History Doctoral Programs in the United States and Canada

Northwestern Univ.

Department Web Site

Areas of Specialization:

Americas, Europe, Middle East/Asia/Africa, comparative

Program Description

The Northwestern program is distinguished by its relatively compact size, admitting only 15 to 20 students each year. It seeks to prepare students for distinguished careers as teachers and scholars.

Special Programs or Resources

Students have access to exceptional archival and library resources at Northwestern (especially its Africana collection) and in the Chicago area, among them the Newberry Library, the Chicago Historical Society, and the University of Chicago. Among key related programs at Northwestern are the Program of African Studies, the Gender Studies Program, and the University’s rich resources in performance, music, and other arts. They also benefit from diverse, career-building teaching opportunities and ample resources to develop teaching skills both within and beyond the department.

Financial Aid

All students admitted into our Ph.D. program receive 12-month fellowship assistance during their first year (currently an $18,000 stipend plus tuition) and a guarantee, contingent on satisfactory progress, of four years of full funding. Most receive their first year’s funding from Northwestern, others from some outside granting agency. After their first year, Ph.D. students in history customarily receive teaching assistantships for the next three years, or else funding from other University sources or from outside sources (in both cases, our students have been highly competitive).. In the last several years, the Department has also funded all fifth and sixth-year students at the levels they requested.

Degree Requirements

The principal formal requirements for the Ph.D. in history are as follows:
1) Completion of 18 courses during the first two years of study, including two quarters of work each year in an intensive research seminar;
2) Passing of examinations in three areas (a general field, a specialization within that field, and a minor field) during the second and third year of study;
3) Demonstration of pertinent language skills;
4) Submission of a dissertation prospectus or proposal by the beginning of the third year of study;
5) Presentation of an approved dissertation.
Satisfying the first four requirements leads to admission to candidacy for the Ph.D.; approval of the dissertation by the responsible faculty committee results in the award of the degree.
Within the framework of these general requirements, students develop individual programs of study and research with designated advisors and advisory committees, subject to the approval of the department's graduate program committee. These faculty advisors help students define fields, select an appropriate combination of specific courses, design and schedule suitable language study and examinations, and develop dissertation projects.

University Information:

University Type: Private, not-for-profit

Carnegie Institution Ranking: Doctoral/Research Universities—Extensive

Department Demographics:

First PhD conferred: 1918

History PhDs conferred to Date: 445

Relative Size Based on PhDs Conferred (2000–04): Medium [Explain]

Faculty Mix:
	Full Professor	16
	Associate Professor	11
	Assistant Professor	8
	Instructor/Lecturer
	Joint Appointment	8
	Emeritus Faculty	8
	Part-time faculty	4

Relative Size based on Number of Full-time Faculty: Large [Explain]

Number of Graduate Students in Program (Fall 2005): 79
(Graduate student counts include those enrolled in terminal Master's degree program)

Proportion of Full-Time Graduate Students: 100%

New Graduate Students Entering Program, Fall 2004: 15

Relative Size Based on Graduate Student Enrollment (2002–04): Medium [Explain]

 

Other Information

     Current Dissertations in Progress

     PhDs Conferred by Department