what does a phd in history do

Perspectives Daily

The Purpose of a History PhD

Lessons Learned from Career Diversity

AHA Career Diversity Fellows | Aug 14, 2020

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.

AHA Career Diversity fellows at the 2018 orientation. Elizabeth Poorman.

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.

Tags: Perspectives Daily Employment & Careers Career Diversity for Historians Graduate Education

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Related Content

Emily Swafford and Dylan Ruediger | Jul 9, 2018

Brian Campbell, Vanessa Madrigal-Lauchland, and Derek Kane O’Leary | Jul 10, 2020

Leah Burnham, Tyler Krahe, Ramya Swayamprakash, and Matthew Villeneuve | Aug 7, 2020

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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.

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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 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 RAship (pre-doc affiliate), and 1 summer stipend 
• 3rd year: 2 quarters TAships, 1 quarter RAship (pre-doc affiliate), and 1 summer stipend 
• 4th year: 3 quarters of RAships (pre-doc affiliate) and 1 summer stipend 
• 5th year: 3 quarters of RAships (pre-doc affiliate) 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 11, 2023. 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 2024 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 2024-25 is Tuesday, December 5, 2023 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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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.

In order to help you stay on track, we ask that every full-time candidate undergo an assessment exercise in the Lent Term of their third year of research. 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!

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Department of History and Philosophy of Science

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• Natural History in the Age of Revolutions, 1776–1848
• In the Shadow of the Tree: The Diagrammatics of Relatedness as Scientific, Scholarly and Popular Practice
• The Many Births of the Test-Tube Baby
• Culture at the Macro-Scale: Boundaries, Barriers and Endogenous Change
• Making Climate History overview
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• Histories of Artificial Intelligence: A Genealogy of Power overview
• From Collection to Cultivation: Historical Perspectives on Crop Diversity and Food Security overview
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• Epsilon: A Collaborative Digital Framework for Nineteenth-Century Letters of Science
• Contingency in the History and Philosophy of Science
• Industrial Patronage and the Cold War University
• FlyBase: Communicating Drosophila Genetics on Paper and Online, 1970–2000
• The Lost Museums of Cambridge Science, 1865–1936
• From Hansa to Lufthansa: Transportation Technologies and the Mobility of Knowledge in Germanic Lands and Beyond, 1300–2018
• Medical Publishers, Obscenity Law and the Business of Sexual Knowledge in Victorian Britain
• Kinds of Intelligence
• Varieties of Social Knowledge
• The Vesalius Census
• Histories of Biodiversity and Agriculture
• Investigating Fake Scientific Instruments in the Whipple Museum Collection
• Before HIV: Homosex and Venereal Disease, c.1939–1984
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PhD in History and Philosophy of Science

• MPhil in History and Philosophy of Science and Medicine

Students in history and philosophy of science and medicine write substantial, focused and independent theses that shape scholarship and engage audiences in many different ways. Contributing to the development of knowledge in the University of Cambridge is a rich and rewarding experience.

Expert guidance

The outstanding international reputation of our teaching staff is a key attraction.

PhD students work closely with a doctoral supervisor and advisor (usually both from the Department of History and Philosophy of Science but sometimes from other departments in the University). With the benefit of this expert guidance, students learn how to articulate, develop and present their own research. Students meet their supervisor and advisor several times a term to discuss an outline, consider research findings or go over a chapter. Consistent review and attentive feedback are integral to the supervisory relationship.

Applicants often find it helpful to contact a potential supervisor before submitting their application.

A thriving research community

Our research community offers invaluable academic and social perspectives.

With around 45 doctoral students, a strong cohort of MPhil and Part III students, postdoctoral researchers and teaching officers, the Department fosters an exceptionally active intellectual life. Thriving seminars, reading groups and workshops provide a focus, allowing students to help set the agenda and present their own work among peers. Students are supported throughout their studies, with close attention paid to methodological development, research skills and career advice.

The Department's Whipple Library is an unparalleled specialist collection for history and philosophy of science and medicine, while other libraries in Cambridge provide access to archival and documentary resources invaluable for research on the sciences. At the heart of the Department is the Whipple Museum , a world-class collection of scientific instruments and models; some students research these objects.

Valuable teaching experience

Cambridge offers PhD students unusually valuable teaching experience through the chance to give supervisions (tutorials) for undergraduates taking History and Philosophy of Science courses. PhD students are paid by the Colleges for this service. The University and the Department provide training in supervising undergraduates.

More about the PhD

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Main image: Crocodile carving by Eric Gill on the Mond Building, where there is work space for HPS PhD students

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The Graduate Program

 fields of study.

Like all major history departments in this country, we divide our graduate program into fields, most of which reflect the geographic and chronological boundaries that have traditionally organized historical research in the West, but others of which cross those boundaries (such as sociomedical sciences, Jewish history, and International & Global History).Those boundaries continue to define most faculty positions in American history departments. Every prospective Columbia student thus applies to work in a specific field. There are 13 of them, each of which has slightly different requirements:

• Early Modern Europe (1350-1750)
• International and Global History
• Jewish History
• Latin America
• Medieval Europe
• Middle East
• Modern Europe
• Socio-Medical Sciences
• United States

Prospective students should realize, however, that our history department, like many others, also provides opportunities for students to embrace broader lines of inquiry- both within and across traditional divisions by field. We urge our students, first, to explore the convergence of different methodological and theoretical approaches to history- to explore, for example, the intersections between political and social history, or the connections between diplomatic, cultural, and intellectual history. And we encourage our students, second, to consider research that moves beyond the period and place associated with their field. We continue to emphasize deep training in source analysis and empirical research,which are the foundations of professional history-writing. But we also urge students to take on research projects that situate their particular time or place in historical processes that decisively cross traditional boundaries.

We welcome applications, therefore,from students with strong interests in particular fields, who are eager to immerse themselves in the records of particular cultures and are prepared to acquire the techniques necessary for such work (languages and, for certain subjects, such specialized skills as paleography, statistics, or even musical training). But we also encourage applications from students who want as well to think about their work in terms of longer histories and broader theoretical questions.

Faculty members at Columbia conduct research and train students in several such broad, transnational areas, including:

• International history, emphasizing imperial and post-imperial histories from the 1500s forward
• Western intellectual history, medieval to modem
• Diasporic Jewish history
• Ethics and public health
• Women’s history and the history of gender
• Social and political history of the West, including history of markets, commercial culture, labor, and associated legal institutions
• The international history of race, slavery, and emancipation
• The international history of the Cold War and other systems of geopolitics
• The history of science and technology
• The global history of medicine, disease, and public health

However they define their fields, history students are not confined to the resources of our department. They are, rather, encouraged to look beyond our walls to other areas of the university or to other institutions in the New York metropolitan area.

In addition to Columbia’s fine departments in associated disciplines, such as languages and literature, art history, music, philosophy, sociology, political science, or anthropology, Columbia has a wide range of energetic interdisciplinary institutes that provide formal and informal training to graduate students throughout the university, among them the Harriman Institute for Soviet and Post-Soviet Studies , the Middle Eastern Institute , the Institute for Research on Women and Gender , and the East Asian Institute  (along with the Department of East Asian Languages and Culture ). Columbia’s School of Public Health, which offers a Ph.D. in the history of medicine and public health in association with our department; the Law School, with which we offer a joint Ph.D./J.D. program; Teachers College; and the School of International and Public Affairs are four of Columbia’s many professional schools that offer courses and other intellectual opportunities to enhance a student’s training in the history department.

Columbia history students are also entitled to take courses at no additional cost at other area universities through the Inter-University Doctoral Consortium , such as NYU, the New School, CUNY Graduate Center, Stonybrook, Fordham, Princeton, and Rutgers .

Whatever larger interests a student may have or may develop, each enters the history program through a particular field. The Graduate Student Handbook lists the thirteen fields and details the specific requirements for each (the principal differences concern language requirements, orals preparation,and seminars). Students and their advisors may, however, agree on adjustments to those requirements in response to a student’s particular interests. Students should also keep in mind that they can formally change fields, with faculty permission, and consequently adjust their programs to reflect their particular needs.

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Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in History Online

Transfer credits, next start date, become a professional historian with an online phd in history.

Are you interested in a career in education, research, politics, archaeology, or management of national landmarks and museums? Whatever your career goals are, Liberty University’s PhD in History can provide a theoretical background as well as research nd writing experience. These tools can help you excel in either academic or non-academic career fields related to humanities and social sciences.

An online doctorate in history can prepare you to pursue a variety of career opportunities. You might join the world of academia as a professor, professional researcher, or publisher. Or you could pursue a position as a museum curator, international development specialist, author, archaeologist, or federal government employee.

Academics and many other career fields need people like you who are knowledgeable about the undercurrents, culture, and societal standards surrounding historical events. Prepare to excel in whichever career field you choose when you pursue Liberty University’s online PhD in History.

Annual median salary for professionals with a doctorate*

All PhD in History courses are available online

Is a PhD in History worth it?

If you love history and want to increase your career options and earning potential, then a PhD in History is worth your effort. The types of jobs you could qualify for range from positions in the federal government to academia to private companies. 

Your earning potential will also increase because you hold a terminal degree. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, professionals with a doctoral degree earn an annual median salary of $94,900.* This is a 27% increase from the salaries of their counterparts who only have a master’s degree.

Can you get a PhD in History online?

Yes – with Liberty University’s online programs, you can earn your PhD in History 100% online. Our goal is to provide you with quality academics that are both affordable and flexible. We understand that you are a working professional with commitments. That’s why you have the flexibility to complete your doctorate wherever and whenever is most convenient for you.

How many years does it take to get a PhD in History?

Most students pursuing our PhD in History can complete the program in just 4 years. This includes a combination of full- and part-time attendance as well as dissertation work.

What can you do with a PhD in History?

When you’re considering career options, a PhD in History is one of the most flexible doctorates you can earn. You will have job opportunities with the United States government, universities, private organizations, and more. Some of the specific careers that may be available to you include:

• Academic publisher
• Archaeologist
• Higher education administrator
• International development specialist
• Museum curator

Is a PhD from Liberty University respected?

If you plan to choose Liberty for your PhD, you can rest assured that your degree will be respected. Liberty University is regionally accredited through SACSCOC . This means our program has to meet rigorous academic standards that are respected by future employers.

Why Choose Liberty University’s History PhD Program Online?

When you choose Liberty, you’re choosing to pursue a degree from an accredited university. We offer a Christ-centered curriculum, flexible course scheduling, and affordable rates. Our goal is to provide you with academic excellence that is grounded in faith and consistent support throughout your academic journey.

Liberty University holds regional accreditation through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges ( SACSCOC ). This means we have earned accreditation that demands high academic standards. Employers can have confidence in your knowledge and abilities gained through the program. And you can rest knowing that your degree will benefit both your personal and professional life.

At Liberty, our mission is Training Champions for Christ . That means each of your professors is a Christian who incorporates a biblical worldview into every course. Your professors are professionals who have doctorates like our online history PhD degree. 

You can complete our PhD in History through distance education with 8-week courses and no set login times. This flexibility allows you to pursue your online doctoral degree while maintaining commitments to your family, career, community, and church.

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 . Find out how you can take advantage of this unique opportunity as you work towards your goal of reaching the pinnacle of your profession — for less.

What Will You Learn in Our Online PhD in History Program?

When you pursue our doctorate in history, you’ll learn historical concepts and how to educate others from a Christian perspective. Upon successful completion of this program, you will be able to do the following:

• Apply a Christian worldview to the study of history
• Apply historical methodology to professional settings
• Conduct original research that is based upon knowledge of the literature of the discipline
• Evaluate historiographic positions, like scholarly literature and interpretations, at the doctoral level

Featured Courses

• HIST 502 – Historiography*
• HIST 701 – Historical Professions
• HIST 711 – Development of Western Freedoms
• HIUS 713 – American Entrepreneurship since 1900

*Course guide coming soon

Highlights of Our Online History PhD Program

• 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 PhD online 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 the majority of 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!
• You will benefit from networking opportunities with other professionals in the program from around the country.
• The PhD in History is the first program of its kind offered from a conservative Christian, accredited university.
• Your degree requires experience both inside and outside the classroom to help you become fully prepared for any professional setting you choose.

Liberty’s PhD in History Online Degree Information

• This program falls under the College of Arts and Sciences .
• Download and review the Degree Completion Plan .
• View the Graduate Arts and Sciences Course Guides   (login required).
• View the PhD in History Handbook .

Apply Now      Request Info

Career Opportunities for History PhD Online Graduates

• Federal government employee
• Professional researcher

Admission Requirements for the PhD in History at Liberty University

A regionally or nationally accredited master’s degree in history, or a related field,* with a 3.0 or above GPA is required for admission in good standing. Please visit our admission requirements page for more detailed admissions-related information.

All applicants must submit the following:

• Admission application
• Application fee**
• Official college transcripts indicating successful completion of a doctorate or master’s in history or a related field*
• Proof of English proficiency (for applicants whose native language is other than English)

*Examples include but are not limited to: public or applied history, social sciences, political science, philosophy, government, international relations, geography, English, theology, church history, economics, a Master of Business Administration (MBA), museum studies, and library sciences.

** There is no upfront application fee; however, a deferred $50 application fee will be assessed during Financial Check-In. This fee is waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required.

*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, at Education Pays (viewed online August 19, 2020). Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.

*Some restrictions may occur for this promotion to apply. This promotion also excludes active faculty and staff, military, Non-Degree Seeking, DGIA, Continuing Education, WSB, and Certificates.

Apply FREE This Week*

Other programs you may be interested in

Doctor of Education (EDD)

Doctor of Education

Next Start Date: May 13, 2024

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Educational Leadership

Master of Arts (MA)

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You have to have a lot of self-motivation and self-discipline when you are going to school online, but the amazing thing is at Liberty you do not need to do it by yourself. You really do have resources like someone who is going to school on campus.

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• Ph.D. Requirements

Our doctoral curriculum encourages breadth and depth in your graduate experience during the first two years, while also starting to direct you towards your specific areas of research interests. Beginning in the third year, you will turn to more individualized work on your dissertation proposals, in consultation with advisers and other committee members.

Degree Requirements

• Courses (see suggested coursework sequence for the first three years)
• HISTORY 701S: Research Seminar in History
• HISTORY 702S: Research Seminar in History
• HISTORY 703S: Focusing on Teaching and Pedagogy
• HISTORY 704S: Focusing on Preparing Portfolios for Preliminary Certification
• 6 to 7 Reading Colloquia courses (courses numbered HISTORY 790S-01 through 790S-14).  Students may substitute up to 4 colloquia for Independent Studies (HISTORY 791 / 792) , 500, 600 or 700 level History graduate classes, or, with approval of the DGS, graduate seminars from other departments or other universities.
• 2 to 3 Research Seminars (courses numbered HISTORY 890S-01 through 890S-14). Students may substitute 1-2 of these seminars for an independent study (HISTORY 791 / 792 Independent Study) or another research-centric seminar offered or cross-listed in History. Students need to take at least one HIS 890S seminar.
• Foreign Language Proficiency
• Supervisory Committee
• Preliminary Certification
• Dissertation
• Dissertation Defense
• Payment of 6 semesters of full-time tuition (or 5 if transfer credit has been approved) AND continuous registration

Optional, accelerated path for students entering with an M.A.

Students who enter with the M.A. have the option to move directly to prelims and the prospectus in their second year, should they choose to do so. The requirements are:

• HISTORY 701S
• HISTORY 702S
• HISTORY 703S
• HISTORY 704S
• 1 research seminar (HIS 890S)
• 2 readings colloquia (HIS 790S)

Independent studies would be determined in consultation with the primary adviser and Director of Graduate Studies (DGS). Students who wish to pursue this option need the approval of their advisers and the DGS.

Optional, accelerated path for students wishing to complete Ph.D. in four years or less

Students who enter under special programs that require completion of the Ph.D. in four years or less will work out a specific plan of study with the DGS and their advisers. The department understands that a certain amount of flexibility is required in such cases and the DGS will work to keep the academic spirit of the requirements, without creating insurmountable programmatic barriers for the students.

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The full requirements and recommendations for the Graduate Program in History are available in the  Guidelines to the M.A. and Ph.D. Curricula.  Current students and advisors should refer to the Guidelines and the  Canvas  "History Department PhD Students" page for detailed requirements, forms, and instructions.

Program Overview

Students are expected to complete all the requirements for the PhD degree in History in a timely fashion. Students are reviewed annually for continuation in the program and are expected to make good progress at all stages of the program. All requirements for the PhD degree, including the final defense, must be completed within seven years from the date of first matriculation.

• In the first two years of graduate study, all students, regardless of previous degree work, register for coursework.
• Students produce a first- and second-year research paper. In certain cases, with the support of their faculty advisors, students may petition to have the second research paper requirement waived (typically, those with a relevant MA).
• All students must demonstrate competence in foreign language through departmental examination.
• Students are eligible to receive the MA degree upon completion of eight courses for quality grades, a high pass (or equivalent) on the foreign language exam and fulfillment of all administrative requirements. 
• The PhD Field Examination must be taken by June 1st of the second year.
• Presentation and defense of the dissertation proposal occurs in a public setting before the end of the third year (June 1), and approval of the dissertation committee is required to begin research and writing of the dissertation.
• Three mentored teaching experiences are arranged in consultation with faculty advisors.
• Defense of the dissertation in the PhD Final Oral Examination.

First- and Second-year Highlights

• Students take twelve graduate-level courses (for A or B grades): a two-quarter history research seminar, and ten other courses both in and outside of the Department. At least three of these courses are graduate colloquia, and up to three may be pass/fail reading courses for orals preparation. Current students should consult the Guidelines for details of course requirements.
• First-year students complete a substantial research paper due at the end of Winter Quarter as part of the two-quarter History Seminar.
• Second-year students are required to complete a research paper under the supervision of their faculty advisor during Autumn or Winter Quarter.
• Students must high pass (P+) at least one foreign-language translation examination. Details on the timing and requirements are below. Students who have taken the TOEFL exam and whose native language is their language of research may waive the language exam.
• Students take their oral field examinations by June 15th of their second year.

Language Requirement

The Department requires a high pass (P+) on one or more language translation examinations. Students must take an examination administered through the Department during the first quarter of residence. Students who do not high pass on the first attempt should devote special attention to improving their skill and are required to repeat the exam at least annually until a high pass is achieved. It is mandatory to high pass in at least one language examination before the beginning of the second academic year. In fields where more than one language is required, the additional requirement(s) must be satisfied before the proposal hearing. See the Guidelines for more details on language examinations.

*For fields with extensive language training, students may petition for a one-year postponement of the language examination. ^If the language requirement is met with French or German, it is assumed that the student will also acquire knowledge of area language(s) sufficient for research purposes.

Oral Fields Highlights

• The oral fields readings and examination qualify students to teach and to conduct doctoral research.
• Examination committees are chosen by the student based on their fields of interest. The committees consists of a chair from the  Department of History faculty , who serves as the student’s advisor, and two additional University of Chicago faculty, usually, but not always, from the Department. 
• All students prepare three fields in consultation with their examination committee.
• Field lists have a maximum of fifty books; four articles or book chapters count as one book. For the purpose of reading and the examination, all fields are considered equal.
• The examination is oral, lasts two hours, and is graded pass or fail.
• Orals are taken by June 1st of the second year in residence.
• During the proposal stage, students form their dissertation committees. Committees generally have three members; a fourth is allowed in certain cases. The committee chair must be a member of the  Department of History faculty . The second reader must be a member of the departmental faculty or its  associate faculty . Additional committee members may be professors in the Department, in other university departments, or at another institution. Consult the Guidelines for the M.A. and Ph.D. Curricula for details on committee formation.
• Students must hold a proposal hearing by the end (June 1) of the third year in residence.
• All students are required to have three mentored teaching experiences.
• Mentored teaching experiences may include the following: Teaching Assistantships, Lectureships, and Co-teaching with faculty.
• Consult the  Guidelines for the M.A. and Ph.D. Curricula for the full policy on required teaching.

Dissertation

• Following the approval of the proposal, the  Divisional Dean of Students  advances the student to candidacy for the doctoral degree. (This stage is informally known as ABD, "all but dissertation.")
• The student and the dissertation chair are responsible for assuring that the dissertation follows an acceptable academic style, such as  The Chicago Manual of Style , Turabian's  A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations , or another accepted style in the field. Additional resources are provided by The University of Chicago's  Dissertation Office ,  and The American Historical Association's  Statement on Standards of Professional Conduct .

Final Defense of the Dissertation

• The final requirement of the doctoral program is an oral defense of the dissertation.
• Defenses are held with the student's committee in attendance. The defense is always open to the department faculty. It may be open to the public. 
• The committee grades the defense (pass with distinction, pass, or fail) and decides what type of revisions (none, minor, or significant) are needed before the students can submit the dissertation to the  Dissertation Office.
• The dissertation chair and the departmental chair give final approval for the deposit of the dissertation through the Dissertation Office after all requested revisions have been made. Deadlines for submission are available on the Department’s Canvas page.
• The doctoral degree can be taken in any quarter. Instructions for applying to the degree are found on the student  Canvas  site. 
• The University holds  Convocation  at the end of Spring Quarter. 

Joint Degree

Joint degrees are rare, but students may apply for a joint degree on an ad hoc basis. The application process begins with the student's Dean of Students Office. The faculty members who work with the student should strongly support the need for a joint degree. Students from other departments should read the  Joint Ph.D. Degree Guidelines (PDF) . Students should apply in the late winter or early Spring Quarter so the Graduate Student Affairs Committee can review the file in its annual student review in late May or early June.

History MA Degree for PhD Students from other University of Chicago PhD Programs

In rare cases, the University allows students from another University of Chicago PhD program to receive an MA from an alternate program. Students should first consult with their home unit’s Dean of Students office. After receiving permission to pursue an alternate MA, students wishing to receive an MA from the Department of History should petition the Graduate Student Affairs Committee in Autumn Quarter. For more information contact the  graduate affairs administrator .

Students with questions about doctoral program degree requirements and milestones should contact Sonja Rusnak ( [email protected] ) History Graduate Affairs Administrator. Students may also contact Brett Baker ( [email protected] ), Associate Dean of Students in the Social Sciences, and Amanda Young ( [email protected] ), Director, Graduate Student Affairs in UChicagoGRAD.  

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Department of History

Requirements of the ph.d..

The official requirements for the graduate program in History are detailed in the Graduate School of Arts and Science Programs and Policy Handbook .  Important elements of the history program are summarized here, but students should refer to the Programs and Policy guide to check any technical requirements.  

Coursework (Years 1 and 2)

• 10-12 term courses, 6 of which must carry a HIST graduate number
• HIST 500  Approaching History   is required for all first-term Ph.D. students
• HIST 995 (the Prospectus Tutorial) is recommended for all second year students and required for second year students studying European history
• Two seminars must be research seminars (requiring an original research paper from primary sources)
• Two seminars must focus on a time period outside the student’s period of specialty
• All second-year students should take a course to prepare for a comprehensive exam field (This course may be HIST 994 Orals Tutorial with one of the student’s examiners or a readings course on an exam field topic)
• Honors requirement – each student must achieve Honors in two term courses during the first year with a High Pass average overall.  Students much achieve Honors in a total of four courses with a High Pass average overall by the time they complete the coursework requirements.

Language Proficiencies (Years 1 and 2)

Each subfield of History has different language proficiency requirements.  A list of requirements by subfield i s  available here .

Proficiency can be documented in several ways:

• A student who had an undergraduate minor in the language can be certified upon presentation of a transcript;
• A student who is a native speaker of a language can be certified with confirmation from the student’s academic advisor;
• A student who has researched and submitted scholarly work in the language can be certified with confirmation from the student’s advisor;
• Students who take one of the “for Reading” courses offered in the Graduate School (French, German, Italian, or Spanish) can be certified with a grade of B+ or better.  Please note that you must inform the Graduate Registrar when the grade is posted in order to be certified;
• Passing a language translation exam administered at Yale;
• Other circumstances (e.g., translation exam from another institution) with the approval of the DGS

Comprehensive Exams (Years 2 and 3)

Students are strongly encouraged to complete their comprehensive exams by the end of the fifth semester and are required to be completed by the end of the sixth semester.  (Some faculty prefer students to complete the prospectus in the fifth semester and take exams in the sixth semester; please consult your advisor.)

The Comprehensive Exams include a written component and an oral portion.

Written component:

• One major field; an 8,000-word historiographical essay based on the major field is to be submitted to the Graduate Registrar at least two weeks prior to the oral component of the exams.  With the approval of the examining faculty member, the student may submit a course syllabus in the major field as a substitute for the historiographical paper.
• Two or three minor fields; a syllabus for a lecture course in each minor field is to be submitted to the Graduate Registrar at least two weeks prior to the oral component of the exams.
• The oral portion of the comprehensive exams last for two hours. 
• For those students who choose two minor fields, the major field will be examined for 60 minutes and the minor fields will be examined for 30 minutes each.
• For those students who choose three minor fields, each field will be examined for 30 minutes.

Prospectus Colloquium (Year 3)

Advancing to candidacy (year 3), chapter conference (year 5).

Students must participate in a chapter conference with their dissertation committee no later than the end of their ninth semester. The dissertation committee and student discuss a dissertation chapter to give early feedback on the research, argument, and style of the first writing accomplished on the dissertation.

Dissertation Defense and Submission (Year 6)

Submitting the Dissertation

Overview of History PhD Requirements

Click here for Overview of Ph.D. Requirements

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PhD History: Course Details, Eligibility, Admission, Fees

Updated on - Jan 4, 2023

PhD History is a three to five years long full-time doctorate course that deals with studying written events and records of humanity. It helps students gain a detailed view of social, cultural, religious, political, and economic development from the prehistoric era. This course's PhD in History duration is three years, but it stretches up to five years. There are various job roles in this field, such as Researcher, Consultant, Professor etc.

PhD History Course Details

About phd history.

According to Wikipedia, History is an umbrella term comprising past events and the memory, discovery, collection, organization, presentation, and interpretation of these events. History seeks knowledge of the past historical source and written or oral accounts of art and material artefacts and ecological markers."

PhD in History delivers knowledge to the students for advanced studies in History in depth. The course consists of gender and sexuality, political study and training to reveal knowledge in various aspects of it. The course falls under the umbrella of  PhD course .

Table of Contents

• PhD in History Eligibility Criteria
• PhD in HistoryAdmission Process
• Who Should Do a PhD in History?
• Types of PhD in History
• Distance PhD in History
• Popular P.h.D in History Entrance Exams

Study PhD in History in India

• Top PhD in History Colleges
• Study PhD in History Abroad
• PhD in History Fees Structure
• PhD in History Syllabus and Subjects

Why Choose PhD in History?

Phd in history course comparison, preparation tips for phd in history, salary of a phd in history graduate.

• Career Options after PhD in History
• Skills to Excel

Eligibility Criteria for PhD in History

Eligibility for PhD in History includes Students who need to complete their postgraduation or MPhil in a relevant stream with a minimum of 55% marks, and for the SC/ST/PH students, 50% marks in aggregate from a recognized university or institute. Candidates should have 5 years of experience in the teaching or administration field at the senior level.

Students must give the required entrance exam. There is no age limit for this course. Students must complete the part 1 examination and the duration to submit the thesis is 3 years.

How To Get Admission for PhD in History?

Some institutes admit students based on their graduation level marks, and few institutes conduct entrance exams to examine a student's capability. There is a Merit-Based Admission process based on graduation level marks, and another is the entrance exam-based process where candidates have to clear the entrance exam to get shortlisted.

Mention below are the general admission requirement that the aspirants should know about:

How to Apply?

Students can apply for a PhD course online and offline mode by going through official websites or visiting the university admission office. Students need to fill out the PhD form with the necessary details and submit original documents as per the requirement. Some of the Institutes take interviews to check students' communication skills and other aspects related to this course.

Selection Process

The selection process for the PhD program is almost the same concerning students' graduation level marks or the entrance exam marks. After the application is received, they start the procedure either with an entrance exam or graduate-level marks. They shortlist those candidates to get admission to the PhD program.

Who Should Pursue a PhD in History?

A PhD degree typically involves students independently conducting original and significant research in a specific field or subject before producing a publication-worthy thesis.

Listed below are the person who should pursue a PhD in History:

• Students who have a keen interest in research can pursue this course
• Students who meet the basic eligibility criteria can opt for PhD in History.

When To Do a PhD in History?

Students can apply for a PhD program right after postgraduation from any relevant stream from a recognized university or institute. Since it is a higher education degree, there is no right time to pursue it. Students can also pursue this course after obtaining some work experience.

Types of PhD History

Students can pursue PhD degrees full-time and part-time or as distance learning offered by universities across India. Since it is a higher education degree, there is no right time to pursue it. Students can also pursue this course after obtaining some work experience. Given below is the general information regarding the same: 

Full-Time PhD History

A Full-Time PhD History degree is a 3 to 5 years on-campus degree. Students will have to attend the classes and submit all their assignments, and they have to give their examinations on campus. A Full-Time degree is very useful where students get exposure and a diverse experience and interact with faculty for their development.

Part-Time PhD History

A part-time PhD History course is a type of course that students can access while working for an organization simultaneously. It's for the students who cannot attend regular classes, and this course schedules its classes around the weekends or at night. It's a very time management course method students can pursue through this process.

Distance PhD History

Several universities offer distance learning courses for students who can't afford to attend classes on a university campus or don't want to pursue a regular course can opt for the distance PhD History course.

Popular Entrance Exams for PhD in History

Several institutes in India conduct entrance exams to shortlist those students who have the capabilities to study for PhD History programs, and there is a tremendous amount of competition among students to get admission into colleges. Listed below are the most popular entrance exams:

• AIIMS PhD Entrance Test
• BINC Examination
• BITS PhD Entrance Examination

A Quick Glance at the PhD Entrance Exams

Students can approach PhD course details by going through college websites to which they are more reliable to apply. Specialization plays a key role in the college approach to the entrance exam. Listed below is a glance at the PhD History entrance exams:

• The exam pattern includes English, Logical Reasoning, Analytical Thinking, and subject-specific questions according to the specialization.
• The papers are objective and MCQ-based.
• The syllabus, mode of examination, and question pattern may change according to a university/conducting body.

In India, there are reputed institutes for PhD in History programs. Students will have lots of options to go for it, depending on the various specializations. Listed below are the top PhD colleges in India:

Top 10 PhD in History Colleges in India

Listed below are the top ten colleges in India for the PhD History program:

Top PhD History Colleges in New Delhi

The capital city has top-notch colleges offering PhD History degrees. Listed below are some if the colleges offer PhD in History in New Delhi:

Top PhD History Colleges in Chennai

Listed below are the PhD History colleges in Chennai:

Top PhD History Colleges in Bangalore

Best premium institute located in Bangalore. Listed below are the top PhD History colleges in Bangalore:

Top PhD History Colleges in Kolkata

Listed below are the top PhD History colleges in Kolkata:

Top PhD History Colleges in Hyderabad

Listed below are the PhD History colleges in Hyderabad:

Top PhD History Government Colleges

Listed below are the top PhD History government colleges in India

Top PhD History Private Colleges

There are several private colleges in India offering PhD History program:

Study PhD History Abroad

Students can opt for a PhD degree abroad to get high-quality infrastructure and world-class faculty. The PhD History course duration abroad is 3 to 5 years and the students who are financially stable can opt for PhD History abroad. Listed below are the PhD colleges abroad:

Top PhD History Colleges in USA

Listed below are the top colleges in USA:

Top PhD History Colleges in the UK

Listed below are the top PhD History colleges in UK:

Top PhD History Colleges in Canada

Listed below are the top PhD History colleges in Canada:

Top PhD History Colleges in Australia

Listed below are the top PhD History colleges in Australia:

Fee Structure for PhD History

PhD History fee structure is not the same in every college, it varies to different colleges according to locations, faculty, demand, and infrastructure provided for the students. Listed below are the average course fees in India which range from around 72,000 - 4 LPA.

Syllabus and Subjects for PhD in History

PhD in History syllabus varies from one college to another, and it mostly is a foundation course that students can opt for.

• Reading about trends in the historiography I
• Research Methodology I
• Aspects of the social-economic 
• History of Medieval India 
• Debates in Modern Indian History I

Read More: PhD History Syllabus and Subjects

PhD in History is the top career that students can choose in Arts, and students will get a good advantage in reaching their career goals. There are lots of Job opportunities available in India as well as abroad.

What is PhD in History All About?

PhD in History is a 3 years doctorate course which is the detailed study of written events and records of humanity in the past. It consists of social, cultural, religious, political, and economic development from prehistoric times.

What Does a PhD in History Graduate Do?

PhD in History program deals with providing knowledge in advanced studies in History in depth. There are many job opportunities available for students in this field, such as Professors, Curators, Administrative positions and more.

Curator: A curator is a manager or overseer. When working with cultural organizations, a curator is typically a "collections curator" or an "exhibitions curator" and has multifaceted tasks depending on the institution and its mission.

Reasons Why PhD in History Can Fetch You a Rewarding Career?

PhD in History is a very important degree, and it has lots of job opportunities in various fields.

PhD in History courses prepare students with the necessary skills in teaching and research work which will create a drastic change in their professional careers.

Job Opportunities:  There are many jobs in teaching and research work and others so that students will get job opportunities easily.

Read More:  PhD History Job Opportunities & Scope

These two segments of the course are PhD in History and PhD in Ancient History field research and have quite a good future ahead in research and analysis. Several colleges in India provide these courses in their course curriculum structure.

PhD in History vs PhD in Ancient History

Listed below are the difference between the two courses:

There are several tips students can follow while applying for PhD in History. Listed below are some of the tips for PhD in History:

Read and Practice More:  Being up to date with the syllabus every day is very important. Practising and reading more will help the student be thorough with the syllabus and do well in the exams.

Have Intrinsic Knowledge and Interest in Subjects: Having intrinsic knowledge about the subject and having the same interest will keep the student motivated to learn more than what's in the syllabus.

Revise Methodically:  Revising from time to time can be a key to scoring well in the final exam. Keep revising regularly and understand the subject properly. Revision is the key to scoring good marks.

The salary of a PhD graduate depends if the student has done an internship, which will increase their salary and opportunities. According to Glassdoor, a PhD in History graduate's average salary is INR 3.4 LPA in India, but it depends on many factors.

Read More: PhD History Salary

Career Options After PhD in History Graduation

There are many job opportunities for PhD students. Graduates in public as well as private sectors. Students will get respectable job positions and good perks as well. Listed below are some of the career options for PhD in History degree holder:

• Corporate Historian
• Historical Writer
• Associate Lecturer
• Data History Analyst

Skills That Make You The Best PhD in History Graduate

PhD should have proper skills to go through the program that will also help them to be successful in their professional career. Listed below are some of the skills that students need to succeed in their professional careers:

• Research skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Ability to Work Under Pressure
• Quantitative Analysis Skills

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Middle East crisis — explained

The conflict between Israel and Palestinians — and other groups in the Middle East — goes back decades. These stories provide context for current developments and the history that led up to them.

Israel launches missile strikes into Iran, U.S. military official says

Rob Schmitz

Peter Kenyon

Demonstrators wave a huge Iranian flag in an anti-Israeli gathering in front of an anti-Israeli banner on the wall of a building at the Felestin (Palestine) Square in Tehran, Iran, on Monday. Vahid Salemi/AP hide caption

Demonstrators wave a huge Iranian flag in an anti-Israeli gathering in front of an anti-Israeli banner on the wall of a building at the Felestin (Palestine) Square in Tehran, Iran, on Monday.

The Israeli military has conducted missile strikes against Iran, a senior U.S. military official told NPR on Thursday. There are also reports of explosions in Iraq and Syria.

The strikes appear to be the response Israel vowed to carry out after an Iranian attack on Sunday, when Tehran fired hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel. Most of Iran's volleys were intercepted or caused little damage. The U.S. military official spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday.

The extent of Israel's strikes and the weapons used weren't clear.

Iran state news agency IRNA reported a military official in the central Iranian city of Isfahan, Brigadier General Mihan Dost, as saying loud sounds heard east of the city were the sound of air defenses intercepting what he called a "suspicious target" and that no damage was reported in the area.

What we know so far about Israel's strike on Iran — and what could happen next

Other Iranian news agencies had not reported any such strike and have concluded the sounds reported near Isfahan were the interception of one or more drones.

Israel's military and prime minister's office have not yet responded to NPR's request for comment.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has confirmed on social media that there is no damage to Iran's nuclear sites.

Meanwhile, Israel's hardline National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, wrote on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, that Israel's latest apparent strike against Iran was "weak" and too limited.

Commercial flights continue in and out of Israel, and the country's Home Front Command system, which is responsible for issuing threat alerts to civilians during tense military times, didn't change its threat level.

In Iran, flights were temporarily grounded in the morning, but resumed just a couple of hours later.

The U.S. and other western allies had been urging Israel to forego a military strike to avoid a regional conflict springing out of the Israel-Hamas war .

Those concerns rose when an air strike – which Iran blamed on Israel – killed two Iranian military commanders in the country's consulate in Damascus, Syria, on April 1.

How Iran and Israel became archenemies

Iran said Sunday's attack on Israel was in response to that.

The region has been on the edge of wider conflict since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 240 others hostage, according to Israel. Israel's military campaign in response in Gaza has killed more than 33,000 people, according to Gaza health officials.

Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah have traded frequent fire over the northern Israel border. Houthi militants, also backed by Iran, have been going after international commercial vessels passing through the Red Sea in recent months. The group's leaders claim they're targeting ships with links to Israel in response to the country's ongoing invasion of Gaza.

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‘Like a stray Bee Gee!’ Does Andrew Scott’s Ripley have the worst wig in TV history?

Tom Ripley is meant to be a master of disguise – so why does he end up in such a rubbish rug? Here’s where Andrew Scott’s daft do sits in the pantheon of preposterous hairpieces

N etflix’s Ripley has a tremendous amount to offer. It’s dark and stylish. It’s one of the most beautiful things on television. It has an exceptional cat in it. However, there is one moment in Ripley that is so preposterous it threatens to undermine the entire series. If you haven’t seen Ripley, stop reading now. If you have, you already know exactly what I’m about to say.

It’s the bloody wig, isn’t it? For most of the series, Andrew Scott’s Ripley is the charming and dapper conman he’s always been; an indisputable master of impersonation and misdirection. But in the final episode that all falls apart. As the net around him closes in, Ripley decides to confront the inspector on his case. But he does this in – and unfortunately there’s no way of using this word without inverted commas – “disguise”, because he already met him once before under an alias. So we see Ripley enter a wig shop, to choose the best possible way for him to camouflage himself entirely. We see the tools of his work at home, scissors and combs and spirit gum, to reassure us that Tom Ripley is a master of disguise with a level of unparalleled expertise. And then …

And then, well, it looks bloody awful, doesn’t it. It’s hard to fully do justice to the disguise Tom Ripley comes up with in words alone. On one hand, it makes him look like a stray Bee Gee, or the cowardly lion from The Wizard of Oz begrudgingly attending the wedding of one of his girlfriend’s friends, or a version of Noel Edmonds that hasn’t invested in proper lighting for his house. But on the other, and I really cannot state this strongly enough, it also makes him look exactly like Andrew Scott. If the point of a disguise is to conceal your true identity to other people, it is an outright failure. This episode of Ripley is essentially about Andrew Scott walking into a wig shop then walking out looking like Andrew Scott, but Andrew Scott in a woeful wig.

The worst thing about it, of course – the thing that makes the full series disintegrate on sight – is that it actually works. The inspector visits Andrew Scott, has a full conversation with Andrew Scott and instead of thinking “Wait a minute, that’s just the guy I met before, but in a wig that makes him look a bit how General Zod would if General Zod was inexplicably into disco music,” simply walks away. He doesn’t twig until the very end of the series, the massive idiot.

Two things to take from this, really. The first is that we really need to petition Netflix to make a new Inspector Ravini spin-off, entitled The Further Adventures of The World’s Biggest Numpty, in which he bumbles around Italy screwing up every single crime he encounters by letting suspects go and handcuffing himself to horses and generally skidding around on crime-scene viscera like Todd Carty in Dancing on Ice. The second is that it’s time for Ripley to enter the pantheon of terrible screen wigs.

Obviously Dexter is the runaway leader when it comes to bad screen wigs. Which is strange, because wigs were a practical necessity for that show. For the whole of season five, Michael C Hall wore a wig to cover up the hair loss he sustained having chemotherapy for his Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. But while this wig did the job perfectly, its success was undermined by another wig he was forced to wear. Intermittently throughout the series we saw Dexter in flashback, which basically amounted to a middle-aged man putting on a novelty Justin Bieber wig.

There have been other frighteningly distracting wigs, too. When the producers of How I Met Your Mother decided to age-up Cobie Smulders, they did so by putting her in a wig so visibly made of nylon that it makes your teeth itch. Nicole Kidman’s wig in Top of the Lake looked like it was coughed up by an especially large cat. Technically Al Pacino is here too, since his appearance in the 2013 TV movie Phil Spector required him to wear a near-limitless succession of preposterously bad wigs, although we have to give him a pass because they were all identical to wigs Phil Spector also wore in real life.

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But there’s something about the deranged chutzpah of the Ripley wig – the blistering sense of “will this do?” – that puts it ahead of the competition. It is almost unbeatable in how ridiculous it is. TV wigmakers, consider this a challenge.

• Andrew Scott

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What is 4/20? How April 20 became a holiday for weed-lovers everywhere

Kief. Herb. Mary Jane. ZaZa. Would a flower by any other name smell as sweet? On 4/20 it just might. Each year April 20 rolls around and weed smokers pass the pipe, reveling in their love for the magic herb. 

But how did a random day in late April become an international observance for marijuana enthusiasts? Whether you celebrate or not, you may be interested in the smoke-hazed lore behind the holiday. 

The most popularly believed story involves a gaggle of cannabis-loving California teens, a wall at a local high school campus, and a famous rock band. 

What does 4/20 mean? 

April 20, or 4/20, is a holiday celebrated by many weed smokers both in the United States and around the globe. 

It's a day for smokers to not only celebrate their love of the intoxicating flower but to rally for legalization, particularly in the U.S. where marijuana is not federally legal.

Though there is no officially agreed-upon story for the holiday's origins, plenty of popular theories exist — perhaps the most famous tying the holiday's date to a cohort of teenagers in California. 

Happy 4/20!  The best stoner movies and TV shows to light up your 'high' holiday

What is the meaning behind 420?

What better place to celebrate weed than California, a state long known as a smoker's paradise (google: counter-culture, Haight-Ashbury) 

Popular lore ties the birth of "4/20" to a group of high schoolers attending Northern California's San Rafael High School in the early 1970s. The cohort which dubbed itself the "Waldos" used to gather at 4:20 pm to toke up. 

“We weren’t stupid stoners,” Steve Capper, 68, an original Waldo said, pointing to a certificate for exceptional achievement and citizenship he received in school. His point was that the Waldos chose 4:20 as a meeting time because it accommodated after-school activities like sports and studying.

That timestamp soon became a short-hand for the act of smoking weed, and eventually spread beyond the Golden State's borders. The messenger? None other than The Grateful Dead. 

Dave Reddix, a member of the "Waldos," told TIME Magazine in 2017 that the band helped popularize the term during his tenure working as a roadie for bassist Phil Lesh. TIME reports that during a December show in 1990 some Deadheads in Oakland distributed flyers inviting people to smoke “420” at 4:20 p.m. on April 20.

One of the recipients of the flyer was Steven Bloom, a reporter at The High Times. The following year the popular cannabis publication printed that flyer and a new observance was born. 

Why is 4/20 associated with weed?

The Waldos themselves didn't begin to notice the holiday's far reach until the late 1990s, Reddix tells me. They began to see it spray-painted on benches and signs and decided they needed to set the record straight on the real story behind it. 

Now celebrities, cannabis shops, and novice smokers alike celebrate 4/20. 

Though other theories exist about the origins of 4/20, including references to a California police code and a Bob Dylan song , the Waldos have remained adamant that they are the true architects of the holiday. Reddix and Capper both shrugged off competing theories, saying no other group has presented evidence that was verified by a legitimate source. "Every year more and more people start claiming 4/20 as their own," Reddix joked. 

Their  documented proof , which is compiled on a website, is now kept in a bank safe in San Francisco, they said. The address is not so coincidentally located at 420 Montgomery Street.

Dog ate weed?: What to do if your pup got into cannabis

Happy 4/20!

The Waldos still gather each year to celebrate 4/20 together.

Last year, Reddix and Capper met fellow members of their high school toke club at the Lagunitas Brewery in Northern California which has a signature beer named after them: The Waldos' Special Ale. They describe its flavor profile, unsurprisingly, as "dank." 

"We didn't know at the time we were creating history but now we find it rather amusing that this has taken off," Reddix said. 

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USA TODAY is exploring the questions you and others ask every day. From "What is delta-8 THC?" to "How long does weed stay in your system?" to "What is hangxiety?" – we're striving to find answers to the most common questions you ask every day. Head to our Just Curious section to see what else we can answer for you.

What’s the Deal With the Bitcoin Halving?

I f you’ve talked to anyone invested in bitcoin lately, there’s a good chance you’ve heard about the halving. Some crypto enthusiasts intone the halving like a religious event with near mystical importance: They believe its mechanics are crucial to bitcoin’s continuing price surge. However, detractors claim that the halving is closer to a marketing gimmick.

The halving is expected to take place on April 19 or 20, depending on the current rate at which bitcoins are created. So, what is it, exactly? And is it hard-coded genius, or smoke and mirrors? 

What is the bitcoin halving?

The halving goes all the way back to bitcoin’s origin story, born in the ashes of the 2008 financial crash. The cryptocurrency’s creator—who went by Satoshi Nakamoto, but whose real identity remains unknown—invented bitcoin the following year, and dreamed of creating an international currency that would operate outside the control of governments or central banks. Crucially, Satoshi wrote that there would only ever be 21 million bitcoin, so as to temper its inflation and potentially make each bitcoin more valuable over time. 

Whereas the Federal Reserve, in contrast, can adjust the supply of dollars when they deem necessary, bitcoins would be released at a predetermined and ever-slowing pace. Satoshi determined that roughly every four years, the reward to create new bitcoins would be cut in half, in events known as “halvings.” As it became harder to create new bitcoins, each one would become rarer and more valuable, the theory went. Eventually, new bitcoin would stop being created entirely (that will likely not happen for at least another century).

Read More: Why Bitcoin Just Hit Its All-Time High

What has happened during past bitcoin halvings?

The halving is designed to make bitcoin more scarce, and ostensibly to push bitcoin’s price upward. And for the last three halvings, that’s exactly what has happened. After bitcoin’s first halving in November 2012, bitcoin’s price rose from $12.35 to $127 five months later. After the second halving in 2016, bitcoin’s price doubled to $1,280 within eight months. And between the third halving in May 2020 and March 2021, bitcoin’s price rose from $8,700 to $60,000. 

But correlation does not imply causation, especially with such a small sample size. First, it’s possible that the timing of these rises was purely coincidental. It’s also possible that bitcoin’s rise has less to do with the actual mechanics of the halvings as opposed to the halvings’ narratives. With each halving, excitement grows about bitcoin’s potential, leading more people to buy in. That increase in demand causes the price to increase, which causes even more interest in a self-reinforcing cycle. 

What will happen to bitcoin during this halving? 

The halving will likely not cause a significant movement in price on the day it happens. Part of the economic impact of the halving has likely already occurred, with investors buying bitcoin in anticipation of the event, and the aftershocks of the halving will continue for months or years afterward, experts say.

“Given the previous history, the day-of tends to be a non-event for the price,” says Matthew Sigel, head of digital assets research at the global investment manager VanEck. 

Another factor that makes it difficult to predict where bitcoin is headed post-halving is that this time, the economic circumstances surrounding it are different. It's the first time that bitcoin has peaked before a halving, as opposed to after—last month, bitcoin rallied to an all-time high of $70,000 before dropping back down. That rally was aided by the rise of bitcoin ETFs: investment vehicles that allow mainstream institutional investors to bet on bitcoin’s price without having to actually buy bitcoin itself.

But there are some pessimists who believe that bitcoin’s big run has already happened, thanks to the ETFs—and that its price will actually decrease after the halving. A big reason for this, they believe, will be the actions of traders embarking on the strategy of “selling the news,” who cash in on their holdings in order to capitalize on a potential gold rush of interested buyers. JP Morgan predicted in February that bitcoin’s price will drop back down to $42,000 after “Bitcoin-halving-induced euphoria subsides.” 

“Have we already created the buzz for bitcoin prior to halving—or is the ETF what allows Bitcoin to make similar run ups that we've seen in previous halvings?” says Adam Sullivan, the CEO of the bitcoin mining company Core Scientific. “We don't have to answer that question yet.” 

While many bitcoin optimists swear that its price will dramatically increase in the months following the halving, it’s important to remember that bitcoin does not always behave rationally, especially during chaotic global news events. After Iran launched a missile attack on Israel on April 13, for example, rattling the global economy, bitcoin’s price plummeted 7% in less than an hour.

Read More: A Texas Town’s Misery Underscores the Impact of Bitcoin Mines Across the U.S.

What will happen to bitcoin miners during the halving?

While determining the halving's impact on average bitcoin investors is challenging, it seems certain that the halving will dramatically change the bitcoin mining industry. Bitcoin “miners” are essentially the network’s watchdogs, who safeguard the network from attacks, create new bitcoins, and get rewarded financially for doing so. After the halving, miners’ rewards for processing new transactions will be reduced from 6.25 bitcoin to 3.125 (about $200,000)—a significant immediate reduction of revenue. 

As a result, mining will become unprofitable for many smaller operations. As they fold or sell themselves to bigger operations, like Marathon Digital Holdings Inc. or CleanSpark Inc., the industry will likely consolidate. “People are going to operate in a marginally profitable environment for as long as they possibly can,” Sullivan says. “Those are folks that will probably look to get scooped up, probably in the six-to-12 month timeframe.” 

But the bitcoin mining companies that weather the storm and gain market share from those who have bowed out could reap enormous rewards, Matthew Sigel says. “Miners are always the cockroaches of the energy markets; they're very nimble,” he says. “We think the second half of the year will be very strong for bitcoin miners, as long as the bitcoin price rallies.” 

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• 6 Compliments That Land Every Time
• What's the Deal With the Bitcoin Halving?
• If You're Dating Right Now , You're Brave: Column
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Media Center 4/17/2024 6:35:00 PM Meghan Durham Wright

Division I Council approves changes to transfer rules

Student-athletes who meet progress-toward-degree requirements to be immediately eligible at new school.

The Division I Council on Wednesday unanimously adopted a package of rules changes to allow transferring student-athletes who meet certain academic eligibility requirements to be immediately eligible at their new school, regardless of whether they transferred previously. The council's action is not final until the meeting concludes Thursday and is subject to ratification by the Division I Board of Directors at its meeting later this month. If ratified, the rules would be effective immediately.

Specifically, to be immediately eligible after a transfer, undergraduate student-athletes would have to have left their previous school while academically eligible and in good standing (not subject to disciplinary suspension or dismissal) and meet progress-toward-degree requirements at their new school before competing. For graduate transfer student-athletes to be eligible, they would have to earn a degree from their previous school, leave while academically eligible and be enrolled as a full-time postgraduate student while continuing to satisfy minimum academic standards.

"With these rule changes, NCAA members continue to prioritize long-term academic success for college athletes who transfer, while supporting their opportunity to compete immediately," said Lynda Tealer, deputy athletics director at Florida and chair of the council. "We hope that this practical approach to transfer eligibility requirements will encourage student-athletes to make well-informed decisions about transferring and the impacts such a move could have on their ability to graduate on time in their degree of choice, particularly as it relates to transferable credits."

Moving forward, student-athletes are expected to enter the Transfer Portal within their sport's notification-of-transfer windows, which Division I members emphasized are important for providing transparency to student-athletes and coaches for recruitment opportunities, roster management and financial aid planning. There will continue to be exceptions to the legislated transfer windows, including for the departure of a head coach or a discontinued sport. Student-athletes who plan to enroll as graduate students at their next school can enter the portal at any time during the academic year but must enter the portal prior to the conclusion of their respective sports' final transfer windows.

In addition to reviewing the council actions during its meeting next week, the Division I board will consider directing the Committee on Academics to examine criteria for academic waivers and consider the creation of a Transfer Academic Progress Rate, which would give real-time information about the academic health of a school's four-year undergraduate transfer student-athletes. 

The board also will consider charging the Committee on Academics to study the creation of a Graduation Passport, which would specifically track academic progress and will provide a measure of graduation outcomes for student-athletes who transfer. This resource would be the first metric of its kind to specifically track graduation for students who transfer. Currently, the federal graduation rate does not count transfers as graduates, and the NCAA's graduation success rate generally assumes outcomes based on the academic status at the time of a student-athlete's departure. 

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