Harvard University History Department

HARVARD UNIVERSITY

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Admissions and Program Overview

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Admissions Process

The History Department considers candidates only for the PhD degree. Strong preference will be given to applicants who are adequately prepared to meet the language requirements for the doctorate.

GSAS General Information
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Submit Application Form Online
Funding
Higher Degrees in History (PDF)
Comparative History

A complete admissions application consists of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) admissions form (history program code 34), personal statement (candidates may choose to identify potential advisors), official transcripts, GRE General Test scores (GSAS code 3451), writing sample of approximately 20 pages (e.g. term paper, senior thesis, research paper), three letters of recommendations, TOEFL scores (if required), and statement of financial resources. The application deadline is below.

Applicants who are considering joint degrees should review the Coordinated JD/PhD Program information
on this site.

The Graduate School encourages online submission of the admissions application. All admissions materials, except GRE scores and official transcripts, may be uploaded to the online application.

A paper version of the application may be requested online or by contacting the GSAS Admissions Office:

Fall 2008 Admissions Deadline: Monday, December 15, 2008

Admissions Contact:		Send Admissions Materials:
Harvard University Office of Admissions The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Holyoke Center, 3rd floor 1350 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02138 Phone: 617-495-5315 Email: admiss@fas.harvard.edu		Harvard University Office of Admissions The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences P.O. Box 9129 Cambridge, MA 02238-9129

Program Overview

After a competitive admissions process, students will complete requirements for a particular historical field in a highly structured doctoral program (please note that there is no separate master's degree program) through the period of qualification to begin doctoral research and into the initial stages of identifying a viable dissertation topic. The faculty encourages comparative historical research.

The first two years of the program consist of letter-graded courses, language examinations, and non-graded independent tutorials in preparation for the General Examination. The Examination is conducted by four faculty members, and the student works to prepare one examination field with each of these four members.

Passing the General Examination qualifies students to begin teaching in the third year, mostly in sections of lecture courses but also, in many cases, in sophomore and junior tutorials. In the third year, students propose topics for their research, present their research at a Prospectus Conference held at the beginning of the Spring Term, form a dissertation committee, and complete a formal dissertation prospectus which is submitted to the committee by the end of the year.

Students may then change their residency status to conduct research and write their dissertations, teaching when propitious or necessary. Progress reports are required beginning in the fourth year of graduate study. The Graduate School (GSAS) has augmented significantly the amount of funding available to students for finishing their dissertations between the fifth and seventh year of study, and such funds are usually available for those who require them. Students who have finished the degree requirements for the Ph.D. may participate in Commencement activities.

Most recipients of the doctoral degree pursue a career in academia although some graduates from the program accept positions outside of the academic setting. More answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) are available.