History - PHD

Doctor of Philosophy in History

History – PH4215

History Department
Bentley Annex 452
Ohio University
Athens, OH 45701
History.Department@ohio.edu

Delivery Mode: Athens Campus

Terms of Entry: Fall

Program Mission

The Ph. D. program in History aims to develop professional historians with particular expertise in contemporary history. This emphasis gives it a distinctive identity. By agreement with the Ohio Department of Higher Education, students are required to write their dissertations within the framework of contemporary history, which is defined by chronology as the period since 1918 (or the end of World War I). Ph. D. students in History concentrate in one of three broadly defined geographical areas, each of which is in turn divided into different national and thematic fields (including cultural and intellectual history, international relations and military history, politics and policy history, and women’s and gender history).

This degree program normally requires 5-6 years to complete.

Concentrations

Contemporary United States
Modern Europe
Non-Western World since 1918

Program Learning Outcomes

Expert mastery of a concentrated body of historical knowledge and historiography
Expert mastery of historical research techniques
Development of professional-level writing (for publication)

Opportunities for Graduates

The Ph. D. program in History prepares students for teaching and research at the college level, research positions in government or private organizations, and a variety of other careers.

Further Information

Link to Program: https://www.ohio.edu/cas/history/graduate/phd

Link to Program Handbook: https://www.ohio.edu/cas/history-graduate-handbook

Admission Requirements

GRE scores
Bachelors degree from an accredited university
A GPA of 3.0 or higher
Transcripts
3 letters of recommendation
Writing sample
TOEFL of 110+ (for non-native English speakers)

International Students

This program permits full-time enrollment in residence at Ohio University, and an I-20 may be issued based on admission to this program.

Graduation Requirements

Complete a minimum of 56 credit hours (beyond the master’s degree) as follows:

Research Seminar

Students must complete at least one research seminar as approved by the chair of the dissertation committee and Director of Graduate Studies. Normally the requirement will be met with one of the following courses:

U.S. History:
HIST 6000 - Seminar in United States History
Eurpean History:
HIST 6600 - Seminar in European History
Non-Western History:
HIST 6100 - Seminar in Latin American History
HIST 6300 - Seminar in African History
HIST 6400 - Seminar: Southeast Asia

Historiography

Students must complete at least one course in historiography as approved by the chair of the dissertation committee and Director of Graduate Studies. Normally the requirement will be met with one of the following courses:

Fields of Specialization

Students must complete the following coursework to assure depth and breadth of knowledge:

Primary field: a minimum of four courses (4 hours each) as approved by the student’s major advisor
Second and third fields: a minimum of three courses (four hours each) in each of two other fields of History as approved by the supervisors for those fields.
Cognate field: a minimum of two additional approved courses related to the student’s dissertation. These may be in a fourth historical field or from a department other than History.

Concentration-Specific Requirements

U.S. History

Complete at least one course in pre-20th-century history in the area of concentration. Required at the discretion of the dissertation advisor.

European History

One language other than English in the student’s research area. Required at the discretion of the dissertation advisor.

Non-Western History

One language other than English in the student’s research area. Required at the discretion of the dissertation advisor.

Culminating Experience

The degree culminates in a successfully-defended dissertation. A dissertation prospectus must be defended before beginning the research portion of the dissertation; dissertation hours do not count toward the 56 post-master’s hours required for the degree.