PhD in History

Our Students

The Ph.D. program in history welcomes accomplished students at all stages of professional development: recent undergraduates extending their education; mid-career professionals--teachers, museum professionals, active-duty military personnel, recent veterans, etc.--seeking career advancement or change; and retirees exploring second acts. We have also had many students complete the Ph.D. in History for personal enrichment. 

One of the greatest strengths of our Ph.D. program is its high success rate in terms of career outcomes for our graduates. Visit Ph.D. Student Career Outcomes for a select list of placements.

Program Highlights

Our innovative doctoral program combines traditional historical research and teaching methods with the advanced and in-demand skills of the digital humanities. As a result, our Ph.D. program prepares students for careers not only in university teaching, but also in digital media, publishing, educational administration, library science, archival preservation, and public history.

All Mason Ph.D. history students gain expertise in both conventional historical methods and new media technologies. Students pursue a major field in U.S. history, European history, or comparative/world history, then specialize by selecting a minor field of the student's own design, such as the Atlantic World, cultural history, digital history, military history, public history, or religious history, among many others. 

Digital History

Our department has been an international leader in digital history and humanities since 1994, when the Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media was founded. All doctoral students in our program receive training in digital history, and students may elect to specialize in digital history for their minor field. With faculty support, dissertations may be fully digital, have a digital history component, or rely on digital tools and methods (in addition to traditionally researched, text-only manuscripts).

RRCHNM also provides financial support to some doctoral students.

Public History

For students interested in public history, we regularly offer courses about museums and historical memory. In addition, our location in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area gives students wonderful opportunities for internships, research, and personal enrichment at institutions such as the Smithsonian, the Library of Congress, the National Archives, the Navy and Marine Corps museums, George Washington's Mount Vernon, and George Mason’s Gunston Hall, among many others.

For More Information

Learn more about what we have to offer:

Program Requirements

  • Degree Requirements (tab above) provides a succinct overview of the degree. 
  • Ph.D. Program in History on the Department of History & Art History website provides more detailed information about requirements and procedures.

Application Information

Current & Former Students

Tags:

History