History Doctoral Programs in the United States and Canada

Lehigh Univ.

Department Web Site

Areas of Specialization:

colonial America, U.S., technology, public

Program Description

The Department of History at Lehigh University focuses graduate studies in two primary areas: the history of the Atlantic world 1500-1900, which offers a comparative and integrative approach to studying the development of nations, economic systems and trade, colonization, and cultural encounters among the people of Europe, Africa, and the Americas; and Industrial America, which emphasizes the process of American industrialization in a comparative framework and within the context of intellectual, social, cultural, business, labor, and political history. The history of technology itself is also an important area of study within the larger field of Industrial America.
In collaboration with other Lehigh University departments, the Department of History also offers coursework in Public History, including oral history, documentary film, archival management, historical editing, material culture, website development, museum studies, local history, historical archeology, and nonprofit administration. These courses may be taken within the M.A. and PhD programs, or on a non-degree basis.

Special Programs or Resources

For the Atlantic world area, the Lehigh libraries contain an extensive collection of rare books and published primary materials relevant to early American history and British history from the 17th through the 19th centuries. The Bethlehem area is itself a rich resource and Lehigh has close working relationships with nearby libraries and museums. In addition to these resources, the Lawrence Henry Gipson Institute for Eighteenth Century Studies brings together scholars in related disciplines by sponsoring an annual symposium, a lecture program, grants for research by both faculty and students, and an annual dissertation fellowship.
For Industrial America, because of Lehigh's strengths in the sciences, engineering, and business, there are many faculty with interests allied to the history of technology who participate in program events and teach related courses. This field is also closely linked to Lehigh's Science, Technology, and Society program, which has gained a national reputation for its curriculum and for the symposia and publications of its Technology Studies Resource Center.
Additionally, the program has close ties with local area museums, including the Colonial Industrial Quarter and the Canal Museum.

Financial Aid

Financial aid packages with stipends and full tuition remission include university and college fellowships, teaching assistantships, and a graduate assistantship. Full tuition scholarships and partial tuition scholarships are also available. Please contact the graduate program director or department chair for more information.

Degree Requirements

A student entering the Lehigh graduate program with a B.A. must complete 30 credit hours for the M.A. and an additional 42 credit hours for the Ph.D. A student entering the Lehigh program with an M.A. must complete an additional 48 credit hours for the Ph.D. Ph.D. students must pass a comprehensive written and oral examination in one major field and three minor fields, and submit an approved dissertation proposal, in order to be admitted to candidacy. Please see our web site for more information.

University Information:

University Type: Private, not-for-profit

Carnegie Institution Ranking: Doctoral/Research Universities—Extensive

Department Demographics:

First PhD conferred: 1954

History PhDs conferred to Date: 50

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

Faculty Mix:
	Full Professor	7
	Associate Professor	3
	Assistant Professor	2
	Instructor/Lecturer	1
	Joint Appointment	3
	Emeritus Faculty
	Part-time faculty	2

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

Number of Graduate Students in Program (Fall 2005): 44
(Graduate student counts include those enrolled in terminal Master's degree program)

Proportion of Full-Time Graduate Students: 83%

New Graduate Students Entering Program, Fall 2004: 11

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

 

Other Information

     Current Dissertations in Progress

     PhDs Conferred by Department