Doctorate in History Graduate PHD Programs

A doctorate in history is the highest level of schooling you could attain in the field. Those who have earned these degrees could pursue careers as researchers, writers, educators, or analysts.

Who May Enroll in a History Doctorate Program?

Students who wish to pursue a higher level of education in this field may wish to enroll in this program. Most often, students need to have a master’s degree in history. In some situations, it may be possible to enter this program with a bachelor’s degree.

What Does a History PhD Program Teach?

A History PhD degree program is often a versatile course plan. Many times, these programs aim to teach people to pursue careers as scholar teachers. Many who attend graduate school for history may do so to become high level teachers. For that reason, many may take courses in areas of history and education.

Another route is research. Some students in graduate school may plan to research history at various levels. Some pursue a focus important to them. The course work completed often follows the path the student selects. This may give a PhD student a lot of freedom to find the program right for their needs.

Students may wish to concentrate in areas of academia, African American history, or American history. Some may seek out a focus on humanities or a PhD in Latin American history, Modern Europe, or public history.

It also may be possible for doctoral students to study a more generalized course base. This may enable them to work in the Department of History in a university or college setting.

History students may learn about both the socio economical causes and political aspects of major historical events. They often look at history from all points of view. This may include learning about the complex factors that create historical events. They may use this information in order to better understand present day life.

What to Expect from a Doctoral Program in History

Many PhD students may enroll in three academic years of study. This is graduate study, sometimes called residence. However, this type of education may take longer than three years. It is often based on the length of time necessary to complete the required credit hours for the school’s program.

Many students may enter into this program with a master’s degree. That often means they have significant experience already. They may be able to complete a graduate program while working in another field. This could extend the amount of time it takes to complete the program. Other graduate students may focus solely on school. These full time doctoral students may complete their education faster.

A first year student may spend some time exploring various topics of interest. In some cases, special prerequisites may exist. There may be a language requirement in some programs, for example. Typically, a history program like this may focus on a major field of study in history. This may include modern European history or U.S. history, for example. That first year, many students may explore multiple topics of interest as they earn graduate credit.

A history PhD program degree path may include significant study and research. This can be time consuming. Students often follow specific methodologies to research and develop theories. They may also explore a range of topics before completing a doctoral dissertation. This is typically the final component of the degree program. Students are likely to complete a research paper that’s extensive and attend numerous research seminars to help them learn history from all points of view. Dissertation research is often a large part of the student’s final years of graduate study.

What May a Student Achieve in a History Doctorate Program?

Some students choose a major and minor field of study. There are many options for studying history. Some educational paths may include various history tracks. That may include U.S. history or non U.S. or transnational history. With a wide range of choice. Many graduate students may find something that interests them to focus on (or sometimes, numerous things).

Graduate students are likely to spend a good amount of time conducting research. They may learn to deploy numerous forms of communication to discuss historical scholarship and knowledge in their field. They may also learn how to ask key questions about history to research and gather more insight. Many perform historical research using archives and libraries. They may also learn to criticize interpretative paradigms and methodologies. Many students in this field may engage in debates. They may learn to defend the theories they propose. An in depth amount of study aims to help these students to be able to answer core questions about history. At the same time, they may learn how to think about history in new ways. Some may wish to use this type of skill to enhance their overall understanding of a topic or to solve one of history’s more complex problems.