History & Art History

Prospective PhD Student FAQs

Application Process

1) What is the deadline for applying to the program? January 15.

2) Can I start the program in any semester? No, only in the Fall semester.

3) Are graduate assistantships available? Yes, full time students are eligible for graduate teaching and research assistantships. The assistantships pay your tuition (whether you are in-state or out-of-state) and also pay you a stipend, which in 2008-2009 is at least $12,500 for the year.

4) Do you have any courses offered at any other GMU campuses? Yes, occasionally a graduate course is offered on the Arlington Campus, but most are offered only at the Fairfax campus.

5) What should I include in my goals statement? A statement of the purpose for pursuing graduate study in your chosen major should include academic objectives, professional and research interests, and career goals. Also, you should indicate any relevant qualifications such as collegiate, professional, research, and community activities and any other substantial accomplishments that are not mentioned on the application form. Most important of all, however, your statement should spell out which particular area in which you wish to pursue dissertation research (U.S. military history, early modern French history, early American history, for example). You should indicate as clearly as you can any specific topics you have in mind for dissertation research, as well as indicate which faculty members in our department might be best suited to supervise a dissertation in your chosen area of interest.

6) Is a Ph.D. required for teaching at the community college level? No.

7) How do I set up a campus visit? To set up a campus visit, please email the Administrative Coordinator at sbloomqu@gmu.edu or call her at 703-993-1248.

8) As a Prospective Student, can I meet with the Graduate Director? Yes. To make an appointment with the Graduate Director, email the Graduate Office at sbloomqu@gmu.edu. Also, campus tours can be arranged at http://admissions.gmu.edu/common/visitMason.asp .

9) Where do I park on the GMU campus when I visit? In the Pond Parking Deck on campus.

10) Where is the graduate director’s office? Robinson Hall B, in Room 375A

Program Requirements

1) Is there a foreign language requirement? Students for whom a reading knowledge of particular foreign languages are necessary for their dissertation research are expected to be proficient in those languages. This would include virtually all students studying European or world history. Students whose dissertation research is conducted entirely from materials in English do not have a foreign language requirement. Please note, however, that even some areas in U. S. history—borderlands, Native-American history, and immigration history, for just the most obvious examples—may require extensive foreign language skills.

2) Do I have to have a master’s degree in history to apply to the program? No.

3) Do I need to submit GRE scores? Yes, though the verbal and writing scores are the only parts we consider.

4) Can I work part-time or even full time while in the program? Yes

5) How many years will it take to complete my degree? This depends entirely on your own individual progress. According to statistics kept by the American Historical Association, it can take anywhere from six to nine years to complete a doctoral dissertation in history. George Mason University allows students six years to advance to candidacy and five years to complete the dissertation once you advance to candidacy.

6) How many credits earned from my master’s degree may be counted toward reducing the total number of Ph.D. credits (72)? The maximum number of MA credits that may be counted toward the Ph.D. requirements is 30. Please consult with Dr. Barnes, however, who must approve all such credits. And in cases where the course-work is not listed on the transcript as History (American Studies or Military Studies, for example), you will normally need to provide a course syllabus before any evaluation cam be made. Ultimately, however, the number of MA credits actually applied to your Ph.D. requirements will also depend on how you define your major and minor fields. If all your MA course-work was in European history, for example, and your major and minor fields in the Ph.D. program are in American history, then none of that MA course-work will count toward your Ph.D. requirements. Dr. Barnes will not make any such decisions until after students have been admitted to the program.

Program Notes:

Doctoral students must make an appointment to see Dr. Steven Barnes (sbarnes3@gmu.edu) upon admittance to the program. Students are required to submit their approved program of study to the College of Humanities and Social Sciences once it has been approved by the Graduate Director.

Students must also submit their biographies immediately to Sharon Bloomquist at sbloomqu@gmu.edu, so they can be posted to the Ph.D. student website. In addition, they must also submit their dissertation titles as soon as it is known.

DOCTORAL PROGRAM MOST FREQUENTLY USED LINKS:

Patriot Web https://patriotweb.gmu.edu

History Website http://history.gmu.edu

Registrar’s Office http://registrar.gmu.edu/

Summer Website http://summer.gmu.edu

Library Website (Dissertations & theses) http://thesis.gmu.edu/

Human Resources http://hr.gmu.edu/

Consortium Services http://registrar.gmu.edu/students/consortium/index.html

Financial Aid http://www.gmu.edu/catalog/tuition/#Anchor34

Registrar Student Resources http://registrar.gmu.edu/students/index.html

University Forms http://registrar.gmu.edu/forms/index.html

People Finder http://www.gmu.edu/mlnavbar/finder/