Doctor of Philosophy in the Field of History

In the PhD in history program, students delve into the subject with GW's world-renowned scholars. The program's proximity to some of the most important research repositories in the world, including the National Archives, Folger Shakespeare Library, National Security Archive, and Smithsonian museums, makes GW an ideal place to examine a variety of fields, from Renaissance Europe to the Cold War, and from imperial and colonial studies to modern American political and social history. Because the program is relatively small, students work closely with faculty and graduate with the knowledge, analytical tools, and writing skills for a range of professions.

The program offers full tuition remission and a full fellowship to cover living expenses for five years. During that period, doctoral candidates master relevant historiography and write a dissertation. PhD students gain teaching experience by serving as teaching assistants for undergraduate lecture courses.

Visit the program website for additional information.
 

Visit the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences website for application requirements.

Supporting documents not submitted online should be mailed to:

Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Office of Graduate Studies
The George Washington University
801 22nd Street NW, Phillips Hall 107
Washington DC 20052

For additional information about the admissions process visit the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences Frequently Asked Questions page.

Contact for questions:

askccas@gwu.edu
202-994-6210 (phone)
Hours: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday

The following requirements must be fulfilled:

The general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Graduate Programs.

Maintenance of a minimum GPA of 3.5.

Required

72 credits, including at least 45 credits in required and elective coursework, and 6 and to 27 credits in HIST 8999 Dissertation Research. Two specific courses, HIST 6005 Introduction to Historiography and HIST 6007 Historical Research and Writing, are required and must be completed in the first two years of the student’s program.

In each of the first two years of doctoral study, students must also take at least one 3-credit research seminar for which a research paper is required. If no such course is scheduled that fits the student’s area of study, the student can arrange for an independent study (taken under HIST 6097 Independent Readings and Research) with the permission of a specific instructor.

Up to 12 credits in coursework can be taken through the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area.

Language requirement

Students must pass language examinations when their field of study or dissertation topic requires proficiency in a particular language.