phd in history benefits

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Indiana University Bloomington Indiana University Bloomington IU Bloomington

The College of Arts & Sciences

Department of History
Student Portal
Graduate Programs

Doctoral Degree

Earning a ph.d. in history, we are dedicated to training first-rate historians for careers in and out of the classroom..

Graduate students have access to all the benefits of one of the largest history departments and one of the largest research libraries in the country. With more than fifty faculty members, the Department of History provides a rich range of choices for graduate study. Yet the graduate program is not impersonal: the faculty take pride in providing small classes and supportive advising for students.

A doctoral degree in history provides opportunities for employment in academic research and college teaching. Some graduates also take positions working in public history, for museums, historical organizations, and government agencies.

Successful applicants who do not hold a master’s degree (in history or a closely related discipline) from another institution will be admitted at the MA level and must complete the requirements for the MA degree (see “Master of Arts Degree Requirements” below). Students who successfully complete the MA degree and field review automatically proceed to the Ph.D. program. Applicants who intend to pursue a doctoral degree should apply to Ph.D. program regardless of whether they hold an MA degree.

Time Limits, Expectations, and Advising

Time Limits and Expectations: There are two notable timelines when pursuing a Ph.D. in History. First is the time you spend completing coursework, languages, and qualifying exams. All of these tasks must be completed within seven years. Once a student has successfully completed the qualifying exam procedures they are formally nominated to "candidacy" by the department. A student is then in the next stage known in the profession as A.B.D., or "all but dissertation." During this time the student will research and write a dissertation. Another seven years of time is permitted for this A.B.D. stage. However, it is reasonable for students to complete the first stage of study in three to four years with and additional two to four years for the A.B.D. stage. Variables influencing these timelines are determined by fields of study and language requirements.
Advisings: A new graduate student in the Indiana University Department of History is assigned a faculty advisor who works in the general field of the student's interest. As the student refines and focuses that interest, she or he is encouraged to seek out the most appropriate faculty members with whom to work. Students are free to change advisors at any time after the first semester, subject to approval by the Director of Graduate Studies. Effective and continuous advising provides the basis for satisfactory development of education and career plans. Students should meet with their advisors at least once each semester to review thoroughly both their current programs and future plans. Each student is required to schedule a formal "progress meeting" with her or his advisor during the spring semester of every year in which s/he is enrolled in the graduate program. Each you the advisor will complete a brief report that summarizes the student's academic progress to date. The Director of Graduate Studies is also available to clarify degree requirements and to discuss long and short-term goals.

Credit Hours and Course Requirements

Ph.D. History Majors: The minimum course requirements for the Ph.D. degree are six colloquia (courses H600-H699) distributed in two or more fields, two seminars (courses H700-H799) taught by different instructors, one of which must be in the major field, H601 (“Introduction to the Professional Study of History,” during the first semester at IU), and courses to complete the outside minor. For those students transferring MA credits, a maximum of 2 colloquia and 1 seminar may by transferred from another institution, the remainder of the history course work must be completed at IUB. Students may take dissertation credits (H899) to fulfill the 90 credit hours required by the University Graduate School to complete the Ph.D. Students enrolled in the dual concentration program in Cultural History must complete H680 and H780 in addition to the requirements listed above.
The Outside Minor: The University Graduate School requires all Ph.D. students to complete a minor field outside the student's major department. The relevant department or program determines the requirements necessary to complete the minor, including the number and type of courses.
Ph.D. Outside Minor in History: Students in other departments may minor in History by completing, with a grade-point average no lower than B (3.0), at least 12 hours of course work in history in courses numbered 500 or above, including one colloquium. No more than 6 hours of work transferred from another university may be applied toward this requirement, and such credit must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies in the History Department. To arrange for a history minor, students should consult the Director of Graduate Studies in History.

Language Requirements

Languages of Scholarship: Students are required to demonstrate proficiency in at least one foreign language with most fields of study requiring two languages, and a few specialized areas requiring even more. Certification of reading knowledge in one of the following foreign languages is most common: Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Ancient Greek, Italian, Latin, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian or Spanish. However, another foreign language may be substituted with the approval of the University Graduate School. A language requirement may be replaced by a tool skill (if the field allows), but only in fields that normally require at least two foreign languages. The student should consult with his/her adviser about appropriate languages. Entering students should obtain certification of reading knowledge or begin appropriate language study in the first term of enrollment. International students may be eligible to use English as a second language to fulfill the graduate language requirement.
The above requirements should be met by the time the student has completed the qualifying exam and dissertation proposal defense.

Field Review

Graduate students who enter with an M.A. from another institution will be reviewed a year after beginning graduate work at IU. The student will at the end of her/his first year at IU present two papers, one from a seminar, and at least one of them written at IU, to the field committee or advisory committee. The field or advisory committee will review the student’s papers and overall record, meet with the student to clarify any necessary issues and recommend whether the student should be invited to continue in the Ph.D. program. (The department anticipates that the answer will be “yes” in almost all cases.)

The Qualifying Examination

Assessment of a student’s learning takes place in a set of examinations at the end of formal course work and before full-fledged work on the dissertation begins. The examination consists of an oral examination in the major field and inside minor fields and defense of the dissertation prospectus. The outside minor field has the option of participating in the exam or waiving their right to examine. Students will take their Ph.D. examinations no later than the sixth semester of graduate work (fourth semester after entering IU for those who have entered with an M.A. from another institution).
To take the exam, a candidate must complete all graduate courses and other Ph.D. requirements, including the outside minor, by the end of the term during which she or he plans to take the examination. It is a rule of the Graduate School that graduate courses must be completed within the seven years prior to the qualifying examination (see Graduate School Bulletin ). Satisfactory performance on the examination entitles the student to proceed to the prospectus defense.
After passing the qualifying exam and prospectus and completing all courses, language, or tool skill requirements, including the requirements for the outside minor field, the student is formally nominated to "candidacy" by the department. This is the stage known in the profession as A.B.D., or "all but dissertation."

The Dissertation

The culmination of the Ph.D. program is the writing of the dissertation, which is required of all doctoral students.
The dissertation must be an original contribution to knowledge and of high scholarly merit. The dissertation is written under the supervision of a research director and a research committee. The student must have received acceptance of his or her dissertation and must submit a copy to the University Graduate School within seven years after passing the qualifying examination.

Two historical fields—a major and minor—from the following list form the core of the doctoral degree. Alternatively, students may elect to pursue the dual concentration in Cultural History and one of the geographic major fields listed below; students enrolled in this program do not complete an inside minor.

We have a field-by-field list of resources available at the IUB campus, but they are also listed here for the sake of convenience.

Geographic major + minor fields

African History
Ancient History
Asian History
British History
Early Modern European History
East European History
Latin American History
Medieval History
Middle Eastern History
Modern European History
Russian History
United States History
World History

Thematic Major + Minor Fields

African Diaspora History
Cultural History (available for double-major)
History of Gender + Sexuality
Jewish History

Thematic minor fields

Family History
History of Medicine
History of Philanthropy
Historical Teaching and Practice

These guidelines will apply to all fields. They do allow for a degree of flexibility and do not include any reference to the content of the exam. Each field also describes what they expect of major and inside minor field examinees for the oral exam as well as specific guidelines for the prospectus. The GAC agrees that these statements should contain no references to numbers of books. Generally speaking the new exam format envisions a process of negotiation and discussion between examiners and examinee to craft an appropriate exam.

Field-by-field exam requirements are available in the Student Portal

The Committee

The exam committee will consist of two or three major field examiners, one or two inside minor field examiners, and one outside minor field examiner. The major and inside minor field members will represent fields from the History Department list; the outside minor examiner will represent a department or program other than History. The outside field representative may, at his or her discretion, waive participation. All examiners must be IU faculty members. The same committee presides over the oral exam and the prospectus defense.

The oral exam will run for no more than three hours. The major field examiners will have no more than two hours for their part of the exam. The inside and outside minor fields, combined, will have no more than one hour. All convened examiners should participate in the whole of the exam. In conference prior to the exam the examiners should determine the order of the exam and how best to organize the time. The examination will be tape recorded. The examination committee will provide the graduate secretary with written comments describing the student’s performance on the oral examination.

Defense of the Dissertation Prospectus

For the dissertation prospectus the graduate school requires a substantial piece of writing taking the form of a grant proposal. It should explain the potential significance of the proposed dissertation project and place it in historiographical context. It should include a bibliography. Individual fields will provide specific guidelines. The examinee should consult with, at least, his or her primary adviser regarding preparation of the prospectus. The defense should take place between one week and six months following the oral examination at a time when all examiners can participate. No later than one week prior to the defense, the prospectus should be submitted to the graduate secretary and to the examination committee members. The graduate secretary will make available paper copies of the prospectus for whomever is interested. The graduate secretary will make an announcement of the defense to history faculty and graduate students and will make arrangements for a room large enough to accommodate whoever would like to come. The examination committee will provide the graduate secretary with written comments describing the student’s performance on the prospectus defense.

Failed Exams and Defenses

As stated in the University Graduate School Bulletin, students have two chances to pass each part of the qualifying exam. No prospectus defense will be held until the oral exam has been passed. Should the student, having passed the oral exam, fail to produce a prospectus within the allotted time he or she may have to retake the entire exam. Should the student, having passed the oral exam, fail the prospectus defense, he or she will have four more months to successfully defend the prospectus. Should the student fail that second time, the DGS will use his/her discretion in determining whether to terminate the student’s program at that point or make further arrangements. See the “Termination of Enrolment in the Doctoral Program” section of the University Graduate School Bulletin for the department’s overall policy on this issue.

(Formerly Preparing Future Faculty)

The History Department prepares students for employment as professional historians. Training students for careers in teaching is an important focus of the graduate program in history. The majority of our students plan to teach at a university or liberal arts college. We offer support in the form of pedagogy courses as well as workshops designed to assist students in preparation to teach. For more than two decades the Indiana University History Department has been at the forefront of the movement to prepare graduate students to become college teachers. Graduate students in our program have the opportunity to explore the rapidly expanding scholarship on teaching and learning history through three graduate courses: Teaching College History, Teaching World History and Teaching U.S. History. These courses expose students to pedagogical theories and issues in the field. Students are given assistance with course preparation, lecturing, and exam creation. Each student will prepare a syllabus, exams, and other course materials for a course in his or her field. Graduate students may also choose to pursue a minor in Historical Teaching and Practice.

Faculty from our department are making important contributions to the development of this field. They have delivered papers on learning history at national and international conferences, have contributed articles to this growing literature and are participating in the creation of an international society for the teaching and learning of history. The department has received a large grant in a competition sponsored by the I.U. Dean of Faculties Office that will allow it to undertake two projects: a web site that will coordinate the efforts of historians throughout the world to develop a more systematic understanding of how learning can be increased in college classrooms and an inventory of the kind of skills required of the undergraduates in our upper-level courses that will serve as the basis for new attempts to model these skills more effectively in our lower level classes.

Graduate students in our department have access to what may be the most systematic program for exploring the scholarship of teaching and learning history in the nation. Former students report that what they have learned in these classes has been a key element in their successful job searches and that they have begun their careers as college teachers with a solid foundation of knowledge about what works in the history classroom.

Graduate students in history at Indiana University have a variety of other opportunities for more practical experience and instruction in college teaching. Graduate students in our department receive practical training in teaching through their close work with faculty as Associate Instructors and Course Assistants. Associate Instructors lead discussion sections attached to large undergraduate courses and grade student work. Course Assistants grade student work in large undergraduate courses. The department also hires students to develop and teach summer courses for undergraduates, and sometimes students have the opportunity to teach their own courses during the regular academic year. Indiana University's Future Faculty Teaching Fellowships provide students with the chance to teach at other IU campuses and receive mentoring from the full-time faculty at these campuses. The Department also regularly helps students find part-time teaching experiences at other nearby institutions. Indiana University's Campus Instructional Consulting office offers a busy schedule of workshops on teaching discussion sections and lecture classes, grading, etc.

Faculty + Staff Intranet

Department of History social media channels

College of Arts & Sciences

Department of History

Masters program.

In the fall of 2018, the Department of History suspended its terminal master’s (A.M.) degree program. The History A.M. program is still offered for three different kinds of programs internal to Brown: 1) Participants in the Open Graduate Education program, coming from outside of the Department; 2) Participants in the Fifth Year Master’s Degree Program ; 3) Participants in the Concurrent Master’s Program . Application to these three A.M. degree programs is done through the Graduate School and/or the School of Professional Studies. Admission into the program is at the discretion of the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) and the Graduate Committee in conjunction with the Department Chair and potential faculty advisors.

The A.M. program is designed to be intellectually rigorous yet also flexible enough to permit students to adapt it to a variety of professional contexts and goals. The intellectual rigor is achieved through advanced undergraduate seminars (1000 level) and Ph.D. seminars (2000 level). The flexibility is achieved through a choice of one of two tracks:

The Professional Track incorporates two “skills” courses (for example, in writing, language, computer science, design, or public history) that will help students meet individual professional goals.
The Academic Track is designed to prepare students to continue work at the Ph.D. level. It replaces one of the “skills” courses with a research credit in the spring for which the student will produce an article-length research paper. In choosing the other “skills” course, a student on this track might select a language course or another Ph.D. seminar, as appropriate.

The A.M. degree program requires eight courses to graduate. Fifth Year and Concurrent Master’s A.M. students may apply up to two undergraduate courses toward this curriculum (for Fifth Year students, these two courses are usually ones they have taken previously). Open Graduate Education students may “double count” up to two courses from other degree programs (such as their Ph.D. program from their home department). A.M. students may take the Ph.D. Colloquium each fall by special petition to the DGS.

The Fifth Year A.M. is designed to be completed in one year. Open Graduate Education A.M. and Concurrent A.M. degrees can be pursued more gradually. Each student will plan an individual curriculum in consultation with the DGS and an assigned faculty advisor. Students are advised to take seminars with a variety of faculty members. All courses must be completed with grades of B or better for the students to receive graduate credit. There is no language requirement for the A.M. degree, and therefore no funding for language study..

Master’s students are eligible to use the Open Fund one time during their program; they are also able to apply for conference travel funds from the Graduate School.

Any questions about the fifth year masters program should be directed to the School of Professional Studies. You can visit their website here .

Graduate Students

Learn more about our students' research interests and dissertation projects.

CURRENT STUDENTS

Ph.D. Program

Stanford Ph.D. Program in History aims to train world-class scholars.

Every year we admit 10-12 promising students from a large pool of highly selective applicants. Our small cohort size allows more individual work with faculty than most graduate programs in the United States and also enables funding in one form or another available to members of each cohort.

Fields of Study

Our graduate students may specialize in 14 distinct subfields: Africa, Britain, Early Modern Europe, East Asia, Jewish History, Latin America, Medieval Europe, Modern Europe, Ottoman Empire and Middle East, Russia/Eastern Europe, Science, Technology, Environment, and Medicine, South Asia, Transnational, International, and Global History, and United States. Explore each field and their affiliates .

The department expects most graduate students to spend no less than four and no more than six years completing the work for the Ph.D. degree. Individual students' time to degree will vary with the strength of their undergraduate preparation as well as with the particular language and research requirements of their respective Major fields.

Expectations and Degree Requirements

We expect that most graduate students will spend no less than four and no more than six years toward completing their Ph.D. Individual students' time-to-degree vary with the strength of their undergraduate preparation as well as with the particular language and research requirements of their respective subfield.

All History Ph.D. students are expected to satisfy the following degree requirements:

Teaching: Students who enter on the Department Fellowship are required to complete 4 quarters of teaching experience by the end of their third year. Teaching experience includes teaching assistantships and teaching a Sources and Methods course on their own.
Candidacy : Students apply for candidacy to the PhD program by the end of their second year in the program.
Orals: The University Orals Examination is typically taken at the beginning of the 3rd year in the program.
Languages: Language requirements vary depending on the field of study.
Residency Requirement : The University requi res 135 units of full-tuition residency for PhD students. After that, students should have completed all course work and must request Terminal Graduate Registration (TGR) status.

Browse the Ph.D. Handbook to learn more .

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
3rd year: 2 quarters TAships, 1 quarter fellowship, and 1 summer stipend
4th year: 3 quarters fellowship stipends and 1 summer stipend
5th year: 3 quarters fellowship stipends and 1 summer stipend

Knight-Hennessy Scholars

Join dozens of Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences students who gain valuable leadership skills in a multidisciplinary, multicultural community as Knight-Hennessy Scholars (KHS). KHS admits up to 100 select applicants each year from across Stanford’s seven graduate schools, and delivers engaging experiences that prepare them to be visionary, courageous, and collaborative leaders ready to address complex global challenges. As a scholar, you join a distinguished cohort, participate in up to three years of leadership programming, and receive full funding for up to three years of your studies at Stanford. candidates of any country may apply. KHS applicants must have earned their first undergraduate degree within the last seven years, and must apply to both a Stanford graduate program and to KHS. Stanford PhD students may also apply to KHS during their first year of PhD enrollment. If you aspire to be a leader in your field, we invite you to apply. The KHS application deadline is October 9, 2024. Learn more about KHS admission .

How to Apply

Admission to the History Graduate Programs are for Autumn quarter only. Interested applicants can online at https://gradadmissions.stanford.edu/apply/apply-now and submit the following documents:

Statement of Purpose (included in Application)
3 Letters of Recommendation
Transcripts are required from all prior college level schools attended for at least one year. A scanned copy of the official transcript is submitted as part of the online application. Please do not mail transcripts to the department. We will ask only the admitted students to submit actual copies of official transcripts.
1 Writing Sample on a historic topic (10-25 pages; sent via Stanford's online application system only)
The GRE exam is not required for the autumn 2025 admission cycle
TOEFL for all international applicants (whose primary language is not English) sent via ETS. Our University code is 4704.
TOEFL Exemptions and Waiver information
Application Fee Waiver
The department is not able to provide fee waivers. Please see the link above for the available fee waivers and how to submit a request. Requests are due 2 weeks before the application deadline.

The Department of History welcomes graduate applications from individuals with a broad range of life experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds who would contribute to our community of scholars. Review of applications is holistic and individualized, considering each applicant’s academic record and accomplishments, letters of recommendation, and admissions essays in order to understand how an applicant’s life experiences have shaped their past and potential contributions to their field.

The Department of History also recognizes that the Supreme Court issued a ruling in June 2023 about the consideration of certain types of demographic information as part of an admission review. All applications submitted during upcoming application cycles will be reviewed in conformance with that decision.

Application deadline for Autumn 2025-26 is Tuesday, December 3, 2024 at 11:59pm EST . This is a hard -not a postmark- deadline.

All application material is available online. No information is sent via snail mail. Interested applicants are invited to view a Guide to Graduate Admissions at https://gradadmissions.stanford.edu/ .

Questions?

Please contact Arthur Palmon (Assistant Director of Student Services).

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What Can You Do with a PhD in History?

You’re a history buff — the person everyone wants on their trivia team. You can rattle off the dates, facts, and names of the world’s most significant events and periods. If you’re considering using your powers for good, getting a PhD in history is a great option.

People with a passion for being stuck in the past have options once they’ve completed their history doctoral program. Beyond history jobs in academia, there’s a spot for a historian around the table in nearly every industry. The skill set required to complete a PhD opens up a variety of doors in whichever direction you choose to pursue. Here’s an idea of some things you can do with a PhD in History .

If you see yourself leading the nation’s young people through their own historical journeys, a PhD prepares you to teach at almost any level, though going the professor route could be more lucrative than teaching high school. On average history professors make between $80,000-$164,000 per year.

You’ll select your focus and spend your days sharing your passion with undergraduate and master’s level students. Along with teaching, if you pursue a history career in academia, you’ll likely spend some time researching topics within your wheelhouse. Re: your passion!

If spending your days in front of the class, hosting debates, and leading young minds excites you, there might be even more time on a college campus in your future. However, tenured history professor roles may take some time to find and the salaries can range based on the type of university and location.

Future Planning

Those studying the past usually have some insights into the future. If you’re looking to explore the world outside of strictly history, you might use your skills to find a career in future planning. No, not retirement planning (though that’s an option too).

Historians have a knack for identifying themes and patterns in culture, politics, and the world. A history PhD program allows you to use your historical knowledge to contribute to the modern world by making an impact on the community around you. Many politicians, inclusion officers, grant writers, and even human resource managers use their history PhDs to influence their worlds.

Your ability to think critically about the past and lend your knowledge to the future makes you an asset to any organization looking to excel into the modern world. Be prepared to market yourself as someone who can best set the organization up for success in an ever-changing world.

Business/Technology

In the business and technology world, it’s all about understanding the customer. Who are you selling to? What is their day-to-day life like? How do you best understand their needs and wants?

As a historian, your ability to communicate with a diverse population and understand the context of their lives makes you especially valuable on a sales, marketing, development, or innovation team. As a PhD, employers know you are well-read, have strong research skills and have spent many, many, many hours writing. It’s no surprise that Historians make excellent copywriters, marketers, and editors.

We won’t lie to you, there aren’t many Fortune 500 CEOs that can claim a doctorate in history. Most CEOs have MBAs or degrees in engineering. But there should be more historians up at the top — maybe you have what it takes.

Intelligence Analysis

You may not be the next Indiana Jones, but you might cut it as a secret agent. The ability to analyze and synthesize information from various sources is crucial for intelligence analysts — and history PhDs have that in spades.

Skilled at recognizing biases, evaluating the reliability of sources, and making informed judgments based on incomplete or uncertain information, historians have a strong ability to think critically and evaluate evidence.

Additionally, historians have a deep understanding of the historical, cultural and social context in which events occur. This understanding can help you identify underlying factors and motivations that may not be immediately apparent to others.

Archivist/Historian

If you’ve always dreamed about a career in history, this is likely what you’ve pictured. Spending days dusting off old newspapers and curating the perfect collection of artifacts — historians and archivists are often hired by governments or organizations to collect, analyze, organize, and preserve important documents and artifacts.

Companies may hire a historian to reflect on the organization’s past in order to better inform their future choices or to maintain an existing collection of artifacts. We get it. We saw National Treasure, too. This would be a pretty amazing career.

The salary for historian jobs can vary based on size of the organization and unfortunately, the importance they place on preserving their history. For reference, the average PhD in history salary is $75,000 in the U.S.

Become a Historian at SMU

So, what can you do with a PhD in history? You can make sense of the past to inform the future, you can write exceptionally well, and you can excel in nearly any industry. Simply holding your doctoral degree in history shows employers the determination you have. There should be a seat saved for you at every company, college, and organization looking to succeed.

Ready to get started?

Explore what you can do with a PhD in History, read the guide Reanalyzing Our World, PhDs in The Humanities at SMU !

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Graduate Program

Graduate program overview .

The goal of the doctoral program is to train students to become both skilled scholars and conscientious teachers. Throughout the program students work with advisors and other faculty members as they engage in coursework , prepare for and take the general exam , work as teaching fellows , and research and write the dissertation . On average it takes seven years to receive the doctoral degree*. Most graduates have pursued academic careers at universities and colleges in the United States and abroad, while others have gone on to successful careers in law and in government.

As a large research university, Harvard offers many resources and opportunities for its students in the form of lectures , conferences , research centers , fellowships, and grants . Students have access to the more than 80 libraries and 15 million volumes that comprise the Harvard University Library, the largest university library in the world.

Additionally, students may take courses offered by other departments in the Faculty of Arts & Sciences, or at other Harvard schools , such as Harvard Divinity School , Harvard Law School , Harvard Graduate School of Education , and Harvard Kennedy School .

In coordination with Harvard Law School, students may pursue both a PhD in history and a JD at the Law School . To learn more about this course of study consult the Coordinated JD/PhD program overview.

* The History Department does not offer a terminal master's program.

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Graduate Program Contacts:

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Graduate coordinator.

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Hand-Picked Top-Read Stories

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Embarking on a PhD in history is a rewarding and intellectually stimulating pursuit. In this quick guide, we delve into the world of online PhD programs in history, exploring the benefits, challenges, and key considerations, helping you make an informed decision as you pursue academic excellence and enhance your historical expertise from the comfort of your own home.

The history of the world is a story that is constantly being written and rewritten. As new evidence comes to light, new interpretations of history are developed. As our understanding of the past evolves, so too does the field of history itself. The study of history is essential for understanding the present and preparing for the future. And thanks to the explosion in online education, those who desire to reach the highest levels of history studies can now pursue online PhD programs in history. It’s a good time.

Online PhD programs are increasingly becoming among students who love the convenience of getting the best education without the hustle of on-campus settings. These programs offer students the opportunity to conduct research from anywhere in the world and to engage with a global community of scholars. With the vast amount of historical material that is now available online, online PhD programs in history offer a unique opportunity to explore history in ways that were not previously possible.

There are many job prospects for graduates of online history PhD programs. Historians are employed in a variety of settings, such as museums, historical societies, libraries, archives, government agencies, and corporations. They may also work as independent scholars or consultants. The job market for historians is expected to grow in the coming years, as the need for historians with expertise in digital media and public history increases.

The future of online PhD programs in history is promising as more and more institutions continue to offer these programs. Earning your PhD in history online will give you the skills and credentials you need to take your career to the next level.

First, what is history? Many people might say that it is the study of the past. While this is true, history is so much more than that. The study of history also helps us to understand the present. It can help us to make better decisions, to understand our world and our place in it, and to learn from the mistakes of the past.

History teaches us about different cultures and how they have interacted with each other. It teaches us about the human experience and how different people have responded to different events throughout history. It can also help us to understand our own personal histories and how they have shaped who we are today.

Because history is so important, it is essential that we have historians who can research and teach us about it. That is why getting a PhD in history can be such a valuable thing. With a PhD in history, you can become a teacher or professor, or you could work for a museum or historical society. You could also work for a publishing company or for a government agency that deals with historical records. No matter what your career goals may be, a PhD in history will help you to reach them.

The history PhD programs online are designed to provide students with rich historical knowledge with practical applications to present realities. These courses include, but are not limited to, American history, European history, world history, historical methods and research, statistics, research methodology, and the history of education. In addition to these courses, students are also required to complete a dissertation in order to graduate from the program.

Students who enroll for a PhD online history program can choose to specialize in one of two areas including regional history, country histories for example American history, world history etc. Additionally, students have the option to focus their research on a specific time period or region of the world. Just be sure to choose an online PhD history accredited program.

In order to be eligible for the online PhD in history across most universities, you must have a masters or bachelors degree from an accredited institution. In addition, you must submit transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as letters of recommendation and a CV or resume.

You will also be required to submit a statement of purpose and a writing sample. The statement of purpose should discuss your interest in history and your goals for the PhD program. The writing sample should be an academic essay on a historical topic of your choice.

Finally, you will need to provide contact information for three references.

Best Online History PhD Programs

These PhD history programs online are selected based on quality, ease of access and faculty depth. Once again it’s important to remember that Online PhD in history programs are an excellent choice for students who are interested in pursuing a career in academia or historical research. However, graduates of this program are also qualified to work in a variety of other fields, including teaching, archival work, and museum work.

Here now are some of the best programs for online PhD in history;

Liberty University is a nonprofit institution of higher education that offers a comprehensive online PhD in History program. The online phd in history is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Courses offered under this program are designed to help graduates work in a variety of fields, including education, museums, archives, publishing, government, and other history-related careers. Liberty University’s online PhD in History program is one of the most flexible and accessible programs in the country.

Liberty offers a variety of specialization options in this PhD, and the program can be completed in as little as three years. Liberty also has a robust network of alumni, who are always willing to help new students transition into the program. The faculty at Liberty is composed of experts in their field, and the program is administered by a team of experienced professionals. The graduation rate at Liberty is high and not forgetting the online program is specifically designed to help students succeed. If you’re looking for an online PhD in History, Liberty University should be at the top of your list.

The online PhD in history at Birmingham University is a research-based program that lasts three years. You will be required to complete a dissertation based on your original research. The program is flexible and can be tailored to the student’s individual needs and interests. The curriculum covers a broad range of topics, including global history, the history of war, and the history of science and technology.

Birmingham University is one of the world’s leading research universities, and the online PhD in History program provides access to the latest resources and facilities. The program can be completed online, and students have the freedom to choose when and where to study. Like all other PhD programs in art history, this is an excellent choice for those who wish to pursue a career in academia or research.

University of Leicester offers an online PhD in history program that is designed to help students gain a strong understanding of early modern history, global, colonial, post-colonial history, and medieval history. The program covers a wide range of courses that will help students develop their research and writing skills. Students will also have the opportunity to specialize in a particular area of history that interests them.

The University of Leicester PhD in history online program is ideal for students who want to continue working while they earn their degree. The program is also perfect for students who want to specialize in a particular area of history. Graduates of the program will be prepared for a career in academia or historical research.

PhD programs in history online or on-campus are not just about mastering historical facts. In fact there is so much you will also learn in terms of practical skills that will help you in your career progression. These skills include;

Communications: A PhD in History will help you develop strong communication skills. This is important because you will be required to write for publications, for instance, and give presentations as a historian.

Critical thinking: A PhD in history will also help you to think critically about the past and present. In order to be successful as a historian, you need to be able to analyze and interpret sources, as well as think about the environment in which they were created.

Context: Lastly, a PhD in history will help you understand the importance of context and how to apply it in real life. Historians must contextualize the past within its political, social, and cultural setting in order to provide an accurate interpretation.

Whether you are just starting your academic career or looking for a way to take it to the next level by dancing, an online PhD in history can be a great option. With courses that cover everything from ancient Greece to modern America, this program can help you gain the skills and knowledge you need to thrive. And with the job market for history graduates ever intact and promising, you can be confident that your PhD will help you find the career you want. So if you are ready to take your future into your own hands, the online PhD in history is the perfect way to do it.

PHD in Economics, Associate Professor, Department of Business Process Management, Faculty of Market Technologies IOM

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Where Historians Work

An Interactive Database of History PhD Career Outcomes

Where Historians Work: 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.

Where Historians Work, 2004–13

This dashboard includes the occupational data collected for the 8,523 historians who earned PhDs at US universities from 2004 and 2013.

Where Historians Work, 2014–17

This dashboard includes the occupational data collected for the 3,787 history PhDs who graduated between 2014 and 2017.

Methodology

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.

Exploring the Visualizations

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.

Acknowledgments

Project director.

Emily Swafford

Project Coordinators

Dylan Ruediger Hope Shannon

Project Contributors

Avrati Bhatnagar Megan Connor Claire Vanderwood

Join the AHA

The AHA brings together historians from all specializations and all work contexts, embracing the breadth and variety of activity in history today.

Department of History

Ph.d. programs.

The Department of History’s doctoral degree program seeks to train talented historians for careers in scholarship, teaching, and beyond the academy. The department typically accepts 22 Ph.D. students per year. Additional students are enrolled through various combined programs and through HSHM. All admitted Ph.D. students receive a full financial aid package from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

History of Science and Medicine

The Program in the History of Science and Medicine (HSHM) is a semi-autonomous graduate track within the Department of History. HSHM students receive degrees in History, with a concentration in the History of Science and Medicine. There is a separate admissions process for students interested in the History of Science and Medicine. For more information, please see the HSHM website .

Combined Doctoral Programs

Joint ph.d. programs.

Doctor of Philosophy in History (Ph.D.)

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Doctorate (Ph.D.) in History

Become an advanced historian with our ph.d. in history.

Are you interested in furthering your training, knowledge, and skillset so that you can pursue careers in education, research, politics, archaeology, or management of national landmarks or museums? Whatever your history-related career goals are, Liberty University’s Ph.D. in History provides the training and experience you’ll need to excel in academia or other career fields that require an extensive understanding of the past.

When you complete your doctorate in history, you’ll be prepared for a multitude of career opportunities. Most of our students join the world of academia as a professor, professional researcher, or academic publisher or editor. However, you can also pursue positions as a museum curator, international development specialist, author, archaeologist, or federal government employee.

So what are you waiting for? Academics and many other career fields need people like you who are knowledgeable about the undercurrents, culture, and societal standards surrounding historical events. We’re going to prepare you to excel in whatever career field you choose when you pursue our doctorate in history.

What Will You Learn in Your Ph.D. in History Program?

How to apply a Christian worldview to the study of history
How to conduct original research that is based upon knowledge of the literature of the discipline
How to evaluate historiographic positions, like scholarly literature and interpretations, at the doctoral level
How to apply historical methodology to professional settings

Career Opportunities for Ph.D. in History Graduates

Academic publisher
Archaeologist
Federal government employee
Higher education administrator
International development specialist
Museum curator
Professional researcher

Benefits of Earning Your Online Ph.D. in History

As a leader in distance education since 1985, we understand what it takes to create a flexible and affordable education for busy people. Since we have been investing in distance and online learning for decades, our experience has taught us how to streamline our degree options so you can focus on what really matters to you. While many schools offer online degrees, we believe Liberty stands out.

Here’s what sets us apart:

We are recognized by multiple institutions for our academic quality, affordability, and accessibility . Our commitment to excellence also helped us rank in the top 10% of Niche.com’s best online schools in America . Earning your online Ph.D. in History degree from a nonprofit university with this kind of recognition can help set you apart from others in your field.
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 our undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs for the past 9 years – and counting.
This program is offered in an 8-week course format, with 8 different start dates each year, and no set login times!
Students will benefit from networking opportunities with other professionals in the program from around the country.
The Ph.D. in History is the only program of its kind offered from a conservative Christian worldview and an accredited university.
Your degree requires experience both inside and outside the classroom, allowing you to be fully prepared for any professional setting you choose.

Military Tuition Discount

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 . Here’s how:

If you’re earning or have earned a master’s degree through Liberty, you automatically qualify for the low price (when you begin within 2 years of your master’s completion).
If you haven’t earned a graduate degree through Liberty, our Executive Certificate program allows you to pay only $300/credit hour for a postgraduate certificate that can stand alone or potentially count as the first 21 hours of a related doctoral degree. Then pay just $300/credit hour for your doctorate. Learn more!

Credit Hours

Available Online

100% online, 8-week courses

Transfer Credits

Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total

Next Start Date

Aug 19, 2024

Accreditation

Liberty University is accredited by SACSCOC

Areas of Interest

Choose your area of Interest:

Training Champions for Christ

Liberty’s promise to you is an education that expertly brings knowledge and faith together. Here, education is designed around you. It connects you to people and opportunities that help you develop the skills and confidence you’re looking for. At Liberty, you’ll find the knowledge, experience, and mentorship you want to make your career — and life — a fulfilling one.

Why Liberty

Liberty University is not just another school. It is the realization of a dream, the product of thousands of prayers. It was built to invite students into a bigger, better story. Discover the Liberty difference for yourself.

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Academic Excellence

Liberty University is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, and certain programs have earned additional field-specific accreditation as well.

The past is never dead. It's not even past

Not Even Past

The Purpose of a History PHD: Lessons Learned from Career Diversity

By Alejandra Garza

From the editors: Over the past 5 weeks we have been delighted to publish a new series, Navigating the PhD and Beyond: Lessons from the AHA Career Diversity Initiative . The series was presented and curated by Alejandra Garza as part of the AHA Career Diversity for Historians Initiative. As the 2018-20 graduate student fellow, Alejandra’s goal was to show graduate students and professors that the skills developed in a PhD program “are applicable no matter what we do when we leave.” Read more about her experience here . In this last article, we showcase the AHA Career Diversity Initiative and its results more generally. The article published below first appeared in AHA Perspectives on History on August 14, 2020 . As preface for this last article in our Not Even Past series, we asked Alejandra Garza to summarize her overall experience and the importance of what was achieved.

AHA Career Diversity Concluding thoughts from Alejandra Garza

In June 2018, I sat in a meeting room at the American Historical Association headquarters in Washington, D.C as one of the nineteen other newly appointed Career Diversity fellows. James Grossman, executive director of the AHA, welcomed us with a question, “What is the purpose of a PhD in History?” We stared back at him, not knowing what the “correct answer” was. Honestly, I don’t think there was just one. Rather, I think Dr. Grossman was planting a seed that the fellows and their faculty partners would water for the next two years. We were expected to leave D.C. after those few days with ideas, not solutions. How were we going to change the culture around career development in our departments? A room full of historians knew that changing the culture of something was not going to happen overnight. We needed to plant the seeds. Two years later, I see those ideas blooming across the universities that participated in this initiative. We are no longer satisfied with the idea that the purpose of a PhD in History leads to one type of job. The various ways twenty history departments used their time in this initiative shows that.

The purpose of a History PhD by the AHA Career Diversity Fellows

The AHA’s Career Diversity for Historians initiative is leading a national conversation to better align the purpose of doctoral education with the varying skills, values, and interests of graduate students and the changing professional opportunities for historians within and beyond the academy. In the spring of 2018, 20 PhD-granting history departments were awarded Career Diversity implementation grants to support a team of faculty and a graduate student fellow to collaboratively build sustainable cultural and structural change in their doctoral programs. After two years of work at our partner institutions, we asked the fellows to discuss what they’ve learned and share some of the innovative ways they are creating student-centered doctoral programs that prepare history PhDs for a range of careers.

In this post, the sixth of a six-part series, the Career Diversity fellows reflect on how two years of department-focused work has changed their views on the purpose of doctoral education in history, on higher education in general, and their own careers.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE PURPOSE OF A HISTORY PHD?

Vanessa Madrigal-Lauchland (Univ. of California, Davis): Most folks interpret “What is the purpose of a history PhD?” as “What can one do with a history PhD?” The Career Diversity initiative has worked hard to answer that question with a resounding, “Anything you want.” However, the heart of the question, “What is the purpose of a history PhD?” is really asking about our goals as humanists in this world. This forces us to reflect on our values, relationship with our communities, and our impact on society.

Derek Kane O’Leary (Univ. of California, Berkeley): I don’t know. But I would love to see my department bring together faculty, grad students, undergrads, and alumni to collaboratively craft an answer to that and publish it on our website.

Lillian Wilson (Wayne State Univ.): I worked in museums and as a community college and art college lecturer before beginning the PhD and understood that I needed the doctorate to advance in the museum world or in academia. My work for Career Diversity has revealed to me that I can have a meaningful career that merges my strengths as a teacher and mentor, museum administrator, and scholar.

Matt Reeves (Univ. of Missouri–Kansas City),: The PhD is a signifier of professional approval. What, precisely, that sign of approval means is up to faculty in PhD-granting departments. But those expectations can (and should) change as the nature of the work performed by PhDs changes. As graduate students have the freedom to make their degree work for their careers, faculty have the freedom to redefine doctoral degree requirements. If we believe that people with PhDs are a positive good for society both within and beyond academe, then it’s time that faculty accept diverse new comps fields and capstone projects beyond the traditional dissertation.

Stephanie Narrow (Univ. of California, Irvine): The history PhD naturally attracts the intellectually curious, those who seek to find new perspectives on past and present issues. The PhD should foster this curiosity so that graduate students feel empowered to explore professionalization and career pathways with the same spirit of inquiry that they do their research agendas.

Trishula Patel (Georgetown Univ.): A PhD in history provides training not only in the traditional aspects of research, historiography, and pedagogy, but in the intellectual grounding that we’re given to articulate our work’s value beyond the academy. Many PhD students and faculty write for popular media outlets, teach outside the university, or engage with the public in ways that go beyond the occasional interview or op-ed. The ultimate goal, I believe, should be to give students the intellectual and practical tools to teach, research, and apply what we learn to policy, activism, and the greater good of society.

Allison Faber (Texas A&M Univ.): The most challenging part of this question is to determine one purpose of a history PhD. Broadly, a PhD signals that one has completed the highest level of training in historical research methods and historiography. However, that training is fruitless without sharing the knowledge and tools gained during a doctoral program. So, I would say that the purpose of a history PhD is to give students the ability to effectively use historical thinking to shed light on historical problems and to communicate that knowledge to others.

Brian Campbell (Univ. of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign): We need historical expertise now more than ever. Historians excel at explaining difficult concepts in the classroom, and such evidence-based historical learning should be a foundational part of any high school and middle school experience. We could better support graduate students who aspire to teach K–12, as well as in other educational spaces like prisons. Also more historians could be working as analysts and consultants, helping to inform decision-making that affects policy, governance, and culture.

DO YOU THINK ABOUT HIGHER EDUCATION DIFFERENTLY NOW?

Vanessa Madrigal-Lauchland (Univ. of California, Davis): The term “higher education” always brought to mind the image of a bar just out of reach. It’s in the name, right? “Higher.” It wasn’t created for me, the Xicana, the first-generation American, the girl who lived squished in a one-bedroom apartment with her giant family. Even as I earned my way into more advanced programs and became part of the system, the mass and momentum of higher education seemed alien and separate from my passive existence as a student. But this experience empowered me (and other students) to collaborate with faculty, cross-campus institutions, and administrators to make concrete and identifiable change. After this fellowship, I think of higher education as a system supported and driven by a passionate community of individuals committed to education and equality, who are willing to work toward changing a structure that was built to resist it.

Stephanie Narrow (Univ. of California, Irvine): My work has opened my eyes to the complexity of universities and their administrative hierarchies, especially in a large system like the University of California. We’ve found success in navigating institutional channels by partnering with other campus organizations, and working through, rather than against, the university.

Tim Herbert (Univ. of Illinois at Chicago): I’ll admit that I had a naive and privileged view of higher education before I started graduate school. (The Ivory Tower! Life of the Mind!) Participating in Career Diversity accelerated the shift in my views already under way and gave me a better framework for thinking about higher education. I also have a greater appreciation for the work faculty do, especially the committee and service work that is often invisible to graduate students. For instance, I’ve watched our department chair handle budgeting at a time when Illinois’s finances—and thus the University of Illinois at Chicago’s financial state—were emerging from total chaos (Illinois effectively did not have a complete budget for two years prior to 2018).

Andrew Brown (Texas A&M Univ.): This fellowship has provided me with the opportunity to wade into the world of faculty politics and helped me learn more about department and college service than ever before. Service is not a small part of each faculty member’s job but it is probably the area most graduate students are unprepared for in the academy. I learned how decisions are made in our department and college, which helped me gain an appreciation for the people who do that work.

Matthew Villeneuve (Univ. of Michigan): We have a lot of “intergenerational” historical knowledge to draw on, and heeding that accumulated wisdom is one of the things that can broaden our sense of what historical thinking is, and where it happens.

Tyler Krahe (West Virginia Univ.): I’ve become even more convinced that higher education has a lot of room to grow. A department doesn’t have to be all things to all students and it is more than just the faculty within it. The expertise and skills of alumni are a way for a department to cater to the wants and needs of individual students. I hope that is the direction we are headed.

WITH WHAT YOU KNOW NOW, WHAT WOULD YOUR IDEAL OF GRADUATE EDUCATION IN HISTORY BE LIKE?

Vanessa Madrigal-Lauchland (Univ. of California, Davis): Graduate education ought to be flexible, equitable, and diverse. Although social justice might not seem like a key aim of Career Diversity, the topic has been present in every conversation about sustainability, resources, and accessibility. If graduate programs are truly committed to diversity and equal access to education, we must create equitable solutions to facilitate student success.

Tim Herbert (Univ. of Illinois at Chicago): I want graduate education to respond to students’ needs while offering them the proper material, emotional, and intellectual support. Ideally, doctoral programs would be fully funded at a living wage for four to five years in programs designed to be completed in that period of time (though Stacey makes an important point below about the potential problems with this limit). A more flexible education would encourage students to explore the discipline and learn about the different ways of being a historian. This might include teaching, working as interns, and new formats for dissertations. Finally, I’d like to see the “doktorvater” view of graduate advising replaced by a model promoting multiple mentors.

Andrew Brown (Texas A&M Univ.): Teacher training and teaching experience have to be a priority in every graduate program. I would also like to see departments find ways to promote a healthy collegial atmosphere and cohesion in program cohorts through social events and programming. This promotes the mental health of students and reduces the sense of isolation, which is too common in the academy. It takes a long time to finish a PhD and this period cannot be seen as a break from real life. Students need a healthy and friendly atmosphere to get through the rigorous process.

Stacey Murrell (Brown Univ.): Maybe it’s because I work in a premodern field (requiring three languages and travel abroad for research) but four to five years is next to impossible. So not treating the PhD as one size fits all would be ideal. I think that all courses should involve useful assignments that can help students further develop specific skills that are useful in multiple career paths and I second the need for diverse intern opportunities and more opportunities to teach. Finally, I think it’s incredibly important that students have the opportunity to provide feedback on their courses and the program.

Joseph Stuart (Univ. of Utah): I agree with everything said above about the importance of a living wage, more professional development, and a structure that rewards and incentivizes high-quality advisers. I’d also be interested in creating classes designed to orient students to graduate school, not just to the content and historiography of their field. We ask students to figure out too much on their own, like how to apply for conferences, figure out where to do research, and balance school, work, and life. We can do more to help students, particularly underrepresented groups succeed in graduate school.

Hope Shannon (Loyola Univ. Chicago): Historians can and should be trained to bring historical thinking to wherever it might be most useful and valued. To center graduate programs around the idea that students should be trained to pursue meaningful work also requires providing students with the funding and resources necessary to explore those interests. Unfunded career diversity opportunities don’t help anyone, and they exacerbate the financial difficulties already faced by so many graduate students.

Ramya Swayamprakash (Michigan State Univ.): As an international student, I have raised the importance of thinking beyond the academy for those of us whose existence in this country is dependent on visas. Diverse, demonstrable skills would make any candidate more desirable for a variety of careers outside the professoriate. Graduate programs with large numbers of international students also need to make sure their career development programming takes their unique needs into account.

HAVE YOUR OWN CAREER ASPIRATIONS BEEN SHAPED BY PARTICIPATING IN THIS INITIATIVE?

Alejandra Garza (Univ. of Texas at Austin): I entered the graduate program at the University of Texas at Austin knowing what I didn’t want to do afterward, but I had no idea what I wanted to do. Now, I aspire to work in higher education administration, ideally an office like Texas Career Engagement, where I could help future graduate students see how their grad degree can help them be whatever they want to be. A graduate degree doesn’t limit you in any way, it does the exact opposite.

Shuko Tamao (Univ. at Buffalo, State Univ. of New York): I graduated during the pandemic and am reassessing my career plans right now. As a fellow, I feel I should have some solid ideas for my career plans, but I have to be flexible right now. I have set a broad, long-term career goal, but I may not get to where I aspired a few years ago. But by participating in this initiative, I learned that I could allow myself to envision my career beyond the confinement of “I should,” encouraging myself to be creative and resourceful.

Matt Reeves (Univ. of Missouri–Kansas City): I credit my time as a career fellow with coming to fully accept the positive value of a career outside the academy. It’s easy to pay lip service to the “No More Plan B” talk; it’s harder to accept and believe it. I now know that I can use the skills I learned in graduate school to positive ends outside the academy. Two years ago, I was hired as a part-time librarian in special collections at the Kansas City Public Library. Within a year, I was promoted into a full-time education and outreach position. I credit the promotion to the entrepreneurial mindset I honed in graduate school: constantly improving programs and always making the case for the value of the humanities.

Joseph Stuart (Univ. of Utah): I always knew that I needed to be open to a wide array of career opportunities. The Career Diversity initiative has given me a language and framework for how to use my historical skills to find meaningful employment that pays a living wage. If given the choice of any option, I still want to be a professor. But I know that I could succeed and be happy doing many things.

Matthew Villeneuve (Univ. of Michigan): After working on Career Diversity, I am recommitted to the broader effort of knocking down the walls of the academy—not just those artificial boundaries between historians and the public, but between historians themselves. That conviction makes me all the more committed to pursue a career in the academy. I’m confident that academic historians can continue to find common cause with everyone who uses rigorous historical thinking skills as a part of making their way in the world, and I look forward to being a part of that effort.

Leah Burnham (Georgia State Univ.): This initiative has opened my eyes to other career possibilities and I plan on applying to a variety of jobs. But it’s important to understand that a PhD does not automatically make one qualified for a job outside of academia. Those interested in other careers should participate in informational interviews through AHA Career Contacts and thoroughly research those careers to make sure they’re doing everything in their power to become qualified before applying.

Department of History

Doctorate in History (PhD)

By pursuing a PhD degree in history, you will explore the world's broad historical questions and delve deeply into regional and national histories in an environment that prizes collaborative learning.

Whether you are preparing for an academic position or a career in the public or private sector, a PhD in history will enable you to make sense of the past and connect that understanding to the most pressing challenges of the present.

Why Brandeis?

Under the close guidance of a Brandeis historian, you will learn to conduct primary-source research — the foundation of your doctoral degree — while pursuing a flexible course of study that reflects your interests and further develops your critical-thinking, research and writing skills.

While our department has special strengths in American and European history, doctoral candidates can take advantage of a diverse range of other graduate programs at Brandeis to complement their course of study. Recent rankings place our department as the 8th-most prestigious in North America , alongside the history departments of Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Chicago, among other top-tier universities.

As a PhD student, you will create and teach your own courses and receive tuition waivers and generous fellowship support. Mastery of at least one foreign language is required.

In our program, you will benefit from the hallmarks of a Brandeis education: small classes, dedicated mentoring by internationally recognized faculty, intellectual diversity, career support and the wealth of academic and cultural resources Boston offers.

Careers and Alumni

Our alumni have gone on to careers such as:

Senior editor of The Atlantic, Politics section

Director of history at the Federal Judicial Center

Director of the Henry George Birthplace, Archive and Historical Research Center

Professor positions at institutions such as William Woods University, George Mason University and Wentworth Institute of Technology

PhD candidate Geraldine Gudefin was recently elected to the prestigious Posen Society of Fellows .

Fellowships and Aid

All students admitted to the PhD program receive tuition waivers and fellowships renewable for a total of five years. Learn more about the Irving and Rose Crown Fellowships .

Undergraduate Program
Master of Arts in History

Apply to Brandeis

Request Information

Application Deadline

Director of graduate studies.

Contact Professor Amy Singer for more information about the program.

Lianne Gallant

Alumni Spotlight

Benjamin Irvin PhD’04 is the Executive Editor of the "Journal of American History," which is published by the Organization of American Historians, and associate professor in the department of history at Indiana University, Bloomington.

Considering a Graduate Degree in History?

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Ph.D., Developmental Psychology, Fordham University
M.A., Developmental Psychology, Fordham University

Are you considering a master's or doctoral degree in History? The decision to pursue graduate study in History, like other fields , is a complex one that is part emotional and part rational. The emotional side of the equation is powerful. The pride of becoming the first in your family to earn a graduate degree, being called "Doctor," and living a life of the mind are all tempting rewards. However, the decision of whether to apply to graduate programs in History also entails pragmatic considerations. In a difficult economic climate, the question becomes even more perplexing.

Below are a few considerations. Remember that this is your choice - a very personal choice - that only you can make.

Competition for entry to graduate study in History is stiff.

The first thing to recognize when it comes to graduate study is that it is competitive. Admissions standards for many graduate programs, especially doctoral programs, in History are tough. Peruse applications for the top Ph.D. programs in the field and you may encounter warnings not to apply if you do not have a particular score on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) Verbal Test and a high undergraduate GPA (for example, at least a 3.7).

Earning a Ph.D. in History takes time.

Once you enter graduate school you may remain a student longer than you intend. History and other humanities students often take longer to complete their dissertations than science students do. Graduate students in History can expect to remain in school for at least 5 years and as many as 10 years. Each year in graduate school is another year without full-time income.

Graduate students in History have fewer funding sources than science students do.

Graduate study is expensive. Annual tuition typically ranges from $20,000-40,000. The amount of funding a student receives is important to his or her economic well-being long after graduate school. Some History students work as teaching assistants and receive some tuition remission benefits or a stipend. Most students pay for all of their education. In contrast, science students are often funded by grants that their professors write to support their research. Science students often receive full tuition remission and a stipend during graduate school.

Academic jobs in History are hard to come by.

Many faculty members advise their students not to go into debt to earn a graduate degree in History because of the job market for college professors, especially in the humanities, is bad. Many humanities PhDs work as adjunct instructors (earning about $2,000-$3,000 per course) for years. Those who decide to seek full-time employment rather than reapply for academic jobs work in college administration, publishing, the government, and non-profit agencies.

Historians' skills in reading, writing and argumentation skills are valued outside of academia.

Many of the negative considerations in deciding whether to apply to graduate school in History emphasize the difficulty of obtaining employment in academic settings and the financial challenges that come with graduate study. These considerations are less relevant for students who plan on careers outside of academia. On the positive side, a graduate degree offers many opportunities outside of the ivory tower. The skills that you will hone as you pursue your graduate degree are valued in virtually all employment settings. For example, graduate degree holders in History are skilled in reading, writing, and argumentation. Each paper you write in graduate school requires that you compile and integrate information, and construct logical arguments. These information management, argumentation, and presentation skills are useful in a variety of settings such as business, nonprofits, and government.

This quick overview of pragmatic considerations in determining whether graduate study in History is for you highlights some of the challenges, but your academic and professional career is yours to make. Students who plan, take advantage of an opportunity and remain open to considering a range of career options increase the odds of a graduate degree in History paying off in the long run. Ultimately graduate school decisions are complex and highly personal. Only you are aware of your own circumstances, strengths, weaknesses, and goals - and whether a History degree fits into your life story.

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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.

25 Best Online Doctorate in History Programs Top Online PhD History

Find your degree.

Get a personalized list of degree programs that fit your needs.

Created on December 27, 2020 Updated: July 20, 2024

If you are considering going all the way in history, you have probably already done so much to get to this point in your life. You are moving towards a dream and you want to, of course, take the right path, to access exactly what you are looking for. Most people who get their doctorate in history online are looking to go beyond their master’s degree to specialize in their career and/ or teach at the academic level.

Some people get their terminal degree to work in government or are even law. There are many places to go, and the best online history PhD programs will show you that this terminal degree generally comes with a specialized path. Generally, those who take this journey do it because they are incredibly passionate about a specific historical framework, period, and niche. Therefore, finding an online PhD in history program should not be as challenging. You’ll be attracted to the program that offers what you’re looking for.

Recommended Online Doctoral Programs

Explore our featured online programs to find the right match for you today.

Methodology: How We Ranked the Best Online History Doctorate Programs

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, your academic investment in this field will most likely not be in vain. It appears that the field will grow three percent in the next ten years, which means its growth rate is a little faster than the average. We have ranked the best online history doctoral programs for you according to the following metric:

Students Success Rate

Rank	Type	Graduate Tuition
1.	Public	$10,770
2.	Private	$27,810
3.	Public	$6,885
4.	Public	$10,170
5.	Public	$10,133
6.	Public	$9,119
7.	Public	$7,092
8.	Public	$8,723
9.	Public	$13,726
10.	Public	$6,318

University of Florida Gainesville, FL

To kick off this best online history programs list is, the University of Florida offers an Ed.D. in curriculum & instruction entirely online. What is standout about this program is it is structured with the practicing educator in mind. The online program has online specialization teachers, schools, and society. This program links up well with a history background, as a high percentage of history majors move on to educational settings.

Yet even if you don’t, some history majors want to move on to the educational sector in public policy in the state department so having this degree can pair up well with professionals in a variety of sectors with a historical background. History program applicants must have a master’s with a specialization closely linked to education and have at least three years in the field experience. There are several coursework requirements, TSS courses are 30 credits, research credits 12, and dissertation 18 credit minimum.

Degree: Ed.D. in Curriculum & Instruction

School Type: Public

Graduate Tuition: $10,770

Lehigh University Bethlehem, PA

Lehigh University has an Ed.D in Educational Leadership . This course of study was created to enhance the skills of professionals aspiring to advance their standing and position in their company. Graduates of this program move on to accept positions as school administrators, faculty members, leaders with community organizations, research, leaders in government agencies, or educational analysts. This doctoral program is 60 credits of coursework, and students can decide whether they choose to pursue a full-time or part-time enrollment. Courses in history programs include classes in topics such as special education law, curriculum design, policy and politics in public education, and school law and ethics.

To qualify for acceptance into this history program, applicants must have a 3.0 GPA for undergraduate work and 3.6 for master’s degree courses at the time of graduation. A GRE and/or MAT exam scores are required. To become the future leader of our societies and communities needs stamina and hard work.

Degree: Ed.D. Educational Leadership

School Type: Private

Graduate Tuition:$27,810

Texas A&M University

Texas A&M University offers an Ed.D in Curriculum & instruction, this program is given in a cohort structure that takes students up to four years to complete. All 64 credits of the coursework tackle education in public or private settings instructional assessment, and curriculum building and instruction. This program requires at least 5 years of practice experience teaching, several writing samples, and applicants must submit GRE scores. This best online Ph.D. in history is the next step for a history teacher, or history master degree graduate once they have worked as a teacher for a while.

The exciting aspect of the program is the online format, allowing candidates to continue working until they complete a doctorate. The three core learning outcomes are broken down between leadership discovery and application of knowledge. There are internship hours required for this degree, the student must undergo 300 hours of a professional internship, which can be broken up between two semesters.

Degree: ED.D. in Curriculum & Instruction

Graduate Tuition: $6,885

Arizona State University

Arizona State University has an EdD in leadership and innovation is for the change makers, those that have a vision for the future of education and educational institutions. Having a firm understanding of the historical effects policy and notable events have had on the current educational institutions is helpful. This best online Ph.D. will pair well with a candidate with a foundation in history. There are 20 primary courses that total out to 90 credits with course periods lasting between 7-15 weeks. Featured courses of the program are, advanced quantitative methods, mixed methods of inquiry, systems change and leadership, and leadership for organizational change.

To change the system you first have to know how it got that way and the history of the people you are changing it for. Dive into the rigorous educational environment of this program will require a self-motivated learning practice, faculty members will be there to guide you, yet it is on the student to complete coursework on time.

Degree: EdD in Leadership and Innovation

Graduate Tuition: $10,170

Indiana University-Bloomington Bloomington, IN

Ed.d in literacy, culture, and language education offered by Indiana University is online and an expert program for students of culture and people. The entire course of study in 60 credit hours all online. This degree is structured in a cohort model to encourage networking, students will advance throughout the program together and in the process become career-long colleagues. This collaborative process within the program in a virtual format opens the door to diversity as online students will be able to share experiences from all over the countries they tackle the core learning outcomes.

The program’s purpose is for professionals to strengthen their knowledge of language and literacy in the current times, discovering the evolution of language as a result of the change in many cultures in our shared society. Students will take courses like theoretical issues in the language in education, doctoral early inquiry in literature.

Degree: Ed.D. in Literacy, Culture, and Language Education

Graduate Tuition: $10,133

Florida International University Miami, FL

Florida International University offers a Ph.D. in Atlantic History , an advanced study degree delivered entirely online. The whole course of study for this program is 45 credits if the student is accepted with a master’s degree, if applicants are accepted with a bachelor’s, 75 credits are required to receive a degree, with 15 of those credits dedicated to the dissertation. Which can only be earned once a comprehensive examination is passed. The study of the Atlantic world is an advanced study starting from pre-colonial times to the modern era. The learning goals are that students become experts in skills related to research, teaching, and innovative historical practices. Graduate candidates will have the opportunity to present papers at regional conferences and publish ongoing research. It is highly encouraged by faculty for students to take advantage of these opportunities. The history department also has concentrations related to Latin America, Africa, the United States, or Europe.

Doctoral History Programs Degree: Ph.D. in Atlantic History

Graduate Tuition: $9,119

University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR

The University of Arkansas offers a doctor of education in educational leadership program a professional degree for individuals pursuing positions as principals superintendent or in federal and state government agencies. For those with a master of bachelors in history, this is the best online Ph.D. in history, education, and leadership. Although this program is only for history majors that have a desire to continue to pursue the educational sector, this may also lead to a position in government developing policy and curriculums for public schools and private schools all over the country. Becoming a part of the network of professionals connected to this institution of learning is often a reason enough for students to choose this program. However other key facts to note are that required coursework accounts for 42 credit hours.

Degree: Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership

Graduate Tuition: $7,092

University of Houston Houston, TX

The University of Houston offers an Ed.D in social studies with an emphasis in social education. Obtaining a degree in social studies is the next step in the educational career of history, while finding the best online Ph.D. in history is somewhat difficult this list has found several that will match up with the aspirational goal of those looking to become history teachers, educational policymakers, or a historian. The purpose of this program is to build educators who intend to root themselves in educational institutions. The entire course load is 52 credit hours and delivered via an online format, professionals can assess on their schedule. Graduates of this degree will obtain a doctorate of education in leadership, and be able to grapple with the issues of teaching in an urban setting. This program will help professionals teach students with developmental reading problems and assess collaboratively.

Doctoral History Programs Degree: ED.D in SOCIAL STUDIES

Graduate Tuition: $8,723

George Mason University Fairfax, VA

George Mason University has a Ph.D. in history this professional degree will advance careers in digital media educational administration, and help students gain expert knowledge of technologies used online to store historical data and standard historical methods. Graduate candidates will have the choice to choose from full-time or part-time enrollment. Students will enjoy taking their degree courses based on their own interests from the major field choices, US history, European history, and world history. Minor fields can be chosen from areas of study such as public history constitutional studies and new media and information technology. The program will groom students for careers in academia museums and digital humanities centers. There is a new fellowship available to those that are passionate about investigating the digital history and its applications. The exciting facts of this course are that while this program is rigorous with a required 72 credit hours, there is so much to choose from, and a range of areas to build from that will allow students to shape their studies around topics that are meaningful to them.

Degree: Ph.D. in History

Graduate Tuition: $13,726

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Lincoln, NE

The University of Nebraska offers an ED.D in Educational Leadership and Higher Education in a hybrid program, the majority of the coursework is delivered online yet all the Ph.D. candidates are required to attend 6 credits of research seminars on campus. This is a leadership program that will guide interested individuals through to advanced standing in their field. Primary leadership roles in educational organizations. They offer three specializations, educational leadership, high education administration, college community leadership. Graduates of this program will not qualify for administrative certification, as some may assume. It is safe to acknowledge the correlation between a master’s in history and this Ph.D. leadership degree as a next step will coincide with the written and analytical skills that will work well with this program. There are 96 required credit hours necessary to receive a degree, 18 of which are research at a doctorate level of study.

Degree: ED.D in Educational Leadership and Higher Education

School Type: Public

Graduate Tuition: $6,318

Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX

Texas Tech University’s online Ed.D in educational leadership, is the next step for those that aspire to become executive leaders in the educational sector. This online degree, focus on the excelling leaders in the K-12 public and private educational institutions. Applicants of this program must have taken the GRE and have 3 professional recommendations to submit with an application into the program. The Ph.D. course amounts to 66 credits hours, 54 toward the major topics of the degree, 12 for the dissertation, and 30 transferable master credits for a total of 96 credit hours total. Another notable fact about this degree is the extra opportunities, the doctoral summer institutes when students come to campus for the required research seminars, students get to collaborate on projects. As the school is partnered with the Carnegie project for an educational doctorate, students will have the chance to present work, publish, and network with other students in the program.

Degree Type: Ed.D. in Educational leadership

Graduate Tuition: $6,956

University of South Carolina-Columbia Columbia, SC

The University of South Carolina has an Ed.D. in Educational Practice and Innovation , which is the prime choice for history buffs that want to use their knowledge to innovate the educational institutions, and rewrite the way we teach history as a curriculum. The learning outcomes for this doctorate degree are to instill principles and techniques of instructional systems design. Students will also become skilled in creating educational technology, and learn integration methods for introducing technology into learning and performance assessments. This program will develop experts in educational technology, which has become the common modality. Start times are spring summer or fall, and students will attend full time as course work is offered completely online with 8- 15 weeks per course. This best online Ph.D. in history is a perfect coupling for those aspiring to reshape how we receive information and disseminate historical facts. The entire degree consists of 60 credit hours of course work with a dissertation presentation and writing.

Degree Type: Ed.D. in Educational Practice and Innovation

Graduate Tuition: $13,374

Oregon State University Corvallis, OR

Oregon State University offers an Ed.D. in Adult and Higher Education delivered via a hybrid, online coursework and in-person two weekends per term, with 108 credit hours required for completion. The program is structured in a cohort format, which allows for small groups and collaborative instruction. While pursuing a Ph.D. is extremely rigorous, making the choice of which program to take can be just as difficult. This program highlights its mission to support the educational sector by enhancing professional leadership from an advanced degree. This takes the compounding of key leadership skills, management, vision, and commitment to the mission. Graduates of the program will go on to perform as Deans, Director, vice president, and president of a public or private institution. It is worthy to note that this program is not a teacher licensure program.

Degree Type: Ed.D. in Adult and Higher Education

Graduate Tuition: 13,446

University of North Dakota Grand Forks, ND

University of North Dakota Ph.D. in Teaching and leadership is preparing professionals to reach for the top echelon on their career path. History majors are leaders in every field they go into, seeking out the next step in their career. To be a leader in an educational institute, one would need to have a background in research, be excellent in a written and oral presentation, understand the importance of history and how today’s event has an effect on tomorrow. To complete this course of study candidates must undertake 90 credit hours of coursework. This best online Ph.D. is offered wholly online there are several concentration students, Childhood and Adversity Resilience, Constructivism in STEM Education, Family, School, and Community Engagement, Instructional Coaching, Leadership in Curriculum & Learning, Literacy, Language & Culture, School Reform & Public Policy

Degree Type: Ph.D. in Teaching and Leadership

Graduate Tuition: $11,963

University of Kentucky Lexington, KY

The University of Kentucky has an Ed.D in Educational Leadership that is formatted in a closely structured cohort style instruction. This is an online program in which all the coursework is offered entirely online. Educational Leadership is at the foundation of great change initiatives in our country. In the last 70 years, civil rights movements and anti-war movements were all started on the campus of public and private institutions all over the world. Developing the future leaders of those institutions is necessary, and the mission of this advanced doctoral program. Courses are online but the live discussion sessions within your cohort are also key to the learning experience. Candidates are required to complete 42 credit hours of postgraduate coursework. The faculty is dedicated to teaching within the values of the school and program, leadership, transformation, and collaboration are a few of the stalwart values at the core of the work.

Degree Type: Ed.D in Educational Leadership

Graduate Tuition: $12,967

Andrews University Berrien Springs, MI

Andrews University offers a Ph.D. in educational leadership that is designed to train students to be leaders in a variety of fields . This is an excellent complement to the Andrews University MA in Educational Leadership pathway. Both are offered through the Distance Learning Graduate Studies Department. Typically, students can complete this program in four years. It is made up of 64 credit hours. It is fully accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and it is nationally recognized by the Educational Leadership Constituent Council. Andrews is a Christian based school with a Christian worldview. Students have access to technical support throughout the program as well as academic support. It is critical that students are prepared to engage in such an online learning endeavor by ensuring they have a stable internet connection and a computer that can run all of their coursework.

Degree Type: Ph.D. in Educational Leadership

Graduate Tuition: $27,380

Drexel University Philadelphia, PA

Drexel University offers one of the best online Ph.D. programs . This program was designed to foster leaders in the complex field of education. Students will learn how to develop the skills to lead in a myriad of contexts and sites, as well as colleges and other institutions of higher learning, government, foundations, school districts, and even non-profits. Students will choose from one of the following concentrations: athletic administrative doctoral concentration, creativity, and innovation doctoral concentration, educational administration doctoral concentration, global and international education doctoral concentration, human resource development doctoral concentration, learning technologies doctoral concentration, nursing education, special education leadership doctoral concentration. This online program still brings students together in cohorts, ensuring they have built-in support and collaboration opportunities throughout the entire course of the program. The coursework is known for being challenging and consuming, but worth its weight in the skills that you will step away with and overall experience.

Degree Type: Ed. D In Educational Leadership and Management

Graduate Tuition: $36,234

Fordham University Bronx, NY

Fordham University offers the best online history Ph.D. program . The degree is technically an EdD in Educational Leadership, Administration, and Policy. This course of study is offered through their Graduate School of Education. They offer three distinct specializations including: problem-solving and design, social justice and ethics, and scholarly inquiry and research. The entire course of study is designed to be completed in three years’ time. It is made up of 50 credit hours. There is one start date per year, so it’s important to apply by the deadline and get prepared. There are many career paths that are applicable for those who complete this program including: administrator, public policy leader, school and district leader, nonprofit leader, superintendent, and assistant superintendent. The curriculum in this program consists of such courses as engaging and transforming schools, districts, and communities, leading teaching and learning, educational leadership and organizational change, and engaging and transforming schools, districts, and communities.

Degree Type: Ed.D in Educational Leadership, Administration and Policy

Graduate Tuition: $25,080

Liberty University Lynchburg, VA

Liberty University offers a Ph.D. program in history that is delivered entirely online . The program can be completed in four years’ time. The entire course of study is made up of 75 credit hours. Students can transfer up to 50 percent of their degree from another academic experience into this program. Liberty University offers an evangelical Christian approach to education. Students will gain a Christian historical perspective in all of their teaching. This program is fully accredited by the SACSCOC. Liberty offers an affordable academic experience. They give a significant military discount and students have access to additional financial aid. The featured courses in this program include: historiography, American entrepreneurship since 1900, historical professions, and development of western freedoms. Students will be prepared to engage in a variety of career paths including museum curation, education, law, political science-oriented professions, among many others.

Degree Type: Ph.D. in History

Graduate Tuition: $7,740

Concordia University-Chicago River Forest, IL

Concordia University Chicago offers a Ph.D. in Leadership program that is delivered entirely online . This is a Christian oriented program that is designed to embed scripture in all of the coursework. The entire course of study is made up of 67 credit hours. There are many doctoral specializations that students can choose from including: curriculum instruction, teacher leadership, early childhood education, sports leadership, educational technology, special education, gerontology, reading, language and literature, health and human performance, organizational leadership, and higher education. Engaged in the curriculum are the skills to conduct complex research, communication, conflict mediation, decision making, communication, change management, among many other topics that are leadership-oriented. Students in this program will have options to study abroad and connect to other innovative field experiences. Graduates will be prepared to hold leadership positions in nonprofits, roles in government, professional roles in business, among many others.

Degree Type: Ph.D. in Leadership

Graduate Tuition: $10,458

Regent University Virginia Beach, VA

Regent University offers a Ph.D. in Education that is delivered entirely online . This is considered one of the best online history Ph.D. programs. The entire course of study is made up of at least 75 credit hours. There are several concentrations that doctoral students can choose from which include: special education, K-12 student leadership, higher education leadership and management, higher education, exception education executive leadership, educational technology and online learning, educational psychology, curriculum and instruction, Christian education leadership, character education, advanced educational leadership, and adult education. Those who have completed this program have achieved careers in positions such as principal researchers, university faculty, school administrators, and superintendent. A program like this is bound to build on a career you already have but offer higher earning potential. One of the things that draw students to this particular program is the Christian worldview that it offers.

Doctoral Degree Type: Ph.D in Education

Graduate Tuition: $16,128

Wilmington University New Castle, DE

Wilmington University offers an EdD in Organizational Leadership specifically in learning and innovation . This doctoral program is offered through its distinguished College of Education. The entire program is made up of eighteen classes, which equates to 54 credits. Doctoral students can complete the doctoral program in as little as three years. This history phD program pathway is considered to be interdisciplinary in reach. There are multiple concentrations to choose from including: workplace learning and talent development, strategic leadership, and the student-designed learning pathway. Students will all participate in research core courses including: disciplined inquiry and writing, assessment and evaluation methods, problem-centered research in organizational learning in two parts. Each student will undergo consulting field experience when they complete their coursework. This is one of the aspects of the history phD program that makes it unique and also desirable. Each year, students will participate in summer institutes, the third of which is where they will do their consulting reporting.

Doctoral Degree Type: EdD in Organizational Leadership, Learning and Innovation

Graduate Tuition: $9,432

Franklin University Columbus, OH

Franklin University offers a doctor of professional studies in instructional design in leadership . It is considered one of the best online history phD programs for a number of reasons. Many doctoral students find this doctoral program because they are looking for a Christian foundation in the framework for which history is told. In addition, this is considered one of the more flexible history phD program options, as it allows students to transfer in at least 24 previously earned academic credits. There are accelerated ways to undergo this history phD program. For example, students can complete the program in a fast-paced three year time period. This includes a one-year dissertation experience. Another perk about this program is that it is very easy to customize and make it exactly what you want it to be. It is designed for those who want to expressly become leaders in instructional design.

Doctoral Degree Type: DPS in Instructional Design Leadership

Graduate Tuition: $12,060

University of the Cumberlands Williamsburg, KY

The University of the Cumberlands offers a Ph.D. in leadership studies that is considered one of the best online history Ph.D. programs . Doctoral s tudents in this doctoral program will learn the most advanced leadership skills that can propel them into a variety of career paths following program completion. Maybe people engage in programs such as this one because they are interested in administrative roles in education or within organizations on the community or corporate level. This can also feed into the career path of project managers or business professionals. This history phD program offers many options for specialization. Students will choose one of the following areas of focus: student personnel, religion, nursing, math, information systems, history, health sciences, English, education, criminal justice, and business. This history phH program is designed to be flexible and convenient, as all of the coursework is delivered online. You will have access to excellent faculty mentorship and networking opportunities with your peers.

Doctoral Degree Type: Ph.D. in Leadership Studies

Graduate Tuition: $4,260

Keiser University-Ft Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale, FL

Keiser University offers the best online history Ph.D. program that emphasizes educational leadership . This particular program is designed to foster academic maturity. This program is designed to support students to be change-makers in their communities and schools. The program was designed to lift up leaders through research, writing, critical thinking among others that will support K-12 environments as well as post-secondary institutions. This course of study was designed to be flexible and convenient, as many students will maintain full-time employment while participating in the program. Prospective students must already have a master’s degree in a related field in order to apply. They are also expected to have a full CV with significant contributions to education under their belts to be a good candidate for the program as well. Some of the coursework in the program includes: community relations, academia, research, educational law, and even school district administration.

Doctoral Degree Type: Ph.D. in Educational Leadership

Graduate Tuition: $33,390

Why Should I Get My PhD in History Online?

There are many reasons to go the route of achieving an online PhD in history . For starters, you are probably looking into this degree path out of a deep love for something you are already doing, and you want to go deeper, or you are interested in building an academic teaching career from a specialization that you can leave your mark on.

There are many online PhD programs in history, so why not find something that is screaming your name. This could be a program about just the subject you are passionate about, or a building block that will let you deepen a discipline that holds your passion. There are many online history PhD programs out there, and finding the right one can make all the difference in the path that you carve out for yourself and the contribution you are able to make in the world. Once again, this can be the path that will set you on track to embark on the ultimate career.

How Do I Choose an Online History PhD?

The best online PhD programs in history vary greatly. First off, it is important to look at programs that are accredited. Accreditation means they have been properly vetted by reliable sources, and therefore, offer the credibility that you need to ensure that they are safe and will give you what they say they will. Not to mention, finding the right program for you, in particular, is critical.

What this means is that you should invest the time in finding a program that really touches on the field for which you want to expand your expertise. In addition, if you require a very flexible format, it is important that you pick something that will allow you to participate in coursework from wherever you are whenever you can.

Many best online history PhD programs offer such flexibility, but you have to do the research to determine if there are in-person requirements along with other potential obligations that you want to be sure you can meet. Many programs offer a myriad of related networking opportunities that might be pertinent to your intended career path. If this is something that is interesting to you, you should seek out programs that will give you such opportunities.

How Much Can I Make with a PhD in History?

A history of PhD salary is quite variable. According to PayScale, on average, you are looking at something to the tune of $56,000 . Associate curators make something around $60,000, though a professor that teaches within a history department generally makes around $79,000. Some of the lower range salaries on this list are adjunct faculty who make around $37,000 and assistant professors who make around $50,000. A PhD in history salary is certainly not one size fits all, but you have some control, once you have your credentials, to go into the field that makes what you deem a comfortable salary.

25 Best Online Bachelor’s in History What Can I Do with an Master’s in History? 25 Best Online Master’s in History What Can I Do with a History Doctorate? Best Online DBA Programs Best Online Doctorate in Leadership Programs

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PhD in History

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.

3-4 years full-time
5-7 years part-time

If you are interested in part-time study, please visit our Part-Time PhD in History page for more information.

At a glance

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:

Regular oral feedback from their supervisor, as well as termly online feedback reports;
Oral feedback from peers during postgraduate workshops and seminars;
Access to regular training sessions and relevant undergraduate lectures to develop key skills;
Support for fieldwork research;
Opportunities to teach and supervise undergraduate students in their field of research.

If you have any questions, drop us a line on [email protected]

What are we looking for?

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:

Whether it represents a significant contribution to learning through the discovery of new knowledge, the connection of previously unrelated facts, the development of a new theory or the revision of older views;
Whether it takes due account of previously published work on the subject and you are therefore well-read;
Whether the thesis is clearly and concisely written, without exceeding the maximum limit of 80,000 words (excluding footnotes and bibliography).

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!

Are there any course requirements?

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).

How is the PhD examined?

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

Qualification: PhD
Term (1 being your first term): 9

Minimum number of terms of research which need to be in Cambridge (in order to qualify for the PhD)

Term (1 being your first term): 3

End of term by which your draft dissertation must be submitted to your supervisor

Term (1 being your first term): 10

Absolute final submission deadline

Term (1 being your first term): 12

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!

What to Know About Earning an Online History Ph.D.

Explore and compare a list of accredited schools to enroll in your next program.

Want to study Civil War military tactics or research Silk Road trade networks at an advanced level? During an online Ph.D. in history program, you’ll investigate the past while strengthening your research, writing, and analytical skills.

The best online Ph.D. in history programs prepare graduates for careers in academia, teaching, writing, research, and public outreach. And with an online program, you can earn a doctorate in a flexible, accessible format.

Reasons to Get an Online History Ph.D.

An online history Ph.D. prepares you for careers in teaching, research, and historical preservation and outreach.
A flexible online format may appeal to busy adults and working professionals.
High school teachers with a doctorate often earn higher salaries and qualify to teach college-level courses.
You get to conduct research and strengthen both your analytical and writing skills while working on your dissertation.
You can attend a quality program without needing to relocate or quit your job.

Did You Know…

History professors earned a median annual salary of $78,130 in May 2021, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Featured Online History Programs

Application requirements for an online ph.d. in history, what will you learn in an online history ph.d..

During an online history Ph.D. program, you’ll complete coursework requirements, specialize in a field of history, and defend a research-based dissertation.

Many programs require 2-3 years of history classes followed by comprehensive examinations. Depending on your specialization, you may also need to demonstrate proficiency in one or more foreign languages.

Common history specializations include:

U.S. history
Military history
World history
Public history
Medieval history

After passing your exams, you’ll conduct original research to write and defend a dissertation. You’ll work closely with a faculty advisor and dissertation committee to complete your dissertation.

A doctorate in history builds strong research, analytical, and writing skills. Online programs may also incorporate teaching experience to prepare graduates for roles in the classroom.

Why Accreditation Matters for Online History Ph.D. Programs

If you want to get an online Ph.D. in history, it’s important you choose an accredited university.

Accredited schools meet high academic standards, hire qualified faculty, and report strong student learning outcomes. You’ll also qualify for federal financial aid programs if you attend an accredited institution.

Accreditation is an important sign of academic quality. Before applying to online history Ph.D. programs, make sure to check the school’s accreditation status .

History Ph.D. students can study anything from ancient Egyptian history to modern international relations.

What Can You Do With an Online Ph.D. in History?

With an online Ph.D. in history, you can work as a history professor at a community college, four-year college, or research university.

Outside of higher education, history Ph.D. grads can work as high school teachers, archivists, museum curators, writers, and editors. Many of these fields report above-average salaries and positive job growth over the next decade.

Popular Jobs for History Ph.D. Grads
Job	Median Annual Salary (May 2021)	Job Growth Rate (2021-2031)
	$78,130	7%
	$78,060	6%
	$69,510	4%
	$63,940	4%
	$63,350	-5%
	$61,820	5%
	$60,110	14%
	$60,050	9%
	$49,110	20%

Source: BLS

Resources for History Ph.D. Students and Historians

American historical association.

The biggest membership group of historians in the world, AHA celebrates the range, variety, and ever-changing nature of history, accepting members from all history specializations.

National Council for History Education

This organization connects historians, teachers, education specialists, community leaders, and institutions to improve the quality of history instruction in schools.

Organization of American Historians

A professional society dedicated to U.S. history, OAH encourages the discussion of historical questions and original scholarship.

World History Association

This organization promotes members who teach, research, and publish history topics using a global, cross-cultural perspective.

Frequently Asked Questions About History Ph.D. Programs

Can you get a history ph.d. without a master’s.

Yes, you can earn a Ph.D. in history without a master’s degree. Many history Ph.D. programs admit candidates with just a bachelor’s degree; however, some programs recommend or require a master’s in history to enter the doctoral program.

How long does a Ph.D. in history take?

Earning a Ph.D. in history typically takes at least five years. That’s because doctoral programs require 2-3 years of coursework, comprehensive exams, and a research-based dissertation that may run over 300 pages. Many programs include foreign language requirements, too.

Does a Ph.D. in history make you a doctor?

Yes, earning an on-campus or online Ph.D. in history makes you a doctor. The doctor of philosophy degree, which is the highest degree in academia, qualifies graduates for college-level teaching and research roles.

Therefore, graduates with a Ph.D. in history can use the title “doctor.”

What percentage of history Ph.D.-holders get tenure-track jobs?

Fewer than half of history Ph.D. grads land tenure-track jobs in the years after earning their degree. For historians who earned a Ph.D. between 2014 and 2017, around 35% held a tenure-track job in 2022, according to the American Historical Association .

With fewer tenure-track job openings than Ph.D. graduates, students earning a Ph.D. in history should consider career paths outside academia.

Is it worth doing a Ph.D. in history?

A Ph.D. in history is worth the time, cost, and effort for many people. Earning a Ph.D. in history can strengthen your research, critical thinking, and writing skills. Doctoral students also conduct advanced research in their specialty areas.

That said, a Ph.D. in history requires a substantial time commitment. Consider your reasons for pursuing a Ph.D., the total cost of the program, and your career options before applying to on-campus or online history Ph.D. programs.

Best Accredited Online Ph.D. Programs 2024

Online Ph.D. programs provide students with flexible schedules and affordable tuition. Check out the top-ranked programs in this comprehensive guide.

Best Online Master’s in History Programs

Online History Courses

Shape your future with an online degree.

Connect with a community of peers, and find a program that will allow you to continue your education in a fast and flexible way.

Course Catalog | Liberty University

History (ph.d.).

Important: This degree plan is effective for those starting this degree program in fall 2024 through summer 2025. This degree plan will remain in effect for students who do not break enrollment or who do not change degree programs, concentrations, or cognates.

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
Research Competencies
Research Competency/Languages
Research Competency/Languages

Demonstration of research competencies in appropriate areas (language proficiency, statistics, digital humanities, etc.) as approved by the graduate program director. Students completing dissertations on t opics where English is not the first language must demonstrate language proficiency

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
Historiography/Interpretation Courses
	Historical Methods	3
	Historiography	3
	Development of Western Freedoms	3
	Doctoral Historical Research	3
	American Christian Heritage	3
	American Entrepreneurship Since 1900	3
Total Hours		18

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
Professional Studies Courses
	Historical Professions	3
	Teaching History	3
Choose one of the following:		3
	Local History Research
	Digital History
	Internship
Total Hours		9

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
History Specialization
History Elective		3
History Elective		3
History Elective		3
Total Hours		9

Student may not apply more than 15 total credit hours of 500-600 level coursework to the History Specialization and External Field or History Elective sections.

Choose a 500-900 level course from one of the following disciplines: HIUS, HIEU, HIST, or HIWD

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
External Field or History Elective Courses
Elective		3
Elective		3
Elective		3
Total Hours		9

Student may not apply more than 15 total credit hours of 500-600 level coursework to the History Specialization and External Field or History Elective sections

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
Comprehensive Reading Courses
Choose three of the following courses:
	Comprehensive Examination and Readings in Early America	3
	Comprehensive Examination and Readings in Modern America	3
	Comprehensive Examination and Readings in Early Modern Europe	3
	Comprehensive Examination and Readings in Modern Europe	3
Total Hours		12

Other Comprehensive Readings courses may be substituted with approval of the History Graduate Program Director

No Comprehensive Examination & Reading Course may be taken more than twice

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
Dissertation Courses
	Historiographical Research	3
	Dissertation Research I	5
	Dissertation Research II	5
	Dissertation Research III	5
	Dissertation Defense	0
Total Hours		18

All applicable prerequisites must be met

Graduation Requirements

Complete 72 hours
A maximum of 50% of a post-graduate and doctoral degree may be transferred if approved and allowable, including credit from an earned degree from Liberty University on the same academic level
No grades lower than a B- may be applied to the degree
Degree must be completed within 7 years
Submission of Degree Completion Graduation Application must be completed within the last semester of a student's anticipated graduation date

Program Offered in Online Format

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
First Semester		Hours
	Historical Methods	3
	Historiography	3
	Historical Professions	3
	Hours	9
Second Semester
	American Christian Heritage	3
History Specialization		3
History Specialization		3
	Hours	9
Second Year
First Semester
History Specialization		3
Field Study/History Elective		3
Field Study/History Elective		3
	Hours	9
Second Semester
Professional Studies Elective		3
	Development of Western Freedoms	3
Field Study/History Elective		3
	Hours	9
Third Year
First Semester
	Teaching History	3
	American Entrepreneurship Since 1900	3
	Hours	6
Second Semester
	Comprehensive Examination and Readings in Early America	3
	Comprehensive Examination and Readings in Modern America	3
	Hours	6
Fourth Year
First Semester
	Comprehensive Examination and Readings in Early Modern Europe	3
	Comprehensive Examination and Readings in Modern Europe	3
	Hours	6
Second Semester
	Doctoral Historical Research	3
	Hours	3
Fifth Year
First Semester
	Dissertation Research I	5
	Hours	5
Second Semester
	Dissertation Research II	5
	Hours	5
Sixth Year
First Semester
	Dissertation Research III	5
	Dissertation Defense	0
	Hours	5
	Total Hours	72

Choose a 500-900 level course 2 from one of the following disciplines: HIUS, HIEU, HIST, or HIWD

Students may not take more than 15 total hours at the 500-600 level for History Specialization and Field Study/History Elective courses

Choose one course from the following: HIST 705, 706, or 799

Demonstration of research competencies in appropriate areas (language proficiency, statistics, digital humanities, etc.) as approved by the graduate program director. Students completing dissertations on topics where English is not the first language must demonstrate language proficiency

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Best Online History Doctorate Degree Programs (PhDs) 2024

Key Takeaways

The online history PhD program is a good option for working professionals with busy schedules.
Online history PhD programs are a great option for aspiring historians, history professors, and historical research leaders.
The best online history doctoral programs have institutional and programmatic accreditation.

Featured Programs

Only a select number of universities offer a PhD in history online. Though online history PhD programs are somewhat scarce, the online history programs that do offer a doctoral degree do have a high acceptance rate. This means that most students with a strong academic track record will enjoy access to these advanced online history PhD programs.

What are online PhD programs in history?

In history, a PhD is considered a terminal degree. This means a PhD is the highest degree that history students can earn. Online doctoral history programs can lead to opportunities for professional historical research, consultation for government agencies, professorship in a university history department, and more.

Online PhD in history candidates are typically already working at a high level in their field. Many are already working as history teachers or applying their research skills in supporting roles.

Often, this means that students seeking their PhD degree must balance existing work and personal responsibilities with a challenging course of education. For many graduate students, the online history PhD program makes this balance possible.

For a look at how the online history program stacks up against traditional on campus programs, check out our look at the Best Research Universities for History Degrees.

Or find other top schools with a look at the complete List of University Rankings .

Otherwise, read on and learn more about how you can earn your PhD in history online.

About Accredited Online History PhD Programs

The best online PhD in history programs will have proper accreditation. Be sure that your are pursuing your PhD in history through a fully accredited university and program:

Institutional Accreditation : Accreditation is vital for online doctoral programs. It signifies that the online PhD programs offered by the online school are in compliance with the standards of a Department of Education-approved accrediting body.

A school must also be accredited in order to offer federal financial aid to its online doctorate candidates. When looking for an online doctoral program, seek out options with accreditation from a colleges and schools commission in your region. This stamp of approval is critical for ensuring the quality and credibility of your online program.

Programmatic Accreditation : In addition to institutional accreditation, be sure that you prioritize online doctorate degree programs with programmatic accreditation.

While there is no specifically required programmatic accreditation for the general field of historical research, those who intend to work in post-secondary educational institutions may be required to complete a doctoral program with accreditation from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). Make sure that you online history program offers the proper programmatic accreditation requirements for your career goals.

Carnegie Classification : The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, or as it is more commonly known, the Carnegie Classification, is a framework for categorizing all accredited, degree-granting institutions in the United States.

Originally formulated in 1970 by The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and administered through the University of Indiana’s Center for Postsecondary Research since 2014, the Carnegie Classification is “the leading framework for recognizing and describing institutional diversity in U.S. higher education.”

Under this classification, top research universities for doctoral degrees and PhD candidates are identified as either R2: Doctoral Universities for “high research activity” or R1: Doctoral Universities for “very high research activity.” Look for these classifications when considering options for your online PhD programs.

Key Point: Be sure that you only consider online PhD programs with proper accreditation.

Admission Requirements

Each online doctoral in history program has its own admission requirements. However, most online doctoral programs will carry the same basic threshold for admission:

A completed online application
Official undergraduate college transcripts
A cumulative GPA of at least 3.0
GRE scores, MAT scores, or GMAT scores
Letters of recommendation
Personal interviews
Personal statement or writing sample
Plan of study

Key Point: In most cases, you will be eligible to enter your online PhD in history after earning a bachelor’s degree. However, some specialized online PhD programs may require you to have earned a master’s degree as well.

Curriculum and Courses

As with other advanced degree and graduate programs, research is the central component of your online PhD in history program. This is true for fully online doctorate degrees as well as hybrid degrees combining online education with traditional on-campus courses.

Woman on a video call with a pencil in hand

Regardless of whether you complete a traditional, hybrid or online history PhD program, the typical time to completion is five to seven years.

The typical components of your online PhD program may include:

Foundational Courses

Some foundational online doctorate courses may be focused on your specific area of study.

You may be able to choose a concentration in an area such as:

American history
World history
European history
African history
Latin American history
Political science
Ancient history

In addition to your core concentration courses, additional courses will focus on honing research skills and practicing experimental design. You may be able to complete many of these requirements through online classes.

Examinations for PhD Candidacy

Many online doctoral candidates are required to complete certain examinations to enter into online PhD candidacy. This will typically occur after you’ve completed one to two years of foundational courses.

Dissertation

In most cases, the central component of your online PhD program will be the completion of your dissertation. After gaining status as an online PhD in history candidate, you will typically work closely with a professorial advisor or mentor to develop an original research question.

This research question will form the basis of your dissertation—an ongoing project designed to address this research question through applied research. While you will work closely with your advisor or mentor, much of your dissertation will be rooted in independent research. This is especially true for students pursuing their PhD in history online.

Oral Defense

Upon completion of the written portion of your dissertation—which will typically present the findings from your original research project—you will be expected to defend your findings. This “oral defense” will typically be conducted by a commission of professors and experts in your field. PhD candidates in some online degree programs may be able to conduct this defense via teleconferencing.

Teaching Requirements

Some online PhD in history programs will also include a teaching component, which will require you to work as an adjunct professor or teacher’s assistant in an undergraduate or graduate school. It may be possible for students in the online doctoral degree program to also serve teaching requirements by instructing students through an online program.

Key Point: The online history PhD is a research-focused degree. Your dissertation will be a central part of your online PhD program.

Careers for Students Who Complete Online Doctoral History Programs

The online PhD in history is a terminal degree program. This means that PhD students who complete this online program will qualify for top positions and opportunities in their field.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that you may be able to qualify for work as a historian with a master’s degree in history. However, the highest paying careers in history are generally held by those working in research positions either for educational institutions or government agencies.

The BLS notes that the highest paid 10% of professionals in the history field earned more than $118,000 in 2021.

Earning an online PhD in history can lead to some of these top-paying roles in the field, including:

Theoretical Research
Scientific Research
Post-Secondary Education
Public Policy Consultation
Clinical Practice
Organizational Leadership

Key Point: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, graduates with a PhD in history will qualify for top-paying roles in educational institutions and government agencies.

What’s the difference between online doctoral programs and online PhD programs?

Technically, a PhD program is a type of doctorate degree program. This means that all online PhD candidates are doctoral students. By contrast, not all doctoral students are PhD candidates.

The primary distinction is that doctoral students are primarily focused on putting existing theories into practice. Depending on your chosen field, your online doctoral degree may require participation in an educational leadership program, engagement in clinical practice, work as a resident in a nursing program, and much more.

By contrast, online PhD students are focused on creating new knowledge in their area of study. This usually means that online PhD candidates are focused on introducing new theories, creating research projects around these theories, and presenting new findings that demonstrate a mastery of existing knowledge and the insight to introduce new ideas into the field.

Today, more working professionals than ever before are pursuing both online doctoral degrees and online PhD programs.

The Best Online History Doctorates (PhDs)

The online PhD in history programs identified here are ranked based on influence, with weighting for graduation rate and full-time online enrollment.

George Mason University

#2 Best Public Colleges in Virginia 2024
#2 Best Colleges in Virginia 2024
#4 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024
#14 Best Research Universities for Criminal Justice Degrees
#2 Top 15 Most Affordable Online Information Technology PhD Programs
#4 10 Fastest Accelerated Online Master's of Accounting Programs
#5 Best Online Bachelor's in Cybersecurity in Virginia
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#5 Top 3 Best Online Economics PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates)

Tuition + fees

Student body

Median SAT/ACT

Career Outlook for History degree at George Mason University

What do we love about george mason university.

George Mason University began in 1949 as a regional branch of the University of Virginia. Achieving its independent status in 1972, the public university based in Fairfax has since become the largest public research institution in the state of Virginia.

Today, George Mason serves more than 39,000 students. Of those, more than 11,000 are pursuing a graduate level degree.

George Mason is classified among R1: Doctoral Universities, those which are distinguished for their very high level of research activity.

George Mason offers an online PhD in History degree program.

Aspire to careers in government and public policy. George Mason is situated just 20 miles from the nation’s capital.

Don’t enjoy a good long walk. Students note that, at 677 acres, the Fairfax campuses is quite large, with long distances between academic buildings.

University of Houston

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#4 Best Colleges in Texas 2024
#5 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024
#3 Best Online Master’s in Health Science
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#19 Best Online Master's Programs 2024
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#20 Most Affordable Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranked for 2024

Career Outlook for History degree at University of Houston

What do we love about the university of houston.

The University of Houston was founded in 1927 and, today, serves a massive student population of over 47,000 undergrads and grad students. This makes the Southeast Houston campus the third largest in the state of Texas.

Students can choose from a wide range of degree programs, with more than 275 degrees offered across 16 academic colleges.

Houston is noted for a number of specialized advanced degree programs, including an online doctoral degree in social studies and social education for aspiring history education leaders.

Enjoy college athletics. The school is home to 17 intercollegiate NCAA Division I teams.

Prefer the personal attention of a small school.

Liberty University

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#2 Fastest Accelerated Online Bachelor's of Information Technology
#3 10 Fastest Accelerated Online Bachelor's of English
#3 Best Online Degrees for a Career in Teaching Ranked 2024
#3 Best Online Bachelor's in Cybersecurity in Virginia
#3 Best Online Master's in Theology
#3 Best Online Associate in Paralegal Studies
#3 Best Online Bachelor’s of Christian Ministry Degree Programs for 2024
#3 Fastest Accelerated Online Healthcare Administration Masters
#3 Top 5 Best Online Criminal Justice Doctorates (PhDs) 2024
#3 Best Online Bachelor's in Cybersecurity in the District Of Columbia
#3 Most Affordable Online Criminal Justice PhDs (Doctorates)
#3 Fastest Accelerated Online Bachelor's of Cybersecurity
#4 Top 16 Most Affordable Online Counseling PhDs (Doctorates)
#4 Best Online Associate in Accounting
#4 Best Online MBA Programs in Virginia
#4 Top 20 Best Online Accredited Doctorate Degree Programs (PhDs) 2024
#4 Best Online Bachelor's in Cybersecurity in Illinois
#4 Top 8 Fastest Accelerated Online Psychology Doctorates (PhDs)
#4 Best Online Doctorate in Organizational Leadership Degree Programs
#4 Top 15 Most Affordable Online Information Technology PhD Programs
#4 Most Affordable Online PhD Programs Ranked for Students in 2024
#4 Best Online Associate in Psychology
#4 Best Online Bachelor’s of Elementary Education Degree Programs for 2024
#5 Top 20 Easiest Online Degrees from Accredited Schools in 2024
#5 Top 10 Fastest Accelerated Online PhD in Criminal Justice (Doctorates)
#5 Best Online Master's Programs in Virginia 2024
#5 Fastest Accelerated Online Doctorate of Information Technology
#6 Best Online Bachelor's of English Degree Programs for 2024
#6 Best Online Bachelor’s of Graphic Arts Degree Programs for 2024
#6 10 Fastest Accelerated Online Master's of Accounting Programs
#6 Best Online Master’s in Biblical Studies
#6 Best Online Bachelor's in Strategic Communications Degree Programs
#7 Top 15 Fastest Accelerated Online Counseling Doctorates (PhDs)
#7 The Best Online Christian Colleges and Universities for Bachelor's Degrees
#7 Best Online Doctorate of Educational Psychology (PhDs) 2024
#7 Online Colleges That Start Anytime and the Benefits of a Self-Paced Education
#8 Best Online Associate in History Degrees
#8 Top 20 Most Affordable Online Business Administration Doctorates
#8 Top 20 Most Affordable Online Bachelor's of Cybersecurity
#8 Top 10 Best Online Communications PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates)
#9 Best Online Bachelor’s of Early Childhood Education Degree Programs for 2024
#9 Best Online Bachelor's in Law and Legal Studies Degree Programs for 2024
#9 Most Unusual Doctoral Degrees You Can Earn Online (PhDs)
#9 Best Online Bachelor’s of Data Science and Analytics Degree Programs for 2024
#9 Best Online Associate's in Physics
#9 Best Online Bachelor’s of Education Degree Programs for 2024
#9 Best Online Master's in Biology
#9 Best Online Associate in Business Administration
#10 Best Online Bachelor's in Social Work Degree Programs Ranked for 2024
#10 Best Online Bachelor’s of Data Science and Analytics Degree Programs for 2024
#10 Best Online Bachelor's in Network Administration Degree Programs for 2024
#10 Best Online Bachelor's in Interdisciplinary Studies Degree Programs for 2024
#11 20 Fastest Accelerated Online English Doctorates (PhDs) 2024
#11 Best Online Doctorate in Business Administration Degree Programs
#11 Top 20 Most Affordable Online Master's of Nursing Programs
#11 Best Online Bachelor's of Finance Degree Programs for 2024
#12 Best Online Bachelor’s of History Degree Programs Ranked for 2024
#12 Best Online Master's in Project Management
#12 Best Online Master's in Sports Management
#12 Most Affordable Online Applied Behavioral Analysis PhD Programs
#13 Best Online Bachelor’s of Homeland Security Degree Programs for 2024
#14 Best Online Bachelor's in Sports Management Degree Programs for 2024
#14 Best Online Bachelor's of Healthcare Administration Degree Programs for 2024
#14 Top 18 Most Affordable No GRE Online PhD Degree Programs
#15 Best Online Christian Colleges and Universities for Master's Degrees
#16 Best Online Associate in Criminal Justice
#17 Best Online Bachelor’s in Marketing and Advertising Degree Programs for 2024
#17 Most Affordable Online Criminology Doctorate Programs (PhDs)
#18 Top 20 Most Affordable Online Doctorate of Education (PhDs)
#18 Most Affordable Online Master's Degree Programs Ranked for Students
#18 Best Online Bachelor's in Computer Science Degree Programs
#18 Best Online Master’s in Finance
#20 Best Online Bachelor's in Accounting
#21 Best Online Bachelor's in Cybersecurity
#23 Best Online Master’s in Counseling
#25 Best Online Associate in Christian Ministry
#25 Best Online Bachelor's of Economics Degree Programs for 2024
#1 Fastest Accelerated Online Associate's of Counseling Degree Programs
#2 Fastest Accelerated Online PhDs in Education Degree Programs 2024
#5 20 Fastest Online Bachelor's of Business Degree Programs Ranked 2024
#5 Top 20 Fastest Accelerated Online Bachelor's in Counseling
#6 10 Best Accelerated Online PhD Programs Ranked for Students in 2024
#6 How to Earn Your Master's Degree Without Your Bachelor's Degree
#6 Best College Majors that Offer Accelerated Degree Programs
#8 Fastest Accelerated Online Master's of Counseling Degree Programs 2024
#14 Fastest Accelerated Online Master's of Nursing Degree Programs 2024

What do we love about Liberty University?

Liberty University is one of the largest Christian universities in the world as well as one of the largest private non-profit universities in the U.S. Much of this size is based on its online enrollment.

Liberty University enrolls roughly 15,000 residential students across its 17 colleges, and an additional 80,000 through its extensive online course and degree offerings.

Liberty University is noted for the sheer volume of advanced degrees and online degrees earned by its student body. With more than 47,000 students pursuing advanced degrees, Liberty offers an extremely wide range of online doctoral programs, including its online PhD in history program.

Wish to attend the world’s largest seminary—Liberty University’s Rawlings School of Divinity.

Students who do not identify with Evangelical Christianity.

Regent University

#1 Best Online Bachelor’s of Graphic Arts Degree Programs for 2024
#2 Best Online Bachelor's in Cybersecurity in Virginia
#2 Best Online Associate in Christian Ministry
#2 Best Online Bachelor's in Cybersecurity in the District Of Columbia
#2 Best Online Doctorate of Educational Psychology (PhDs) 2024
#3 Best Online Associate in History Degrees
#3 How To Get an Online Master’s Degree in Biblical Studies
#3 Top 10 Best Online Counseling PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates)
#3 Best Online Associate Degrees in Virginia 2024
#3 Best Online Bachelor's in Music Degree Programs Ranked for 2024
#5 Best Online Bachelor’s in Biblical Studies
#5 Top 16 Most Affordable Online Counseling PhDs (Doctorates)
#5 Best Online MBA Programs in Virginia
#5 Best Online Bachelor's in Law and Legal Studies Degree Programs for 2024
#5 Best Online Bachelor’s of Christian Ministry Degree Programs for 2024
#5 Best Online Bachelor’s of Counseling Degree Programs for 2024
#5 Best Online Associate in Psychology
#6 Fastest Accelerated Online Bachelor's of Information Technology
#7 Best Online Master's in Organizational Psychology
#7 Best Online Colleges in Virginia 2024
#7 Best Online Master's in Theology
#7 15 Fastest Accelerated Online Master's of Psychology Programs
#8 Fastest Online Associate Degrees Ranked for 2024
#8 Best Online MBA in Entrepreneurship Ranked for Students in 2024
#8 Best Online Master’s in Human Services
#8 Most Affordable Online PhDs in Psychology Ranked for 2024
#9 Top 15 Fastest Accelerated Online Counseling Doctorates (PhDs)
#9 Top 20 Easiest Online Degrees from Accredited Schools in 2024
#9 Best Online Master's Programs in Virginia 2024
#9 Top 10 Best Online Communications PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates)
#10 Fastest Accelerated Online Public Health Doctorates (PhDs)
#10 Best Online Bachelor's of Theology Degree Programs in 2024
#10 Best Online Associate in General Studies
#10 Best Online Bachelor's in Computer Science Degree Programs
#10 Best Online Bachelor’s of Digital Media for 2024
#10 Most Affordable Online Applied Behavioral Analysis PhD Programs
#12 Top 20 Most Affordable Online Bachelor's of Cybersecurity
#14 Best Online Bachelor's of Economics Degree Programs for 2024
#14 Best Online Master’s in Biblical Studies
#15 20 Fastest Accelerated Online English Doctorates (PhDs) 2024
#15 Best Online Bachelor's in Sports Management Degree Programs for 2024
#16 Most Affordable Online PhD Programs Ranked for Students in 2024
#17 Best Online Bachelor's of English Degree Programs for 2024
#19 Best Online Bachelor’s in Information Technology Degree Programs for 2024
#21 Best Online Master’s in Emergency Management
#23 Best Online Bachelor’s of Early Childhood Education Degree Programs for 2024
#24 Best Online Bachelor’s of History Degree Programs Ranked for 2024
#24 Best Online Master’s in Counseling
#8 Top 20 Fastest Accelerated Online Bachelor's in Counseling
#10 20 Fastest Accelerated Online MBA Degree Programs Ranked for 2024
#13 Fastest Accelerated Online Master's of Counseling Degree Programs 2024

What do we love about Regent University?

Regent University is a private Christian University that provides an array of both undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Founded in 1977 by Southern Baptist Minister Pat Robertson, Regent University offers a wide range of both online and on-campus degree programs.

Regent University serves more than 10,000 students today, with many pursuing online degrees at the master’s and doctoral degree levels.

Regent University is also noteworthy for its extremely diverse range of online PhD programs, including a history PhD rooted in Regent’s tradition of faith.

Are pursuing advanced degrees online. More than 60% of Regent’s students are in post-graduate programs.

Prefer a secular educational experience.

Other Options for Aspiring History PhDs

Students considering an online doctoral in history should also check out the best on-campus options to compare features like cost, curriculum, acceptance rate, and more.

University of California, Berkeley

#2 Best Universities in the US Ranked for Prospective Students in 2024
#2 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2024
#2 50 Best Graduate Schools Ranked for Prospective Students in 2024
#2 Top Schools that Offer Free Master's Degrees Online
#2 50 Best Research Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2024
#5 Best Universities in the World 2024
#1 Best Colleges in California 2024
#1 Best Public Colleges California 2024
#1 Most Affordable Colleges in California 2024
#2 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024
#2 Best Research Universities in California 2024
#2 Best Grad Schools California 2024
#2 Best Research Universities for Social Work Degrees
#3 Best Research Universities for Communications Degrees
#4 Best Research Universities for Engineering Degrees
#4 Best Research Universities for Sociology Degrees
#4 Best Research Universities for Computer Science Degrees
#4 Best Research Universities for Chemistry Degrees
#5 Best Research Universities for Anthropology Degrees
#5 Best Research Universities for Math Degrees
#6 Best Research Universities for Physics Degrees
#7 Best Research Universities for English Degrees
#7 Best Research Universities for History Degrees
#7 Best Research Universities for Political Science Degrees
#7 Best Research Universities for Philosophy Degrees
#8 Best Research Universities for Earth Sciences Degrees
#8 Best Research Universities for Biology Degrees
#8 Best Research Universities for Economics Degrees
#9 Best Research Universities for Psychology Degrees
#9 Best Research Universities for Religious Studies Degrees
#1 Top 3 Best Online Economics PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates)
#1 Top 5 Best Online Sociology PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates) 2024
#2 Fastest Accelerated Online Computer Science Doctorates (PhDs)
#2 Top 5 Best Online English PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates)
#2 Most Affordable Online Computer Science PhDs (Doctorates) 2024
#2 Top 8 Best Online Public Health PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates)
#3 Top 6 Best Online Clinical Nutrition PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates)
#4 Guide to Free Online Courses for MBA Students in 2024
#2 The Best Traditional MBA Programs Ranked for Students in 2024
#3 Best Schools in the World for Earning an MBA Degree Ranked for 2024

Career Outlook for History degree at University of California, Berkeley

University of California, Berkeley’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Earth Sciences
Computer Science
Mathematics
Anthropology
Engineering
Communications

Most Influential Alumni

Daniel Kahneman
John Kenneth Galbraith
Timothy Leary
Shing-Tung Yau
Ken Thompson
Niklaus Wirth
Douglas Engelbart
Theodosius Dobzhansky
Betty Friedan
George Dantzig
Octavio Paz
Gary Snyder

University of Michigan

#4 Top Schools that Offer Free Master's Degrees Online
#9 Best Universities in the US Ranked for Prospective Students in 2024
#9 50 Best Graduate Schools Ranked for Prospective Students in 2024
#11 Best Universities in the World 2024
#22 50 Best Research Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2024
#1 Best Grad Schools in Michigan 2024
#1 Best Research Universities in Michigan 2024
#1 Best Colleges in Michigan 2024
#1 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024
#1 Most Affordable Colleges in Michigan 2024
#1 Best Public Colleges in Michigan 2024
#2 Best Research Universities for Education Degrees
#4 Best Research Universities for Business Degrees
#5 Best Research Universities for Nursing Degrees
#6 Best Research Universities for Psychology Degrees
#6 Best Research Universities for Communications Degrees
#8 Best Research Universities for Anthropology Degrees
#8 Best Research Universities for Sociology Degrees
#9 Best Research Universities for History Degrees
#10 Best Research Universities for Computer Science Degrees
#11 Best Research Universities for Engineering Degrees
#11 Best Research Universities for Philosophy Degrees
#11 Best Research Universities for Math Degrees
#11 Best Research Universities for Economics Degrees
#12 Best Research Universities for English Degrees
#12 Best Research Universities for Political Science Degrees
#13 Best Research Universities for Earth Sciences Degrees
#13 Best Research Universities for Physics Degrees
#13 Best Research Universities for Chemistry Degrees
#13 Best Research Universities for Biology Degrees
#14 Best Research Universities for Religious Studies Degrees
#1 Best Online MBA Programs in Michigan
#1 Best Online Master's Programs in Michigan 2024
#1 Best Online MBA Degree Programs No GRE Required Ranked for 2024
#1 Best Online Master’s in Health Science
#1 Top 8 Best Online Public Health PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates)
#1 Fastest Online Master's Degrees Ranked for Students in 2024
#2 Top 10 Best Online Communications PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates)
#2 Best Online Master's Programs 2024
#2 Top 5 Best Online Sociology PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates) 2024
#3 Top 3 Best Online Economics PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates)
#3 Top 5 Best Online English PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates)
#4 Top 6 Best Online Clinical Nutrition PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates)
#6 Guide to Free Online Courses for MBA Students in 2024
#1 Fastest Accelerated Online Master's of Nursing Degree Programs 2024
#7 The Best Traditional MBA Programs Ranked for Students in 2024

Career Outlook for History degree at University of Michigan

University of Michigan’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Social Work
Claude Shannon
Arthur Miller
Alvin Plantinga
Edgar F. Codd
Hans-Hermann Hoppe
Stephen Smale
Urie Bronfenbrenner
John Henry Holland
Amos Tversky
Marshall Sahlins

New York University

#13 Best Universities in the World 2024
#23 50 Best Research Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2024
#2 Best Colleges in New York 2024
#2 Best Research Universities in New York 2024
#2 Best Grad Schools in New York 2024
#2 Best Private Colleges in New York 2024
#3 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024
#3 Best Research Universities for Social Work Degrees
#3 Best Research Universities for Education Degrees
#7 Best Research Universities for Business Degrees
#7 Best Research Universities for Communications Degrees
#8 Best Research Universities for English Degrees
#8 Best Research Universities for Nursing Degrees
#12 Best Research Universities for Psychology Degrees
#12 Best Research Universities for Philosophy Degrees
#12 Best Research Universities for Economics Degrees
#14 Best Research Universities for Sociology Degrees
#15 Best Research Universities for Anthropology Degrees
#15 Best Research Universities for Religious Studies Degrees
#15 Best Research Universities for History Degrees
#15 Best Research Universities for Political Science Degrees
#15 Best Research Universities for Math Degrees
#18 Best Research Universities for Computer Science Degrees
#18 Best Research Universities for Biology Degrees
#23 Best Research Universities for Engineering Degrees
#23 Best Research Universities for Physics Degrees
#1 20 Best Online Master's of Speech Pathology Degree Programs
#1 Best Online Master's Programs in New York 2024
#1 Top 10 Best Online Communications PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates)
#1 Best Online Master's Programs 2024
#1 Top 5 Best Online English PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates)
#2 Best Online Master's in Management
#2 Top 6 Best Online Clinical Nutrition PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates)
#3 Top 5 Best Online Sociology PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates) 2024
#3 Fastest Online Master's Degrees Ranked for Students in 2024
#1 Fastest Accelerated Online Master's of Counseling Degree Programs 2024
#1 Fastest Accelerated Online PhDs in Education Degree Programs 2024
#5 Top 20 Best Business Schools for MBAs Ranked for Students
#10 The Best Traditional MBA Programs Ranked for Students in 2024

New York University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Erich Fromm
Robert Mueller
Martha Nussbaum
John Archibald Wheeler
Glenn Greenwald
Howard Zinn
Eric Kandel
Lewis Mumford
Alvin Toffler
Louis Nirenberg

University of California, Los Angeles

#7 America's 15 Most Technologically Advanced Colleges
#13 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2024
#14 Best Universities in the US Ranked for Prospective Students in 2024
#14 50 Best Graduate Schools Ranked for Prospective Students in 2024
#17 Best Universities in the World 2024
#2 Best Public Colleges California 2024
#2 Most Affordable Colleges in California 2024
#3 Best Colleges in California 2024
#3 Best Research Universities in California 2024
#3 Best Grad Schools California 2024
#6 Best Research Universities for Nursing Degrees
#8 Best Research Universities for Education Degrees
#9 Best Research Universities for Business Degrees
#10 Best Research Universities for Communications Degrees
#11 Best Research Universities for Anthropology Degrees
#12 Best Research Universities for Sociology Degrees
#12 Best Research Universities for Earth Sciences Degrees
#12 Best Research Universities for Chemistry Degrees
#13 Best Research Universities for Math Degrees
#14 Best Research Universities for Psychology Degrees
#14 Best Research Universities for History Degrees
#14 Best Research Universities for Engineering Degrees
#14 Best Research Universities for Physics Degrees
#14 Best Research Universities for Biology Degrees
#15 Best Research Universities for English Degrees
#15 Best Research Universities for Philosophy Degrees
#16 Best Research Universities for Economics Degrees
#17 Best Research Universities for Computer Science Degrees
#18 Best Research Universities for Political Science Degrees
#21 Best Research Universities for Religious Studies Degrees
#4 Top 3 Best Online Economics PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates)
#4 Top 5 Best Online English PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates)
#4 Top 5 Best Online Sociology PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates) 2024
#12 The Best Traditional MBA Programs Ranked for Students in 2024

Career Outlook for History degree at University of California, Los Angeles

University of California, Los Angeles’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Hilary Putnam
Elinor Ostrom
Judea Pearl
Glenn T. Seaborg
Barry Boehm
Stanley Cavell
William F. Sharpe
John Ehrlichman
Stephen Krashen
Edward O. Thorp
Stephen Kosslyn

University of Florida

#9 Online Colleges with the Most Generous Financial Aid in 2024
#16 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2024
#20 Most Affordable Graduate Schools Ranked for 2024
#1 Best Grad Schools in Florida 2024
#1 Most Affordable Colleges in Florida 2024
#1 Best Colleges in Florida 2024
#1 Best Research Universities in Florida 2024
#1 Best Public Colleges in Florida 2024
#1 Best Research Universities for Criminal Justice Degrees
#11 Best Research Universities for Nursing Degrees
#14 Best Research Universities for Education Degrees
#15 Best Research Universities for Communications Degrees
#16 Best Research Universities for Business Degrees
#21 Best Research Universities for Anthropology Degrees
#21 Best Research Universities for Earth Sciences Degrees
#22 Best Research Universities for History Degrees
#23 Best Research Universities for Chemistry Degrees
#23 Best Research Universities for Biology Degrees
#25 Best Research Universities for Engineering Degrees
#1 Best Online Bachelor's in Anthropology
#1 Best Online Master's Programs in Florida 2024
#1 Best Online Bachelor's in Biology
#1 Best Online Bachelor's in Computer Science Degree Programs
#1 Best Online Colleges in Florida 2024
#2 Best Online MBA Programs in Florida
#2 Best Online Bachelor’s of Digital Media for 2024
#3 10 Best Online Master's of Music Education Degree Programs
#4 Top 20 Most Affordable Online Doctorate of Education (PhDs)
#9 Top 20 Best Online MBA Programs that Can Be Completed in One Year 2024
#14 Most Affordable Online Applied Behavioral Analysis PhD Programs
#15 Fastest Accelerated Online Public Health Doctorates (PhDs)
#19 Top 20 Easiest Online Degrees from Accredited Schools in 2024
#4 Most Affordable Master's in Counseling Degree Programs Ranked for 2024
#15 Best Schools in the World for Earning an MBA Degree Ranked for 2024

Career Outlook for History degree at University of Florida

University of Florida’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Criminal Justice
J. Barkley Rosser
Marshall Warren Nirenberg
Paul Tibbets
Robert Costanza
Michael Connelly
Robert H. Grubbs
Carl Hiaasen
Gilbert Stork
Aseem Shukla
Neil Druckmann
Norman Thagard

Find out what your options are with a look at our Guide to Online Degrees .

Department of History

Ph.D. in History of Science

Siobhan Barco and Haris Durrani were awarded fellowships. Joseph Bishop won an essay prize. Bennett Nagtegaal published an article, and Joseph Puchner presented a paper.…

The prize, for her book, "The Arts of the Microbial World: Fermentation Science in Twentieth-Century Japan," is awarded to outstanding publications in the field of Asian…

The Program in History of Science at Princeton University trains students to analyze science, medicine, and technology in historical and cultural context. We are a community of scholars including roughly a dozen core and affiliated faculty members and about twenty graduate students, in addition to undergraduate concentrators and visiting fellows.

Undergraduate

Find out how to Concentrate in HOS and see what courses are currently offered.

Learn more about our graduate and graduate certificate programs in History of Science, and find current graduate course offerings.

Stay connected and learn about alumni resources , including the History Department’s Dossier Service.

Meet Our Faculty

Browse profiles of the Executive Committee and Associated Faculty in History of Science.

Portraits of two of the men responsible for illustrating 'De historia stirpivm commentarii insignes...' by Leonhard Fuchs.

Illustration from Historia Stirpium . Source: Wellcome Collection .

Photo credit: " L0015096EB " by Wellcome Library, London is licensed under CC BY 4.0 . Image has been cropped.

Department of History

College of Social Science

History PhD Candidate Spotlight: NAEd Spencer Dissertation Fellow Gloria J. Ashalou

Posted on August 14, 2024 August 14, 2024 Author mcdon625

By: Patti McDonald

Gloria J. Ashaolu, a Michigan State University History PhD candidate majoring in African American history with minors in U.S. history and Black comparative/diaspora history, was recently named a 2024 National Academy of Education (NAEd)/Spencer Dissertation Fellow.

This prestigious fellowship was only offered to 35 graduate students nationwide. The fellowship supports these students with the writing phase of their dissertation. The fellowship is comprised of three key components: fellows receive $27,500 for one academic year (distributed in two installments), students participate in two professional development retreats facilitated by NAEd members and other distinguished scholars, and have the opportunity of selecting an NAEd member or another respected scholar as their mentor to offer advice and assistance during the school year.

We sat down with Gloria and asked her about her dissertation, how grateful she is for being recognized as a NAEd/Spencer Fellow, and why she decided to major in African American history and minor in U.S. history, and Black comparative/diaspora history.

What were you thinking when you found out you were awarded The NAEd/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship? 

I was overwhelmed with joy and a deep sense of gratitude.

What is this fellowship going to allow you to do? How is it so helpful you received this? 

The financial support from the NAEd/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship alleviates the need for significant employment and will allow me to dedicate more time to my dissertation—toward meeting the goals I set for my time to degree trajectory. I am also immensely grateful for the unique opportunity to engage with members of my cohort and distinguished scholars in the field of education at the two professional development retreats organized by the National Academy of Education. Participating in the discussions and sessions will provide me with the resources and insight to meaningfully contribute to the field and the improvement of education. Furthermore, fellows are paired with mentors who will provide further research and career development over the academic year. 

What is your dissertation about? Tell us about it in a few sentences. 

Between the late 19 th and early 20 th centuries, the model of educational vision Black teachers fostered and were deeply committed to greatly mirrored what we today regard as anti-racist systems of knowledge and educational practices. My dissertation attends to the understudied educational activism, pedagogies, and praxes of local Black teachers during the Early Black History Movement through a biographical analysis of the life and times of Jane Dabney Shackelford, a Black female educator from Terre Haute, Indiana who was most active during the era of Jim Crow segregation. The educational trajectory and systems of teaching Shackelford and her peers embodied serve as a useful tool for conceptualizing the significant ways in which local schoolteachers cultivated an intentional educational and intellectual practice that challenged the beliefs, politics, and policies of Jim Crow segregation. Driven by what Anna Julia Cooper referred to as the “moral forces of reason and justice and love,” these educators inspired Civil Rights Movement participants, Black Power Movement activists, and Black Studies revolutionaries.

Why is this type of research so important? 

Amid the regime of violence, discrimination, and disfranchisement of Jim Crow segregation, local Black teachers played critical roles in the lives of countless Black youth by educating them about their rich history, heritage, and culture. This study situates the underappreciated presence and pedagogies of these educators within their rightful historical legacy. The first contribution of this project entails the study of the life and times of an influential—yet understudied—historical actor as a window into the education-activism of Black teachers during the Early Black History Movement. Second, this project attends to the principles and conventions of Jim Crow North, by challenging static, flattened, and selective narratives that loom in popular remembering of the era of Jim Crow segregation. Third, the use of the robust repository that makes up the Shackelford papers seeks to excavate the scholarly and intellectual work and the service ethos that guided her educational activism and that of her community of educators. 

Why did you decide to major and minor in African American history, U.S. history, and Black comparative/diaspora history?

The decision to major and minor in African American history, U.S. history, and Black comparative/diaspora history in the Michigan State University History PhD program was inspired by the trajectory of my research, the opportunity to learn from leading scholars in the fields, and my aspiration to create meaningful historical work that helps us better understand the present through our collective history towards a just and inclusive society.

  Who have been some of your mentors within the History department? 

My mentors within the department include my major Advisor, Dr. Pero G. Dagbovie (University Distinguished Professor of History, Associate Provost for Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, and Dean of the Graduate School), and Dissertation Committee Member, Dr. LaShawn D. Harris (award-winning historian and Associate Professor of History). I am sincerely thankful for their instrumental guidance and supportive mentorship. 

  Anything else you would like to include? 

  I am also grateful to God for the scholar-friends in the Department of History and College of Education who have been thought-partners and for their community of support. 

Gloria J. Ashaolu

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Press Releases

Mr. Espinoza incorrectly saw his benefits reduced from Social Security. Congressman Carbajal’s team worked with him and the Social Security office to correct the error and deliver back pay that he was owed.

A clip of the conversation between Mr. Espinoza and Congressman Carbajal can be found .

Espinoza recently completed two associates degrees through Allan Hancock College, and is now studying to earn his Bachelor’s.

Congressman Carbajal’s office handles hundreds of similar cases with federal agencies every year. In 2023, Congressman Carbajal’s team returned $1.3 million to Central Coast constituents owed to them by the federal government.

This includes help with issues related to the Internal Revenue Service, Medicare and Veterans Affairs benefits, U.S. visas and passport renewals, the U.S. Postal Service, and other federal agencies.

Central Coast residents can learn more and start a case today by visiting

El congresista Salud Carbajal (CA-24) se reunió con Alexander Espinoza, residente de Santa María y recién graduado de Allan Hancock College, para discutir el reciente avance que tuvo su equipo al desbloquear una “cantidad que cambia la vida” de beneficios federales previamente retenidos por una agencia federal.

Los beneficios del Seguro Social de el señor Espinoza se estaban reduciendo incorrectamente. El equipo del congresista Carbajal trabajó con él y la oficina del Seguro Social para corregir el error y devolverle el dinero que se le debía.

. “Les agradezco que estén ahí para ayudarnos”.

Puede encontrar un clip de la conversación entre el Sr. Espinoza y el congresista Carbajal .

Espinoza completó recientemente dos títulos asociados en Allan Hancock College y ahora está cursando su licenciatura.

La oficina del congresista Carbajal trabaja en cientos de casos similares con agencias federales cada año. En el 2023, el equipo del congresista Carbajal devolvió 1,3 millones de dólares a los electores de la Costa Central que les debía el gobierno federal.

Esto incluye ayuda con problemas de los impuestos con el Internal Revenue Service, beneficios de Medicare and Veterans Affairs, visas estadounidenses y renovaciones de pasaportes estadounidenses, el Servicio Postal de los EE. UU. y otras agencias federales.

Los residentes de la Costa Central pueden obtener más información e iniciar un caso hoy visitando la página de internet:

| Posted in Press Releases | Posted in Press Releases | Posted in Press Releases | Posted in Press Releases

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Attacks on Walz’s Military Record

By Robert Farley , D'Angelo Gore and Eugene Kiely

Posted on August 8, 2024 | Updated on August 12, 2024 | Corrected on August 9, 2024

Este artículo estará disponible en español en El Tiempo Latino .

In introducing her pick for vice presidential running mate, Kamala Harris has prominently touted Tim Walz’s 24 years of service in the Army National Guard. Now, however, GOP vice presidential nominee JD Vance and the Trump campaign are attacking Walz on his military record, accusing the Minnesota governor of “stolen valor.”

We’ll sort through the facts surrounding the three main attacks on Walz’s military record and let readers decide their merit. The claims include:

Vance claimed that Walz “dropped out” of the National Guard when he learned his battalion was slated to be deployed to Iraq. Walz retired to focus on a run for Congress two months before his unit got official word of impending deployment, though the possibility had been rumored for months.
Vance also accused Walz of having once claimed to have served in combat, when he did not. While advocating a ban on assault-style weapons, Walz said, “We can make sure that those weapons of war that I carried in war, is the only place where those weapons are at.” Update, Aug. 12: The Harris campaign says that Walz “misspoke.”
The Republican National Committee has criticized Walz for misrepresenting his military rank in campaign materials. The Harris campaign website salutes Walz for “rising to the rank of Command Sergeant Major.” Walz did rise to that rank, but he retired as a master sergeant because he had not completed the requirements of a command sergeant major.

A native of West Point, Nebraska, Walz joined the Nebraska Army National Guard in April 1981, two days after his 17th birthday. When Walz and his wife moved to Minnesota in 1996, he transferred to the Minnesota National Guard, where he served in 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery.

“While serving in Minnesota, his military occupational specialties were 13B – a cannon crewmember who operates and maintains cannons and 13Z -field artillery senior sergeant,” according to a statement released by Army Lt. Col. Kristen Augé, the Minnesota National Guard’s state public affairs officer.

According to MPR News , Walz suffered some hearing impairment related to exposure to cannon booms during training over the years, and he underwent some corrective surgery to address it.

On Aug. 3, 2003, “Walz mobilized with the Minnesota National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery … to support Operation Enduring Freedom. The battalion supported security missions at various locations in Europe and Turkey. Governor Walz was stationed at Vicenza, Italy, during his deployment,” Augé stated. The deployment lasted about eight months.

“For 24 years I proudly wore the uniform of this nation,” Walz said at a rally in Philadelphia where he was announced as Harris’ running mate on Aug. 6. “The National Guard gave me purpose. It gave me the strength of a shared commitment to something greater than ourselves.”

Walz’s Retirement from the National Guard

In recent years, however, several of his fellow guard members have taken issue with the timing of Walz’s retirement from the National Guard in May 2005, claiming he left to avoid a deployment to Iraq.

Vance, who served a four-year active duty enlistment in the Marine Corps as a combat correspondent, serving in Iraq for six months in 2005, advanced that argument at a campaign event on Aug. 7.

“When the United States of America asked me to go to Iraq to serve my country, I did it,” Vance said. “When Tim Walz was asked by his country to go to Iraq, you know what he did? He dropped out of the Army and allowed his unit to go without him, a fact that he’s been criticized for aggressively by a lot of the people that he served with. I think it’s shameful to prepare your unit to go to Iraq, to make a promise that you’re going to follow through and then to drop out right before you actually have to go.”

In early 2005, Walz, then a high school geography teacher and football coach at Mankato West High School, decided to run for public office. In a 2009 interview Walz provided as part of the Library of Congress’ veterans oral history project, Walz said he made the decision to retire from the National Guard to “focus full time” on a run for the U.S. House of Representatives for Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District (which he ultimately won in 2006). Walz said he was “really concerned” about trying to seek public office and serve in the National Guard at the same time without running afoul of the Hatch Act , which limits political speech by federal employees, including members of the National Guard.

Federal Election Commission records show that Walz filed to run for Congress on Feb. 10, 2005.

On March 20, 2005, Walz’s campaign put out a press release titled “Walz Still Planning to Run for Congress Despite Possible Call to Duty in Iraq.”

Three days prior, the release said, “the National Guard Public Affairs Office announced a possible partial mobilization of roughly 2,000 troops from the Minnesota National Guard. … The announcement from the National Guard PAO specified that all or a portion of Walz’s battalion could be mobilized to serve in Iraq within the next two years.”

According to the release, “When asked about his possible deployment to Iraq Walz said, ‘I do not yet know if my artillery unit will be part of this mobilization and I am unable to comment further on specifics of the deployment.’ Although his tour of duty in Iraq might coincide with his campaign for Minnesota’s 1st Congressional seat, Walz is determined to stay in the race. ‘As Command Sergeant Major I have a responsibility not only to ready my battalion for Iraq, but also to serve if called on. I am dedicated to serving my country to the best of my ability, whether that is in Washington DC or in Iraq.'”

On March 23, 2005, the Pipestone County Star reported, “Detachments of the Minnesota National Guard have been ‘alerted’ of possible deployment to Iraq in mid-to-late 2006.”

“Major Kevin Olson of the Minnesota National Guard said a brigade-sized contingent of soldiers could be expected to be called to Iraq, but he was not, at this time, aware of which batteries would be called,” the story said. “All soldiers in the First Brigade combat team of the 34th Division, Minnesota National Guard, could be eligible for call-up. ‘We don’t know yet what the force is like’ he said. ‘It’s too early to speculate, if the (soldiers) do go.’

“He added: ‘We will have a major announcement if and when the alert order moves ahead.’”

ABC News spoke to Joseph Eustice, a retired command sergeant major who served with Walz, and he told the news organization this week that “he remembers Walz struggling with the timing of wanting to serve as a lawmaker but also avoiding asking for a deferment so he could do so.”

“He had a window of time,” Eustice told ABC News. “He had to decide. And in his deciding, we were not on notice to be deployed. There were rumors. There were lots of rumors, and we didn’t know where we were going until it was later that, early summer, I believe.”

Al Bonnifield, who served under Walz, also recalled Walz agonizing over the decision.

“It was a very long conversation behind closed doors,” Bonnifield told the Washington Post this week. “He was trying to decide where he could do better for soldiers, for veterans, for the country. He weighed that for a long time.”

In 2018, Bonnifield told MPR News that Walz worried in early 2005, “Would the soldier look down on him because he didn’t go with us? Would the common soldier say, ‘Hey, he didn’t go with us, he’s trying to skip out on a deployment?’ And he wasn’t. He talked with us for quite a while on that subject. He weighed that decision to run for Congress very heavy. He loved the military, he loved the guard, he loved the soldiers he worked with.”

But not all of Walz’s fellow Guard members felt that way.

In a paid letter to the West Central Tribune in Minnesota in November 2018, Thomas Behrends and Paul Herr — both retired command sergeants major in the Minnesota National Guard — wrote, “On May 16th, 2005 he [Walz] quit, leaving the 1-125th Field Artillery Battalion and its Soldiers hanging; without its senior Non-Commissioned Officer, as the battalion prepared for war. His excuse to other leaders was that he needed to retire in order to run for congress. Which is false, according to a Department of Defense Directive, he could have run and requested permission from the Secretary of Defense before entering active duty; as many reservists have.”

“For Tim Walz to abandon his fellow soldiers and quit when they needed experienced leadership most is disheartening,” they wrote. “When the nation called, he quit.”

Walz retired on May 16, 2005. Walz’s brigade received alert orders for mobilization on July 14, 2005, according to the National Guard and MPR News . The official mobilization report came the following month, and the unit mobilized and trained through the fall. It was finally deployed to Iraq in the spring of 2006.

The unit was originally scheduled to return in February 2007, but its tour was extended four months as part of President George W. Bush’s “surge” strategy , the National Guard reported. In all, the soldiers were mobilized for 22 months.

Responding to Vance’s claim that Walz retired to avoid deploying to Iraq, the Harris-Walz campaign released a statement saying, “After 24 years of military service, Governor Walz retired in 2005 and ran for Congress, where he was a tireless advocate for our men and women in uniform – and as Vice President of the United States he will continue to be a relentless champion for our veterans and military families.”

Walz on Carrying a Weapon ‘in War’

Vance also called Walz “dishonest” for a claim that Walz made in 2018 while speaking to a group about gun control.

“He made this interesting comment that the Kamala Harris campaign put out there,” Vance said, referring to a video of Walz that the Harris campaign posted to X on Aug. 6. “He said, ‘We shouldn’t allow weapons that I used in war to be on America’s streets.’ Well, I wonder, Tim Walz, when were you ever in war? What was this weapon that you carried into war given that you abandoned your unit right before they went to Iraq and he has not spent a day in a combat zone.”

In the video , Walz, who was campaigning for governor at the time, talked about pushing back on the National Rifle Association and said: “I spent 25 years in the Army and I hunt. … I’ve been voting for common sense legislation that protects the Second Amendment, but we can do background checks. We can do [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] research. We can make sure we don’t have reciprocal carry among states. And we can make sure that those weapons of war that I carried in war, is the only place where those weapons are at.”

But, as Vance indicated, there is no evidence that Walz carried a weapon “in war.”

Update, Aug. 12: In an Aug. 10 statement to CNN, the Harris campaign told CNN that Walz “misspoke.”

“In making the case for why weapons of war should never be on our streets or in our classrooms, the Governor misspoke,” campaign spokesperson Lauren Hitt said in the statement. “He did handle weapons of war and believes strongly that only military members trained to carry those deadly weapons should have access to them.”

As we said, Augé, in her statement, said Walz’s battalion deployed “to support Operation Enduring Freedom” on Aug. 3, 2003, and “supported security missions at various locations in Europe and Turkey.” During his deployment, Walz was stationed in Vicenza, Italy, and he returned to Minnesota in April 2004, Augé said. There was no mention of Walz serving in Afghanistan, Iraq or another combat zone.

In the 2009 interview for the veterans history project, Walz said he and members of his battalion initially thought they would “shoot artillery in Afghanistan,” as they had trained to do. That didn’t happen, he said, explaining that his group ended up helping with security and training while stationed at an Army base in Vicenza.

“I think in the beginning, many of my troops were disappointed,” Walz said in the interview. “I think they felt a little guilty, many of them, that they weren’t in the fight up front as this was happening.”

In an Aug. 8 statement addressing his claim about carrying weapons “in war,” the Harris campaign noted that Walz, whose military occupational specialties included field artillery senior sergeant, “fired and trained others to use weapons of war innumerable times” in his 24 years of service.

Walz’s National Guard Rank

The Republican National Committee has criticized Walz for saying “in campaign materials that he is a former ‘Command Sergeant Major’ in the Army National Guard despite not completing the requirements to hold the rank into retirement.”

Walz’s biography on the Harris campaign website correctly says that the governor “served for 24 years” in the National Guard, “rising to the rank of Command Sergeant Major.”

Walz’s official biography on the Minnesota state website goes further, referring to the governor as “Command Sergeant Major Walz.”

“After 24 years in the Army National Guard, Command Sergeant Major Walz retired from the 1-125th Field Artillery Battalion in 2005,” the state website says.

Walz did serve as command sergeant major , but Walz did not complete the requirements to retire with the rank of command sergeant, Augé told us in an email.

“He held multiple positions within field artillery such as firing battery chief, operations sergeant, first sergeant, and culminated his career serving as the command sergeant major for the battalion,” Augé said. “He retired as a master sergeant in 2005 for benefit purposes because he did not complete additional coursework at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy.”

This isn’t the first time that Walz’s National Guard rank has come up in a campaign.

In their 2018 paid letter to the West Central Tribune, when Walz was running for governor, the two Minnesota National Guard retired command sergeants major who criticized Walz for retiring before the Iraq deployment also wrote: “Yes, he served at that rank, but was never qualified at that rank, and will receive retirement benefits at one rank below. You be the judge.”

Correction, Aug. 9: We mistakenly said a 2007 “surge” strategy in Iraq occurred under President Barack Obama. It was President George W. Bush.

Editor’s note: In the interest of full disclosure, Harris campaign spokesperson Lauren Hitt was an undergraduate intern at FactCheck.org from 2010 to 2011.

Editor’s note: FactCheck.org does not accept advertising. We rely on grants and individual donations from people like you. Please consider a donation. Credit card donations may be made through our “Donate” page . If you prefer to give by check, send to: FactCheck.org, Annenberg Public Policy Center, 202 S. 36th St., Philadelphia, PA 19104.

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