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Top 10 Best History PhD Programs in 2024

History helps us understand societies and allows humanity to learn from patterns and past mistakes.

Many are fascinated and enamored by history, leading to a passion that makes them want to know more.

If you’re a history lover thinking about further deepening your knowledge and establishing a career in the field, a PhD in the subject may be for you. The list of history PhD programs below contains some of the best available in the United States.

Table of Contents

Best PhD Programs in History

North dakota state university.

• North Dakota Residents $405/credit
• Minnesota Residents $514.58
• Non-US Students $607.77
• International Students $709.07

The North Dakota State University has offered its master’s degree in history since 1954. It wasn’t until 2002 that it began offering a PhD program in History. NDSU’s PhD program commonly takes three to five years to finish for full-time students, although it is not uncommon for some students to take longer.

Admission is available year-round, and applicants are required to provide GRE scores. International students whose first language is not English must pass the TOEFL. To apply for the PhD program, you must already have a master’s degree in history or hold one from another closely-related field.

There are limited funding and financial aid  opportunities available at NDSU, primarily as assistantships with tuition waivers and small stipends. This funding is renewable for four years for PhD students, provided academic requirements are met.

Unfortunately, if you’re looking for a program that allows distance learning, you will not find it in NDSU. NDSU also requires one year of residency on campus.

Boston College – Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences

• Your full-time PhD studies at Boston College will be fully paid for by tuition remissions with the expectation of good grades and an obligation to complete research/teaching assistantships and teaching fellowships.
• You may also get stipends of up to $35,875 per year.

Boston College offers masters and PhD degrees in different history specialties, with British, medieval, modern European, and United States history as some of their strongest. There are also other graduate studies interests in South Asian, East Asian, and Latin American history, and the history of religion.

Earning your PhD at Boston College means you can expect small class sizes that allow for individual and specialized attention. This institution’s program also allows for flexibility, although you are expected to complete your studies full-time.

Boston College is located in one of the best academic life centers globally, allowing students to network and collaborate with other universities through their studies.

University of Texas Arlington

• $10,828 per year in-state

The University of Texas Arlington offers students an on-campus PhD program that they can participate in part-time or full-time. Full-time course loads are nine credit hours per term, and full-time students are expected to complete their doctoral degrees within six years, while part-time students may take longer.

To apply for the PhD program at the University of Texas Arlington, you must have a BA or MA in history or  a minimum of eighteen hours of upper-division history courses during your undergrad. You must also provide your GRE scores.

The PhD in history program at the University of Texas Arlington specializes in transatlantic, transnational, and global history approaches focusing on US, European, Latin American, Transatlantic, and Transnational history. The award-winning faculty at this institution provides personalized attention to small class sizes.

The University of Texas Arlington has North America’s only specialized History of Cartography track that provides students access to the Garrett Map Collection , a world-famous map library.

Alumni of the program often establish careers as educators. They may find work as museum professionals or archival administration specialists outside of academia. They may also work for nonprofits or the government, and enjoy careers involving writing, research, and analysis at the highest level.

The University of Texas at Dallas  – PhD in History of Ideas

• $18,276 per semester

The University of Texas at Dallas offers something a little different — a PhD in History of Ideas. This PhD program was designed specifically for those who want to do advanced research or teach at a college level or higher. It concentrates on the study of philosophy as well as intellectual and cultural history with a focus on European and American history.

Students of this program can expect a flexible interdisciplinary approach to their studies that connects among specific areas of interest. Aside from their coursework in the History of Ideas, students must also attend two seminars each for visual & performance arts and literature.

Alumni of this program may become teachers and educators. They can also become curators of museums or historical sites. Other potential careers are research, history administrator, and archivist. Additionally, graduates of this program can work as managers of public or private historical organizations and work for governments or non-profit organizations.

University of California –  Santa Cruz

• $13,850 in-state
• $28,952 out-of-state

The University of California Santa Cruz offers an on-campus history PhD program that emphasizes a cross-cultural and interdisciplinary approach to the study of history with a transnational and global orientation.

UCSC provides a rigorous program that blends instruction and independent work with the intent of training students in original historical research techniques. Students are encouraged to think innovatively and trained to talk, think, and teach beyond boundaries. This program prepares its students to teach university-level courses while also providing them with the tools they need to succeed in careers outside of academia.

The University of California’s Department of History, as well as its Santa Cruz campus, is well-known for its many strengths including:

• Gender, Sexuality, & Feminist Studies
• Colonialism
• Critical Race Studies
• Internationalism
• Nationalism
• Decolonial and Postcolonial Studies
• Class & Transnational Labor Studies

Admission to UCSC’s history PhD program is highly competitive. The institution states that they only admit the most qualified, highly motivated applicants and welcome and encourage diversity in their student body.

Note: The University of California Santa Cruz no longer requires applicants to provide GRE scores.

Indiana University – Bloomington

• Indiana residents:  full-time direct costs $25,406/total estimated costs $33,272
• Non-Indiana residents: full-time direct costs $45,594/total estimated costs $53,460

​​Indiana University Bloomington has one of the largest libraries and history departments in the United States, making it one of the top choices for those interested in a future career in the field. This institution provides one of the best history doctoral programs nationwide taught by 50+ talented faculty members.

According to the program itself, Indiana University Bloomington is dedicated to training first-class historians for careers in and out of the classroom. Despite having a larger faculty, classes remain small in size so that students can receive individualized attention and advisor support.

Interested students may apply for a PhD directly without having a master’s degree. Admitted students are allowed seven years to complete their coursework and another seven years for their dissertation. However, students commonly finish their studies at a much faster pace than the allowance.

Provided they qualify, students in need of financial aid can find it by working as an associate instructor, course assistant, research assistant, or editorial assistant. Fellowships and grants are also within reach for those interested enough to apply.

New York University (Arts & Science)

• $50,638 per year
• Most new students at the NYU GSAS receive multi-year funding through the Henry M. MacCracken Program  that offers four/five-year award terms, tuition remission for degree-required courses, health insurance, a nine-month living expenses stipend OR research assistantship, and a one-time $1,000 grant that students can use at their discretion.

New York University’s Graduate School of Arts and Science, founded over a century ago in 1886, is one of the oldest schools in the US that offers doctoral degrees. It has one of the best history PhDs available in the country.

Earning your PhD at NYU GSAS means you’ll need to commit to full-time studies of 12 points per semester. A PhD is 72 points, and students must complete 24 units within the first three years of their studies.

Learning is on-campus and there are no distance-learning opportunities at this time.

The history PhD program at the New York University Graduate School of Arts and Science is research-focused. Its main objective is to develop students’ professional skills in historical research and teaching history. This objective prepares students for an eventual career in academia or research. It also prepares future graduates, part of the job hopping generation , for other jobs such as archival management.

NYU GSAS’s major areas of study include but are not limited to:

• African Diaspora
• African History
• Atlantic History
• East Asian History
• Latin American and Caribbean History
• Medieval European History
• Early Modern European History
• South Asian History
• United States History

*Interested students do not need to take the GRE if they apply for a standalone master’s or PhD in history. However, applying to joint PhD studies will require GRE results.

*International students whose first language is not English must pass the TOEFL.

Rutgers (School of Arts & Science)

• New Jersey residents:  $19,724/year
• Non-New Jersey residents:  $32,132/year

Rutgers offers funding opportunities for qualified students in the form of partial or complete tuition remission and a stipend of up to $25,000 disbursed annually. Students eligible for this aid are obligated to complete fellowships and assistantships throughout their studies.

The history PhD program at the Rutgers School of Arts and Science was designed for full-time study, taking 5 years on average. The distinguished faculty of more than 60 historians cover all sorts of areas of study and time periods, though they have strong specializations in traditional regional, thematic, transnational, comparative, cultural-intellectual, social history, and more.

Students in the program publish their research and scholarly work relatively often in major historical journals. They also present their research both nationally and internationally.

This institution’s history PhD programs such as women’s and gender history, modern U.S. history, and African-American history are often some of the most top-ranked nationwide.

University of California Berkeley

• Admitted students receive a fully-funded fellowship that includes tuition and fee remission, insurance, and an additional stipend.
• In the following years, students receive a salary and a stipend during teaching assistantships and instructorships.
• A department research year grant is also awarded alongside a stipend.
• To find out more, see their financial aid page here .

UC Berkeley’s history department is one of the top-ranked in the USA, and it offers one of the best PhD history programs in the nation.

Students learn from award-winning faculty members who have won some of the most prestigious awards in the field, including the MacArthur “Genius Award” and more. The faculty and their research cover practically everything — most of the globe and almost all of humanity’s recorded history.

The PhD program at UC Berkeley is well-known for cultural history, but it also specializes in the history of science, political history, religious history, economic history, urban history, and more.

It prepares students in four fields of study:

• Three selected fields in history (first, second, and third)
• One outside field in another discipline

UC Berkeley is committed to diversity in its student body and accepts students from all over the world.

University of Michigan (College of Literature, Science & Arts)

• The plan involves six terms of fellowship support and six years of appointment as a grad student instructor or GSI.
• Students also receive summer support for the first four years.
• After the six years are over, there are additional funding opportunities  possible.

The history PhD program at the University of Michigan has an interdisciplinary, global, and multidimensional approach to student education and training. It is regularly among the top-ranked history departments in the United States, which is a testament to the quality of education the diverse students receive here.

The program combines innovative teaching by the institution’s talented faculty with state-of-the-art research and techniques. The aim is to provide students training and preparation in their research fields, allowing them to succeed in their careers in or out of academia.

After graduation, alumni of this program enjoy relatively great placement numbers. The institution reports that only three out of nineteen graduates say they are unemployed or have no opportunities upon graduation in the past two years.

Because of the generous funding package and bright future for alumni, this program is extremely competitive. It receives around 350-400 applications for only eighteen open slots per year. It’s also worth mentioning that the average master’s GPA for applicants is 3.87.

Students must complete one year (18 credits) of the program in residence on-campus and complete the entire program within six to seven years.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many years does it take to get a phd in history.

One of the main deterrents of earning any PhD is the time investment involved. The same applies to students who are earning their doctorate in history. According to Historians.org , the average time to finish a PhD in history programs is roughly eight years.

As a history PhD candidate , your program expects you to enroll in a minimum of three academic years for your graduate studies, known as your “residence.” Another common expectation is that PhD students should spend at least one year of residency at the university or institution awarding them the doctorate.

Despite requiring only three years of residence, it’s extremely rare for candidates to finish this quickly. Candidates must also fulfill the other important requirements, such as their dissertations, which often take around four years to complete.

Do I need a master’s in history to get a PhD in History?

If you’re thinking about applying for a PhD history program, you might be relieved to know that you don’t always need a master’s in history to qualify. For some educational institutions, the minimum educational attainment interested applicants need is a bachelor’s degree. However, there may be other requirements to apply, such as entrance exams, proof of interest in history, and recommendation letters.

The best thing you can do is find out whether the program you’re interested in requires a master’s degree before you apply.

How much does a history PhD cost?

The amount you pay per year may vary depending on where you choose to do your PhD.

On average, doctorates can cost as much as $30,000/year in tuition costs alone. Multiply that by eight years, and you may be paying $240,000 in total — not including any other costs incurred along the way.

If that amount sends you reeling, it might give you some relief to know that many of the best history PhD programs offer full funding and stipends to all admitted students.

There are also PhD programs in history that cost only half to a third of this amount overall.

How competitive are history PhD programs?

Those who have earned their history PhDs may tell you that the job market can be a challenge due to the limited number of positions available. The tight job market also means a more competitive admissions process, where it can be difficult to get into the PhD history programs of your choice. For example, some programs get almost four hundred applicants with fewer than twenty spots to fill.

Wrapping Up: Is a PhD in History for You?

The answer to this question depends on your preferences.

A PhD in History is often highly specialized, resulting in few career options upon graduation. However, those extremely passionate about the subject find extreme satisfaction in deepening their knowledge.

If you want a career in academia, or if you want to be working with history in some capacity in your job, a PhD may just be for you. Who knows, you may even qualify for a program that offers full funding!

Related Reading:

• Master’s in History: Ultimate Guide
• Top 5 Best PhD Programs in English
• Top 10 Highest Paying PhD Degrees
• Top 20 Online PhD Programs
• EdD vs PhD: Which One is Right For You?

Chriselle Sy

Chriselle has been a passionate professional content writer for over 10 years. She writes educational content for The Grad Cafe, Productivity Spot, The College Monk, and other digital publications.  When she isn't busy writing, she spends her time streaming video games and learning new skills.

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• Chriselle Sy https://blog.thegradcafe.com/author/chriselle-sy/ The Best Academic Planners for 2024/2025
• Chriselle Sy https://blog.thegradcafe.com/author/chriselle-sy/ Graduate Certificate vs Degree: What’s the Difference? [2024 Guide]

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Public History Graduate Certificate

Graduate Certificate

The 12-hour graduate certificate in Public History offers specialized training and hands-on experience in this growing field, preparing graduates for successful careers in museums, archives, non-profits, and other related professions.

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Why Pursue a Graduate Certificate in Public History

The Graduate Certificate in Public History provides advanced training to take advantage of the growing popularity of public history as a career field. Students will develop practical skills in archive management, digital and oral history, grant writing, and more. The program also emphasizes the importance of experiential learning and career readiness with internship opportunities throughout the San Antonio Metropolitan area. Graduate of the public history certificate program will be stronger candidates for jobs in applied history positions such as museums, archives, and non-profit agencies.

Hands-On Internship Experiences

This certificate utilizes the rich cultural and historical resources in San Antonio, offering internship opportunities at a variety of local archives and museums. Some internship placements include, but are not limited to:

• UTSA’s Special Collections
• San Antonio Mission National Historic Parks
• The Witte Museum
• The Briscoe Western Art Museum
• The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center
• Various state parks in the San Antonio metropolitan area

Pathway to a Master's Degree

This public history certificate program offers a distinct advantage to students enrolled in the History MA program by providing the opportunity to earn a certificate distinction without adding extra courses to their graduation requirements. By mapping the 12 hours of certificate coursework onto the 30-hour History MA, students can seamlessly integrate the certificate into their academic journey. This unique pathway empowers students to gain specialized expertise and practical experience in public history, giving them a competitive edge in the job market.

• Admission Requirements

Application Deadlines

Funding opportunities, career options, admission & application requirements.

Applications are submitted through the UTSA Graduate Application . Please upload all required documents (listed below) on your UTSA Graduate Application. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure completion and submission of the application, a nonrefundable application fee, and all required supporting documents are on file with UTSA by the appropriate application deadline. For international students, please note that student visas are not issued at UTSA for non-degree-seeking students, including certificate programs. For more information, visit our international students admission page .

Applicants are encouraged to have their admission file completed as early as possible. All applications, required documents and letters of recommendation, if applicable, must be submitted by 5:00 PM U.S. Central Time on the day of the deadline. Deadlines are subject to change.

All qualified history graduate students are eligible to apply to the Nau fellowships available to incoming students as well as those in their second year. Other funding opportunities include GRAs, reader-graders, and a recently established endowed award (Jack Reynolds History Student Award) for students completing a history internship.

UTSA prepares you for future careers that are in demand. The possible careers below is data pulled by a third-party tool called Emsi, which pulls information from sources like the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau, online job postings, other government databases and more to give you regional and national career outlook related to this academic program.

Course Offerings & Schedule

Most History graduate courses are offered in the evenings, but some courses with a public history focus can be offered in the daytime to facilitate on-site field visits.

Students will take the following required courses:

• HIS 6183 Introduction to Public History (3 credits)
• HIS 6993 Internship in History (3 credits)

Students will also select 6 additional hours of electives, choosing from courses offered in history or related fields, such as Digital History, Oral History, Archive Preservation, Grant Writing, Art History, Museum Studies, Urban Planning, etc.

Certificate Advisor of Record

Omar Valerio-Jimenez, PhD

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The Graduate Program

Columbia has been one of the most important centers of graduate education in history since modern Ph.D. programs began in America over a century ago. Recipients of our degrees hold distinguished positions in virtually every major university in the United States, and in many abroad. Our program offers a broad education in most areas of historical scholarship and attempts to train students for a discipline and a profession in the midst of considerable change. That includes not simply assisting students in acquiring the knowledge and skills essential to becoming contributing scholars, but also helping them to become effective teachers and to exist comfortably within a demanding and complicated professional world.

The members of our faculty represent many different approaches to the study of the past, and we strive to attract students of similarly diverse interests and commitments. No one should feel that being at Columbia requires accepting any one approach to the study of history.

This part of our website is designed to provide both prospective and current students with answers to some of the many questions they may have about the department.

Admissions answers commonly-asked questions about our admissions process.

Under Ph.D. Fields you will find information about the separate fields of study available in our program and the relationship among them.

Fellowships and Financial Aid explains the various ways we provide our students with fellowships and financial aid.

Dissertations-in-Progress summarizes the course of study towards the Ph.D and highlights the work of our students.

Research awards and recent honors are showcased in Award Announcements .

The section entitled Placement sketches how we prepare our students for the academic job market and reports on how our students have done in that market in recent years.

In the Graduate Handbook , we explain our curriculum and our academic requirements and provide more detailed information about aspects of the program such as the MA, Orals, M.Phil., Dissertations, etc.

Our FAQs are useful for students seeking admission as well as for current students seeking quick information.

The Annual Newsletter keeps us informed about our students.

NUIG's famous past students from presidents to sports stars and actors who achieved greatness

The most famous NUIG students and graduates to ever meet their friends at the Big Yellow Thing

• 15:42, 2 SEP 2021
• Updated 10:16, 3 SEP 2021

The latest news headlines from Galway

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While the term “punching above one’s weight” is massively overused and just a little condescending, Galway definitely punches above its weight when it comes to its educational institutions. For instance, NUIG (or UCG to those of a certain vintage) is a Top 500 university that has produced world-class graduates for over 150 years.

Included amongst this steady stream of bookish academic types are some of the most notable names in cinema, politics and sport.

Here are seven of the most famous NUIG students and graduates to ever meet their friends at the Big Yellow Thing.

Michael D. Higgins

The president was a mature student when he entered University College Galway back in 1962. As mature students tend to do, he threw himself into the college’s societies, clubs and activities, eventually serving as a President of the Student Councillor and Auditor of the Literary & Debate Society during his time as a student.

An tUachtarán found himself a post lecturing at the university after he finished up his studies. Appropriately, delivering lectures in Soc ‘n Pol. Unsurprisingly, doing so with the same passion and eloquence he brought to Irish politics.

Despite being a blow-in, Higgins went on to do right by his adopted hometown. [LINK TO MICHAEL D. HIGGINS NOT FROM GALWAY PIECE]

The Hon. Ms. Justice Máire Whelan

Kinvara-born Justice Máire Whelan started her academic life studying Sociology and Politics at NUIG before switching to Law. She then did her postgraduate studies at University of London before being called to the Bar in 1985.

At the age of just 49, Justice Whelan was appointed as the state’s first female Attorney General in 2011. Her 2017 nomination as Judge of the Court of Appeal was controversial - opponents claimed the spot was kept vacant for Justice Whelan, something that highlights the esteem that her nominator, the Office of the President, held her.

Séan McGinley

One of the greatest and most underrated actors this island has ever produced, McGinley’s most recognisable roles include Charlo in the Roddy Doyle mini-series Family , Smith in Michael Collins , Father Denis in The Wind That Shakes the Barley and The Sergeant in The Butcher Boy . The Donegal-man has appeared in over 80 films and TV shows throughout his career.

He caught the acting bug while at NUIG and played with our very own Druid Theatre Company for 12 years before turning his hand to TV and film in 1990. McGinley is no stranger to Galway since leaving either, turning up for the Film Fleadh and the Oyster Festival regularly.

The late, great Mick Lally may have become a household name as Glenroe ’s Miley Byrne but Lally was an acting giant of stage and screen. Lally attended NUIG to study Irish and History, going on to teach in McHale’s in Tuam before quitting to take up a career on stage.

A Gaeilgóir, Lally began his career in earnest treading the boards in An Taibhdhearc in 1975 before founding the Druid Theatre Company in 1977 with Garry Hynes and Marie Mullen. Yes, Garry Hynes the first female director to win a Tony award and yes, Marie Mullen, Tony award-winning stage actress.

Martin Sheen

This feels like cheating since Martin Sheen was world famous by the time he headed off to NUIG and he didn’t actually graduate. But people will wonder why he isn’t on this list if he wasn’t here - it’s a real Catch 22. Which, incidentally, is the name of one of Sheen’s first movies.

Born Ramon Estevez, Sheen hunted Marlon Brando in Apocolypse Now and played President Josiah Bartlett in the iconic TV series, The West Wing in his most iconic roles but has appeared in over 80 films. That’s some CV.

Martin Sheen enrolled for just one semester at NUIG in 2006, taking a smorgasbord of courses in Philosophy, Theology and English. He even turned up for lectures and, despite worrying about distracting other students, participated in lectures like everyone else.

I was there and it was indeed a bit weird.

Alice Perry

The first woman in Europe to earn a degree in engineering and tireless campaigner for women’s suffrage, Alice Perry began her time at NUIG in 1902. Perry’s initial path was one in Arts but she soon switched to Engineering where she excelled, graduated with first class honours in 1906.

The niece of John Perry, inventor of the navigational gyroscope, Alice Perry had engineering in her blood. After graduation she had intended to continue her studies but the untimely passing of her father meant she could not. Instead she took up his post as County Surveyor, becoming the first (and so far, only) woman to do so.

Paul Hession

The fastest man in Irish history, Paul Hession holds the national 100 metres, 200 metres and 60 metres (indoor) sprint records. During his career, he bagged European Championships and World Athletics Finals silver medals. Once the fastest white man on earth, Paul Hession’s medal haul could have been even greater had he not competed in the same generation of athletes as Usain Bolt.

Born in 1983 in east Galway, Hession only graduated in 2014 from NUIG despite starting his studies in 2001 - being a world-class athlete is a bit of a distraction from your studies, apparently.

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The History of NUI Galway

Usually awash with a sea of excitable first years, bleary eyed final years and awe-struck visitors, NUI Galway’s picturesque campus has been something of a ghost town for the past few months. While we eagerly await the return of our city’s student population and the beginning of a new academic year, we thought we would take a look back at the 175 years of history that brought this university to where it is now...

Fadó fadó in the year of 1845, the National University of Ireland Galway was first granted a royal charter as one of the country’s three Queens Colleges. Four years of construction later, on 30 October 1849, the Quadrangle was opened and the university welcomed just 68 students through its doors - a student population which has grown to over 19,000 in recent years.

Inspired by Tudor Gothic architecture and built with local limestone, the Quadrangle stands proudly at the very heart of the University, fulfilling administrative purposes and housing the President and Vice-President’s offices. Fondly referred to as the Quad, this magnificent building is extremely well-photographed and is the first port of call for many happy heads come graduation day.

During the first academic year, there were three faculties on campus - Arts, Medicine and Law - while there were also schools of Agriculture and Engineering, with female students joining the student body at a later date and making waves ever since, outnumbering male students in 1920. It is believed that in 1906, Alice Perry became the first woman to graduate with a first class honours degree in civil engineering in Europe! Now that’s class.

While today students have over 150 societies to choose from at NUI Galway, the first was initiated in 1852 in the form of the Literary and Debating Society. Fast forward to 1908 and NUIG became UCG - University College Galway - following the passing of the Irish Universities Act. Throughout the decades, the University’s staff and students were very involved in both our local and national histories, including playing part in the Easter Rising and World War I. President Michael D Higgins is among the many graduates who have gone on to reach every success.

In 1968, the University expanded upwards along the river Corrib and now comprises 105 hectares and more than 90 buildings. Only becoming known as the National University of Ireland Galway in 1997, the campus now features a Biomedical Science research centre, the O’Donoghue Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance and the Institute for Lifecourse and Society, among other breathtaking buildings that make up the stunning campus.

Having amassed a multitude of awards and achievements over the years, NUI Galway ranks among the top 1% of Universities in the world and is looked to as a good example of teaching excellence internationally. With close to two centuries worth of memories, you’ll be greeted with an awareness of days gone by and excitement for the future as you wander through the campus. You might just hear the echoes of laughter and get a vague whiff of sweaty, stressed out students while you’re at it.

Find out more about the University’s many merits, past pupils and plans for the future right HERE .

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The PhD program in History is one of the leading programs in the country that specifically emphasizes World History as a primary field. The department’s 19 full-time faculty members offer courses spanning the globe: from Asia to Africa to Latin America to Europe to the United States. Interdisciplinary and multidimensional, the program has particular strengths in legal, economic, gender, social, and education history.

In The News

Dr. Kabria Baumgartner Earns the Award of Excellence from the American Association for State and Local History

Victoria Dey, World History PhD Student, Awarded Fulbright Fellowship to France, 2024 – 2025

ACIS Larkin Fellowship

Its innovative curriculum and the faculty’s state-of-the-art research in Digital Humanities further distinguish Northeastern nationally. With rigorous training in historiography and methodology, Northeastern PhDs have consistently won prestigious awards and hold tenure-track positions at research institutions and liberal arts colleges nationally.

Emphasizing global approaches to historical study, the PhD program encourages students to think beyond national boundaries, comparatively, and in terms of themes that span geographically dispersed areas of the world-trade, migration, disease, religion, state formation, colonialism, and post-colonialism. Studies also include long-term historical processes, major global transformations, and interactions between states and colonial societies.

Candidates for the PhD in history may examine African, Asian, European, Latin American, or U.S. history in a world historical context. The program emphasizes mentoring of students in their courses, supervised teaching, and in the doctoral dissertation. Systematic training in theory and methodology and preparation for college teaching are distinctive features of the Northeastern program. All doctoral students undertake intensive reading in the theoretical literature that informs historical analysis, as well as in global historiography. Each student develops a deliberate methodological focus in an area such as cultural history, social history, environmental and biological history, or public history. Students are mentored in the practice of teaching and are encouraged to lecture and lead discussion sections under the supervision of faculty.

The Department of History maintains close ties with interdisciplinary programs such as Asian Studies; Latino, Latin American, and Caribbean Studies; Law and Public Policy; Women Gender and Sexuality Studies; and with the Departments of African American Studies; Art and Architecture; English; Sociology and Anthropology; and Political Science. Graduate students may obtain a certificate in Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies. All doctoral candidates must develop and demonstrate a strong reading knowledge of the languages in which they will undertake research. In cases where students require training in languages not offered at Northeastern, the department helps them arrange to take courses at nearby institutions. The doctoral dissertation presents an original interpretation of a topic of historical significance based on detailed research into primary sources, a survey of the relevant literature, and skilled application of the theoretical and methodological apparatus germane to the topic.

Learn more about the PhD program in History program from the College of Social Sciences and Humanities .

• One of few PhD programs in the country that specifically emphasizes world history as a primary field of study
• Geographical specialization and foreign language study are required
• All PhD candidates participate in formal college teaching preparation
• Students may enter the program from a Bachelor’s or Master’s level
• Students in the Ph.D program generally receive funding for five years

Northeastern University’s PhD in World History program prepares research historians to teach at the college and university level. The program’s objectives include:

• Global approaches: Focus on global, transnational, and comparative history, including long-term historical processes, major global transformations, and interactions between states and colonial societies.
• Theory and methodology: Provide systematic training in theory and methodology.
• College teaching preparation: Prepare students for college teaching.
• Area studies: Allow candidates to examine African, Asian, European, Latin American, or U.S. history in a world-historical context.
• Mentoring: Emphasize mentoring of students in their courses, supervised teaching, and in the doctoral dissertation.

Graduates of Northeastern’s PhD program have gone on to work in a range of academic programs and fields around the country and the world. Graduates who have earned a PhD are currently teaching and conducting research at various institutions, including Oberlin College, Butler University, Delaware State University, the National University of Singapore, the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, and the American University in Cairo, to name a few.  The diversity of these positions, as well as their prestige, speaks to the quality of graduate education at Northeastern University.

Our graduates pursue careers within academia and beyond, including:

• University of California, Berkeley; Center for Middle Eastern Studies
• Boston College
• Macalester College
• University of Pittsburgh
• Bates College
• George Mason University
• Merrimack College
• The American University in Cairo

Application Materials

Application.

• Application fee – US $100
• Personal statement
• Unofficial transcripts from all institutions attended
• English proficiency for international applicants
• Three letters of recommendation
• Scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) – Optional
• Writing sample

Admissions deadline: December 1

• Program Website

Request Information for PhD in History

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Struggling to decide between ucd and nuig for an ms in business analytics..

Hi! First post here. I'm an international student currently confused between the aforementioned great colleges. I know on paper UCD seems to be the better choice, but after speaking with multiple alumni and doing my own research, I'm inclined to believe that NUIG's curriculum is just as good, if not more well rounded. Living in Dublin will also be more expensive, and this is a concern for me as I will most likely be availing a student loan from my home country.

The people I've spoken to have had great things to say about NUIG, and a lot of them were of the opinion that in Ireland the college you graduate from does not matter as much, and that you will be able to land a job regardless of where you did your degree from.

Still, I was curious to know what some people here might think. Is UCD's added financial burden really worth it over NUIG?

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Founded in 1845, we've been inspiring students for over 175 years. University of Galway has earned international recognition as a research-led university with a commitment to top quality teaching.

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About University of Galway

• Adult Learning and Professional Development
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• Research centres, institutes, and units

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• Career Development Centre (for Employers)
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We explore and facilitate commercial opportunities for the research community at University of Galway, as well as facilitating industry partnership.

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• To learn more about Economics in Arts click here

Course Overview

Course outline, further education, why choose this course, course fees.

• Find Out More

The Bachelor of Arts (Joint-Honours) Entry has subject groupings.  Students of GY101, Bachelor of Arts (Joint-Honours), study 3 subjects in their first year, from a selection of 24 subjects. A subject belongs to one of 7 groups, and you cannot select more than one subject from a group. On progression to second year, you continue to study two of the subjects to degree level.

This is a highly flexible programme, offering you a wide range of two-subject combinations to degree level. In addition to academic rigour, you will acquire transferable skills designed to make you career-ready and equipped for employment and further study in Ireland or abroad. Over the course of your degree, you will be able to pursue and develop your interests across a broad range of subjects. The BA(Joint-Honours) will help you become a disciplined and creative thinker, capable of expressing your thoughts coherently and persuasively.

You will study three subjects in First Arts. You continue to study two of the subjects that you pass in first year to degree level - in Second and Final Arts.

For those students studying a modern language, you will study abroad in a country or region where the language is widely spoken in Year 3 before returning to a complete a fourth and final year. In this instance, you will graduate with a BA (International). You will pursue both of your degree subjects during the period abroad. Students registered for two languages are required to spend a minimum of twelve weeks in each of the countries/regions where the relevant languages are spoken. This will usually involve an academic year abroad arranged by the University in one language and a summer placement arranged by the student in the other relevant country/region.

For students studying Gaeilge as one of your subjects, you will be enrolling in a four-year programme. You will spend third year off-campus, with one semester in the Gaeltacht and the other semester on a work placement in the Irish language sector.If you decide to choose a modern continental language with Gaeilge, you will spend a single semester on an Erasmus exchange and/or applied placement overseas, in addition to a single semester in a Gaeltacht setting.

There may be some very limited places for non-language students to study abroad for an academic year in the US or on European exchanges where programmes are available through English. If students are certain that they would like to study abroad in Year 3,  GY129 BA(Global Experience)  has a study abroad opportunity for all students and we would recommend students consider this course.

Applications and Selections

Who teaches this course, requirements and assessment, entry requirements.

Minimum Grade H5 in two subjects and passes in four other subjects at O6/ H7 in the Leaving Certificate, including Irish, English, another language and three other subjects recognised for entry purposes.

Additional Requirements

Recognition of prior learning (rpl).

3 yrs: BA, 4 yrs: BA international

Next start date

September 2025

A Level Grades (2024)

universityofgalway.ie/alevels

Average intake

Qqi/fet fetac entry routes.

30 (More Info)

Closing Date

Mode of study, ects weighting, course code.

In first year you are required to select 3 subjects to study.  There are 21 different subject choice available, the subjects are grouped into 7 groups, the reason they appear in groups is that you can only select one subject from a group. On progression to second year, you drop one subject and continue to study the two other subjects to degree level.

  Additional information on Arts subjects

Curriculum Information

Glossary of terms, year 1 (60 credits), year 2 (60 credits), year 3 (60 credits).

Many Arts graduates undertake research-based or taught postgraduate programmes .  These may be academic or vocational in their focus and prepare graduates for employment in a broad range of careers, including teaching, law, languages, social work, performing arts, journalism, policy development, creative industries, business, heritage, information technology and public administration. We offer a range of taught masters degree and postgraduate diploma programmes of interest to Arts graduates. In the past number of years, the College has pioneered the development of structured PhD programmes which combine the traditional research dissertation of the PhD with generic and discipline-specific training modules designed to enhance your skills and employability. 

Career Prospects

Arts graduates are found in almost every walk of life and BA graduates from University of Galway occupy leading positions in commercial, social, educational, and public organisations at home and abroad.

Career Opportunities

There is a wide variety of careers open to Arts graduates in commercial, social, educational and public organisations. Indeed, Arts graduates may be found in every walk of life. 

The Bachelor of Arts degree is University of Galway’s most popular Undergraduate programme, and the second largest degree programme in the country.  Arts graduates are amongst the most employable graduates in the world because of their versatility and ability to think critically and independently. An Arts degree provides you with a unique combination of intellectual skills, knowledge and interpersonal competence that will make you highly adaptable in a constantly changing workforce.

Arts graduates are not locked into one set of skills that may become redundant in the future; they are flexible, multi-skilled critical thinkers, well prepared to meet the challenges of the modern jobs market. The Arts degree is the perfect foundation for a wide range of interesting and rewarding careers.

Who’s Suited to This Course

Learning outcomes, transferable skills employers value, work placement, related student organisations, fees: tuition, fees: student contribution, fees: student levy, fees: non eu.

EU Fees are comprised of Tuition + Student Contribution Charge + Student Levy** €140.  **Payable by all students and is not covered by SUSI.  Further detail  here .

Find out More

College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Celtic Studies T +353 91 493 958 F +353 91 495 508 E [email protected] www.universityofgalway.ie/arts

What Our Students Say

Hannah Healey |   Current Student

I chose to study Arts because it gives you a wide variety of subjects to choose from, so it seemed the best option for me. I hope to do a postgrad in Public Relations once I'm finished.

Undergraduate Prospectus 2024 PDF (14.6MB)

Quick Guide to Courses 2024 PDF (362 KB)

A Level Quick Guide 2024 PDF (337 KB)

Postgraduate Prospectus 2024 PDF (3.3MB)

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No personal data is stored on these cookies but, under EU law, we still need to ask you this every 6 months. To learn more about our use of cookies, view our Privacy Policy .

Founded in 1845, we've been inspiring students for over 175 years. University of Galway has earned international recognition as a research-led university with a commitment to top quality teaching.

University of Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland H91 TK33 T. +353 91 524411

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