Ph.D. Program in History

Information related to the Ph.D. Program in History was updated in August 2026.

Introduction

The Ph.D. in History prepares students for careers in college teaching, digital media, publishing, educational administration, library science, archival preservation, public history, and historical research. Students gain expertise in both conventional historical methods and web-based technologies. Major fields of study include U.S. history, European history, and world/comparative history. Students specialize by devising a minor field such as cultural history, military history, religious history, political history, and new media and information technology, among others.

Career Paths

Students may organize their program of study to suit various career objectives: 

  • College/university teaching: For students seeking a career in teaching or research at the community college or university level.
  • New media and information technology: For students seeking careers in new media (for example, in publishing, educational technology, or as a technology coordinator in a college or university setting).
  • Public and applied history: For students interested in museums, archives, historic preservation, documentary editing, or other applied fields. Students may be at the beginning of their careers or already working in the field.
  • Professional development: For mid-career professionals in need of an advanced degree to enhance their intellectual breadth and marketability.

In addition, we have had many students at all life stages pursue the Ph.D. in History for personal enrichment.

Digital History

Our department has been a leader in digital history and humanities since 1994, when our late colleague Roy Rosenzweig founded the Center for History and New Media. 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 those interested in public history, we regularly offer courses about museums and historical memory. In addition, our location in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area gives students wonderful opportunities for internships, research, and personal enrichment at such institutions 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.