of historians who earned PhDs at universities in the United States from 2004 to 2017. Powered by Tableau, Where Historians Work provides the fullest picture of PhD careers available for any discipline. This tool allows current and potential graduate students to understand the full scope of career options open to history PhDs and to research which departments best fit their values and goals, enables departments to better meet the professional development needs of their doctoral students, and documents the broad impact of doctoral education in history.
Where Historians Work was first released in 2018. At that time, the data set included career outcomes for the 8,523 historians who earned PhDs at PhD-granting universities in the United States from 2004 to 2013. In 2022, the AHA released four years of additional data, adding career outcomes for the 3,787 historians who earned PhDs at US universities from 2014 to 2017.
Further reading on the databases:
Where Historians Work is a product of the AHA’s Career Diversity for Historians initiative, funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
This dashboard includes the occupational data collected for the 8,523 historians who earned PhDs at US universities from 2004 and 2013.
This dashboard includes the occupational data collected for the 3,787 history PhDs who graduated between 2014 and 2017.
Where Historians Work tracks the employment status of history and history of science PhDs who graduated from all history PhD-granting departments in the United States from 2004 to 2017.
The Where Historians Work database consists of two separate dashboards: one containing the 2004 to 2013 dataset and the other containing the 2014 to 2017 dataset. Each dashboard features seven interactive data visualizations. Toolbars near the top of the dashboards allow users to view career outcomes in the aggregate and filter the results by variables such as gender, graduation year, department, and field specialization. Many slides contain additional information that can be accessed by hovering your cursor over individual data points. The Where Historians Work dashboards are best viewed in a desktop browser in full screen.
We hope users will explore the data, make discoveries, and share them with us. You can read a summary of initial findings from when the original 2004 to 2013 data set was published in 2017 here . A summary of findings from the 2014 to 2017 data set can be found here. Please send any comments or questions about Where Historians Work to Hope Shannon, the AHA’s marketing and engagement manager.
Project director.
Emily Swafford
Dylan Ruediger Hope Shannon
Avrati Bhatnagar Megan Connor Claire Vanderwood
The AHA brings together historians from all specializations and all work contexts, embracing the breadth and variety of activity in history today.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
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On this page:, at a glance: program details.
Certificate Awarded: Public History (Certificate)
The graduate certificate in public history offers students the opportunity to explore local and community history, digital humanities, historic preservation, oral history, cultural resources management, historical administration, museum studies, archival training and scholarly publishing. Students work with faculty conducting research in a variety of historical and applied fields, all of which emphasize the intersection of theory and practice in public history.
By its nature, public history training must move beyond the classroom, and with a professional experience built in conjunction with community partners, students can develop their professional networks and be introduced to the process and settings in which they will build careers.
Curriculum plan options.
Required Core (6 credit hours) HST 502 Public History Methodology (3) HST/WWS 585 Professional Experience (3)
Other Requirements (3 credit hours) HST 580 Practicum (3) or HST/WWS 585 Professional Experience (3) or WWS 563 The Lived Experience of World War II (3)
Electives (6 credit hours)
Additional Curriculum Information HST 585 Professional Experience is crosslisted with WWS 585 Professional Experience, and students can take either section to fulfill certificate requirements. For Other Requirements coursework, students complete either an additional 3 credit hours of HST/WWS 585, WWS 563 The Lived Experience in World War II or take an HST 580 course from an approved list. Students should see the unit for an approved list of other requirements and elective topics.
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in any field from a regionally accredited institution.
Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.
Applicants are required to submit:
Additional Admission Information An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of current residency. The history program requires a TOEFL iBT® score of at least 90, taken in a testing center.
The personal statement, about 500 words in length, should be addressed to the history admission committee and should explain the applicant's scholarly background and training, career goals, and why the applicant wants to pursue graduate study at ASU in public history.
The written statement should respond to the following prompt: Public history is most simply defined as history put to work in the world. In a brief statement (about 500 words), tell us your experiences in, or thoughts about, how you have (or would like to) put history to work in the world and how ASU's public history program might help you accomplish your career and/or intellectual goals as a historian.
All applications are reviewed by multiple ASU faculty members and assessed holistically to determine if they demonstrate the capacity to succeed in a rigorous and writing-intensive graduate program. This decision is made on the basis of prior coursework (particularly in history and other social sciences), the quality of the written statement and the personal statement. Prior coursework in history is not a requirement, but in such cases, applicants will want to have a strong written statement.
Global experience.
Study abroad is possible for graduate students. There are more than 50 program opportunities, with programs on every continent. Faculty-directed programs tend to be the best fit for graduate students; taking courses with ASU professors over the summer or during academic breaks offers students close mentorship and professional network growth in many fields of study while they earn ASU credit. Exchange program participation is also possible with careful planning.
Within the public history certificate program, students also have the option to organize a professional experience opportunity that can take place abroad. Students need to consult with the academic unit directly for more information about these professional experience options.
Learn about our programs, apply to a program, visit our campus, application deadlines, career opportunities.
Graduates possess the theoretical knowledge and practical, hands-on training experience needed for careers in research, teaching, government service, public history and a host of other positions in the public, private and nonprofit sectors.
Graduates serve as first-rate historians, researchers and consultants, foreign service officers, management professionals, community organizers and public servants.
Other career examples include:
ASU offers this program in an online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. Applicants may view the program description and request more information here .
If you have questions related to admission, please click here to request information and an admission specialist will reach out to you directly. For questions regarding faculty or courses, please use the contact information below.
The MPhil in History (Modern European History 1850-present) will encourage you to ask new questions of the cultural, intellectual, transnational, and social history of Europe from 1850 onwards.
The MPhil has a sustained period devoted to archival research and writing, and is designed to give you a thorough training in historical research, improve your ability to conceptualise and engage with historical problems, and enlarge your understanding of the historical and historiographical context in which your own research is set. The course can serve as either a free-standing graduate qualification, or as a springboard to doctoral study. Students wishing to proceed to doctoral study will be encouraged to develop their doctoral proposals during the first few months of the second year. Skills training and option-choice are flexible and open-ended, to allow you to gain the knowledge and training needed to complete your research project.
Oxford has a unique concentration of academic expertise in modern European history, with particular strengths in both the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, offering coverage of western and eastern Europe, culture and politics, national and international history. There is a culture of diversity and asking new questions, and in this spirit, you will be encouraged to follow your own intellectual interests. There are weekly seminars with a wide range of speakers, specialist research centres, and a graduate workshop where you can present and discuss your work. Further information about Modern European History research and activities can be found through the faculty website.
All graduate students are encouraged to engage with the faculty’s lively research culture of seminars, workshops, and discussions groups . There’s something happening nearly every day of the week and sessions often involve leading international scholars. The faculty also runs the Oxford History Graduate Network , which fosters conversation and collaboration between graduate students. Interdisciplinary activities are available through The Oxford Centre for Research in the Humanities (TORCH) .
You will take three compulsory core papers and two optional papers, as well as undertake an original research project. There is also a research masterclass, which is not assessed. This structure gives access to a wide range of both general and specialised training within the field of history.
1. Sources and Historiography
This is a weekly 1.5 hour seminar in Michaelmas term of the first year. The aim of these classes is to acquaint you with some key approaches on subjects such as the oral history of protest movements, the subjective experience of war and violence, photographs as a form of global politics, which provide modern European historians with a critical theoretical framework for their own empirical research. There will be five classes on Historiography, for which there will be some assigned reading. There will also be opportunities for you to consider the application of particular theories and methods to topics of special interest to them. Great emphasis will be placed upon class discussion, and on the creation of an intellectual community among students. 2. Theory and Methods
The format is a 1.5 hour weekly seminar in Michaelmas term of the first year. It will cover current methodological and theoretical approaches. Students and course tutors will choose six of these from a syllabus of nine.
3. Writing History
This is a weekly class in Trinity term of the first year exclusively for MPhil students, with all MPhil students taught in one or two classes. The classes range widely across history and involve critical reading and thinking about published work.
4. Research Master Class
Taught in weekly classes in Michaelmas term of the second year, during which students present and receive feedback on their work.
A free choice of the options on offer taught in six weekly classes during Hilary term of the first and second year. Options of particular interest to modern European history include:
More information on options is available through the faculty website. Not every optional subject listed may be on offer every year.
You will work on original research project throughout both years, under the guidance of your supervisor. You are expected to commit the summer vacation between the two years and the Michaelmas term of the second year to archival research.
Recent topics have included:
More details of core and optional papers are available on the course webpage of the faculty's website (see the Further information and enquiries section for further details).
Additional lectures, classes, and tutorials take place in Michaelmas and Hilary terms to provide general and specific training. You will discuss what training you need to undertake your research project with your supervisor. Training available includes document and object handling, palaeography, oral history, text analysis software, GIS software, and statistical analysis. Language training is also available, with the Faculty organising special courses for historians in French, German, Spanish, and Italian. Other modern language courses are available through the University’s Language Centre. Courses in Latin and other medieval languages are also available. Further details on language learning can be found on the faculty website.
The course is full-time and requires attendance in Oxford. Full-time students are subject to the University's Residence requirements.
As a graduate student, you will have access to the University's wide range of world-class resources including libraries, museums, galleries, digital resources and IT services.
The Bodleian Libraries is the largest library system in the UK. It includes the main Bodleian Library and libraries across Oxford, including major research libraries and faculty, department and institute libraries. Together, the Libraries hold more than 13 million printed items, provide access to e-journals, and contain outstanding special collections including rare books and manuscripts, classical papyri, maps, music, art and printed ephemera.
The University's IT Services is available to all students to support with core university IT systems and tools, as well as many other services and facilities. IT Services also offers a range of IT learning courses for students, to support with learning and research.
You will be able to draw on the specialist resources offered by the Bodleian History Faculty Library which provides dedicated support and training courses for all graduates. You can also access the many college libraries and college archives which house significant collections of personal papers as well as institutional records dating back to the middle ages.
The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Faculty of History and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Offers will only be made if appropriate supervision is available.
It is usual practice that MPhil students have one supervisor, but a co-supervisor will be appointed if additional specialist knowledge is required. One supervisor must be a member of the Faculty of History, but a co-supervisor can be appointed from a different department.
Your supervisor(s) is there to provide advice, guidance, and support throughout. You should arrange to meet your supervisor(s) early in your first term to establish a clear framework for your research and writing, and identify any skills training needed to undertake your research. There is no set timetable for the frequency of future meetings, but it is recommended that you arrange to meet your supervisor several times each term, to discuss progress of your research and writing. You should also agree a timetable for the submission and return of drafts of your dissertation.
If you contact a potential supervisor prior to submitting your application, any indication made by an academic that they may be willing to supervise a potential project, is not a guarantee that you will be offered a place, or that the supervisor in question has capacity to supervise you in that particular year.
The Sources and Historiography and the Theory and Methods core courses are examined by an assessed essay submitted at the end of Michaelmas term of year one. You must also submit an annotated bibliography and dissertation proposal at this time. The optional subjects will be examined according to the regulations governing the course, which could be by assessed essay or by examination, at the end of Hilary term in years one and two. The Writing History core course is examined by an assessed essay submitted at the end of Trinity term of year one. The research project is examined by a 30,000-word dissertation that is submitted in week six of Trinity term of year two.
About a quarter of master’s students proceed to doctoral work at Oxford; others continue academic study at other institutions. Other career destinations are as diverse as, but broadly in line with, undergraduate history career destinations: law, finance, management consultancy, civil service etc.
The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made if a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency occurs. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.
Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.
For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.
Proven and potential academic excellence.
The requirements described below are specific to this course and apply only in the year of entry that is shown. You can use our interactive tool to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .
Please be aware that any studentships that are linked to this course may have different or additional requirements and you should read any studentship information carefully before applying.
As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:
For applicants with a bachelor's degree from the USA, the minimum overall GPA that is normally required to meet the undergraduate-level requirement is 3.6 out of 4.0. However, successful candidates normally have a GPA of 3.75 or higher.
Applicants are not expected to have a previous degree in history, but are expected to have experience of working historically. You will need to ensure that you link your proposed dissertation topic with your previous expertise, explain why you want to switch to study history, and show that you have already done some background research. Your submitted written work should show your writing and research skills in their best light, as it will be important to show that you have the necessary skills required for historical research.
If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.
No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.
This course requires proficiency in English at the University's higher level . If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level are detailed in the table below.
Test | Minimum overall score | Minimum score per component |
---|---|---|
IELTS Academic (Institution code: 0713) | 7.5 | 7.0 |
TOEFL iBT, including the 'Home Edition' (Institution code: 0490) | 110 | Listening: 22 Reading: 24 Speaking: 25 Writing: 24 |
C1 Advanced* | 191 | 185 |
C2 Proficiency | 191 | 185 |
*Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) † Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)
Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide provides further information about the English language test requirement .
If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.
You will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course. The How to apply section of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.
You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application. The How to apply section of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.
Interviews are not normally held as part of the admissions process.
Assessors may get in touch with an applicant by email in case of any queries, but this is very rare.
If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer will outline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines. These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide more information about offers and conditions .
In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:
If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a Financial Declaration in order to meet your financial condition of admission.
In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare any relevant, unspent criminal convictions before you can take up a place at Oxford.
The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:
History in Oxford stretches from c 300 to the present, and embraces in addition to its British and European heritage an exceptionally broad range of World history. It comprises an active research community of up to 800 senior academics and graduate students, all contributing to a range of research seminars, lectures, academic societies, and personal contacts.
Research in the faculty is organised around historical periods and research centres, or in collaborative and individual research projects, and you will always be welcome at seminars, workshops and conferences across all periods and themes.
You will be encouraged to make use of these opportunities as widely as possible without endangering your own degree work. Striking the right balance between intellectual curiosity and temptation and intellectual discipline, and remaining focused without becoming blinkered, should be an integral part of a successful graduate career. The Oxford environment provides all the ingredients for this.
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For entry in the 2025-26 academic year, the collegiate University expects to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across a wide range of graduate courses.
If you apply by the January deadline shown on this page and receive a course offer, your application will then be considered for Oxford scholarships. For the majority of Oxford scholarships, your application will automatically be assessed against the eligibility criteria, without needing to make a separate application. There are further Oxford scholarships available which have additional eligibility criteria and where you are required to submit a separate application. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential.
To ensure that you are considered for Oxford scholarships that require a separate application, for which you may be eligible, use our fees, funding and scholarship search tool to identify these opportunities and find out how to apply. Alongside Oxford scholarships, you should also consider other opportunities for which you may be eligible including a range of external funding , loan schemes for postgraduate study and any other scholarships which may also still be available after the January deadline as listed on our fees, funding and scholarship search tool .
Details of college-specific funding opportunities can also be found on individual college websites:
Select from the list:
Please refer to the College preference section of this page to identify which of the colleges listed above accept students for this course.
For the majority of college scholarships, it doesn’t matter which college, if any, you state a preference for in your application. If another college is able to offer you a scholarship, your application can be moved to that college if you accept the scholarship. Some college scholarships may require you to state a preference for that college when you apply, so check the eligibility requirements carefully.
Further information about funding opportunities for this course can be found on the faculty's website.
Home | £16,900 |
Overseas | £41,250 |
Course fees are payable each year, for the duration of your fee liability (your fee liability is the length of time for which you are required to pay course fees). For courses lasting longer than one year, please be aware that fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on changes to fees and charges .
Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional information below.
The Fees and Funding section of this website provides further information about course fees , including information about fee status and eligibility and your length of fee liability .
There are no compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees and living costs. However, as part of your course requirements, you may need to choose a dissertation, a project or a thesis topic. Please note that, depending on your choice of topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.
In addition to your course fees and any additional course-specific costs, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.
For the 2025-26 academic year, the range of likely living costs for a single, full-time student is between £1,425 and £2,035 for each month spent in Oxford. We provide the cost per month so you can multiply up by the number of months you expect to live in Oxford. Depending on your circumstances, you may also need to budget for the costs of a student visa and immigration health surcharge and/or living costs for family members or other dependants that you plan to bring with you to Oxford (assuming that dependant visa eligibility criteria are met).
The current economic climate and high national rate of inflation make it very hard to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. For study in Oxford beyond the 2025-26 academic year, it is suggested that you budget for potential increases in living expenses of around 4% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation. For further information, please consult our more detailed information about living costs , which includes a breakdown of likely living costs in Oxford for items such as food, accommodation and study costs.
Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. Please note that ‘college’ and ‘colleges’ refers to all 43 of the University’s colleges, including those designated as societies and permanent private halls (PPHs).
If you apply for a place on this course you will have the option to express a preference for one of the colleges listed below, or you can ask us to find a college for you. Before deciding, we suggest that you read our brief introduction to the college system at Oxford and our advice about expressing a college preference .
If you are a current Oxford student and you would like to remain at your current Oxford college, you should check whether it is listed below. If it is, you should indicate this preference when you apply. If not, you should contact your college office to ask whether they would be willing to make an exception. Further information about staying at your current college can be found in our Application Guide.
The following colleges accept students for the MPhil in History (Modern European History 1850-present):
Our guide to getting started provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application. You can use our interactive tool to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .
If it's important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under a December or January deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance . Check the deadlines on this page and the information about deadlines and when to apply in our Application Guide.
An application fee of £75 is payable for each application to this course. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:
You are encouraged to check whether you're eligible for an application fee waiver before you apply.
You do not need to contact anyone in the faculty before you apply and you are not responsible for finding your own supervisor. However, you are strongly encouraged to familiarise yourself with the research expertise within the faculty when preparing your research proposal, to make sure that there is a supervisor available in the same area as your proposed project. Offers will only be made if appropriate supervision is available. The faculty determines supervision arrangements, taking due account of the workload and commitments of its academics. If you are made an offer, a supervisor will be assigned to you, and identified in the offer letter.
You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents .
For this course, the application form will include questions that collect information that would usually be included in a CV/résumé. You should not upload a separate document. If a separate CV/résumé is uploaded, it will be removed from your application .
If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.
Under the 'Field and title of research project' please enter your proposed field or area of research if this is known. If the department has advertised a specific research project that you would like to be considered for, please enter the project title here instead.
You should not use this field to type out a full research proposal. You will be able to upload your research supporting materials separately if they are required (as described below).
It is not necessary for you to identify a potential supervisor in your application.
However, please check that a supervisor with expertise in your proposed area of research is available before applying. Details can be found on the faculty website. You are free to consult a specialist in your field for advice on your project, if you think that would be helpful.
Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.
References should generally be academic, though if you are returning to study after extended periods of non-academic employment then you are welcome to nominate professional referees where it would be impractical to call on your previous university tutors.
Your references will support intellectual ability, academic achievement, motivation, ability to work in both a group environment and sustained individual and self-motivated investigation.
Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.
More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.
The statement of purpose and research proposal should be written as one combined piece.
You should convince the faculty that you have the right intellectual qualities, academic knowledge and skills to undertake the course, focusing on how you see the course as building upon your previous study
You should discuss what kinds of problems and issues you hope to engage with; what the current state of your knowledge and understanding of these is, and how you hope to advance that.
You should include a preliminary research proposal and title for your intended dissertation. This should supply a research question identifying the central issue or problem with which you intend to grapple, some account of the current state of scholarship in this area and an indication of the kinds of sources you hope to use.
You may also include what you hope to do with the qualification you gain.
Your statement and research proposal must be written in English. A bibliography may also be provided and is not included in the word count, though any footnotes should be included.
If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.
It is anticipated that your ideas will change and develop once you have begun the course and have been exposed to new approaches, sources and methods. However, students applying to this course are expected to have a clear sense of the kind of research they wish to undertake.
This will be assessed for:
Written work should be from your most recent completed qualification, but does not need to relate closely to your proposed area of study. Extracts from a longer piece of work are welcome, but please include a preface which puts the work in context.
The work will be assessed for your:
It must be submitted in English (if this work has been translated, you must indicate if the translations are your own, or what assistance you had in producing the English text).
If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document. Any footnotes should be included in the word count. A bibliography may also be provided and is not included in the word count.
You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please refer to the requirements above and consult our Application Guide for advice .
Apply Continue application
Your application (including the supporting documents outlined above) will be assessed against the entry requirements detailed on this course page. Whether or not you have secured funding will not be taken into consideration when your application is assessed. You can find out more about our shortlisting and selection process in our detailed guide to what happens next.
Find out how to manage your application after submission , using our Applicant Self-Service tool.
Open to applications for entry in 2025-26
12:00 midday UK time on:
Latest deadline for most Oxford scholarships Final application deadline for entry in 2025-26
Full Time Only | |
---|---|
Course code | TP_HY6E1 |
Expected length | 21 months |
Places in 2025-26 | c. 11 |
Applications/year* | 13 |
Expected start | |
English language |
† Combined figure for all History MPhil courses, except for TP_HN1, TP_HS1 and TP_LVBY1 **Three-year average (applications for entry in 2022-23 to 2024-25)
This course is offered by the Faculty of History
Advice about contacting the department can be found in the How to apply section of this page
✉ [email protected] ☎ +44 (0) 1865 615000
Application guide
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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 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.
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All requirements for the PhD degree, including the final defense, must be completed within seven years from the date of first matriculation. In the first two years of graduate study, all students, regardless of previous degree work, register for coursework. Students produce a first- and second-year research paper.
2024-25 Edition. History, Ph.D. The Doctoral Program in History is designed to provide students with advanced historical research skills and a solid grounding in the theory and methodology of history. This combination reflects the Department's conviction that scholars should approach significant questions about the past with rigor and ...
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.
The PhD program in History offers a broad-based, humanistic education that equips you with the research, analytical, and communication skills critical for meaningful careers in the field of History. The PhD program in History enables you to conduct research at the highest level and begin your career as an academic historian or prepare for a ...
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As a graduate student, you will have access to the University's wide range of world-class resources including libraries, museums, galleries, digital resources and IT services.. The Bodleian Libraries is the largest library system in the UK. It includes the main Bodleian Library and libraries across Oxford, including major research libraries and faculty, department and institute libraries.