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New York at Binghamton, U. of

Department Web Site

Areas of Specialization:

U.S., Europe, women, comparative social and labor, Middle East and East Asia

Program Description

The Department of History offers a full range of courses and programs in the fields of European and American history and also has particular strength in Ottoman and Middle Eastern history. It offers exceptionally strong training in the fields of social, labor, and gender and women's history, and in the history of science, technology, and medicine. While concentrating on the history of one nation or geographic area, students are encouraged to develop a comparative and/or global perspective in their work.

Special Programs or Resources

The Department cooperates closely with a host of interdisciplinary programs and departments to offer students additional instruction in comparative and world history perspectives. These include the Fernand Braudel Center for the Study of Economies, Historical Systems and Civilizations; the Center for Medieval and Early Renaissance Studies; the Center for the Historical Study of Women and Gender; the Asian and Asian American Studies Program; the Middle East and North Africa Studies Program; the Judaic Studies Department; and the Africana Studies Department.

Financial Aid

Teaching assistantships include tuition waivers, stipends of up to $15,000 a year, and excellent medical insurance. Clifford D. Clark Graduate Fellowships for Diversity are also available. Doctoral students customarily receive four to five years of support. On a competitive basis, students are eligible for dissertation fellowship support, which permits students to work on their dissertations without any accompanying teaching obligation. In addition, a number of Centers associated with the department offer assistantships that entail work on externally funded projects. Residents of New York who are also admitted without an assistantship or fellowship may apply for the Tuition Assistance Program and frequently obtain on-campus employment.

Degree Requirements

Master's students must complete 32 credit hours toward their degree in history, including one required course in historiography and one research seminar, with a B average or higher. They must also fulfill one language exam relevant to their field (there is no language required for Americanists) and successfully complete the M.A. examination in their area. The writing of a M.A. thesis is optional and is undertaken in addition to the M.A. examination. After successful completion of the M.A. and an additional 24 credit hours, doctoral candidates are required to take a comprehensive examination The examination covers both major and minor fields and includes a dissertation prospectus. All PhD students must demonstrate proficiency in a language other than their native language. Quantitative methods or other couses may satisfy the language requirement for students who specialize in anglophone areas. With completion of the dissertation, students must pass a formal defense with their advisor and two committee members in addition to an external observer.