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Syracuse University

Dept. of History
145 Eggers Hall
Syracuse, NY 13244-1020

Phone 315.443.2210
Fax 315.443.5876
E-mail: history@maxwell.syr.edu

Department Web Site

Areas of Specialization:

Africa; East Asia; Europe; Latin America; North American/United States; South Asia; Thematic Fields

Program Description

The history department stresses its role as a bridging discipline between the humanities and social sciences. As such, the department invites highly qualified applicants with backgrounds in history as well as other related fields, such as philosophy, literature, religious studies, classics, and political science. The graduate program is relatively small and provides a substantial amount of contact between students and faculty. The M.A. degree is offered, but the program focuses on awarding the Ph.D. to students interested in research and teaching.

Special Programs or Resources

The history department is part of the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, and hence its students draw on the substantial strengths of the various Centers and Institutes of the School (The Alan K. Campbell Public Affairs Institute, The Moynihan Institute for Public Affairs, The Program for the Advancement of Research on Conflict and Collaboration, etc.). Students also benefit from numerous area-studies and interdisciplinary programs at Syracuse University, as well as the broad academic strength offered by the College of Arts and Sciences. At the M.A. level, students have access to numerous certificate and joint-degree programs are available, such as the Maxwell/Newhouse School of Public Communications program in Documentary Film and History, or Certificates from the Latin American, Middle Eastern, Women's Studies or Security Studies programs.

Financial Aid

Nearly all students accepted into the Ph.D. program are offered funding in the form of some combination of teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and fellowships. The department and the University support graduate students with some competitive fellowships that do not require teaching, which are usually available at the entering (first-year) stage or for dissertation research.

Degree Requirements

The program of study leading to the Ph.D. consists of four elements:

1. completion of coursework
2. mastery of language requirements
3. the completion of qualifying examinations in one major and two minor fields
4. preparation of a dissertation, usually in the major field

Coursework:
A minimum of 48 credits of graduate coursework is required for the Ph.D. degree. The coursework develops basic analytical and research skills and grounds students in their areas of specialization. In addition, a maximum of 24 credits must be devoted to dissertation work. All together, students must have a total of 72 credits to receive the Ph.D.

Language Requirement
Each candidate must demonstrate the mastery of at least one language (beyond English, the language of instruction). Many major fields require a second language. This requirement is fulfilled by passing a written translation examination.

Comprehensive Exams
Candidates for the Ph.D. usually take comprehensive examinations at the end of their third year of graduate study (end of the second for students who enter the program with an M.A. in hand).



University Information:

Information from Department of Education
(Includes information on the size, location, and general characteristics of faculty and student body)

Information from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
(Includes rating of the institution's rating of the graduate instructional program and size and setting)

 

Faculty Information (Fall 2011):

Full-time Faculty: 20

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

 

Student Demographics (Fall 2011):

Number of Doctoral Students in Program: 49

New Doctoral Students Entering Program: 10

Proportion of Doctoral Students Receiving Financial Aid: 57%

Number of Graduate Students Enrolled: 54

Relative Size Based on Graduate Student Enrollment: Medium [Explain]

 

Degree Information:

First PhD conferred: 1883

History PhDs conferred to Date: 212

Number of PhDs Conferred (2011–12): 2

Relative Size Based on PhDs Conferred: Small [Explain]

Current Dissertations in Progress

PhDs Conferred by Department

 

 

Last Updated: October 19, 2012