PhD Program
Whether examining North Korean foreign policy or tracing the Ku Klux Klan’s penetration of 20th century American culture, our doctoral candidates are immersed in the research and writing of history based on the critical examination of sources, the selection of particular details from the authentic materials in those sources, and the synthesis of those details into a narrative that stands the test of critical examination. Graduates of our program are history professors, high school teachers, government researchers, archivists, museum curators and published authors on topics ranging from Cold War politics to the role of mosquitoes in the Civil War.
Application Deadline: Please visit the GW Bulletin for the most up to date information regarding applying.
History Info Sessions
Join us online for an information session discussing the field of history and the GW Master of Arts in History and PhD in History programs. Note: there will also be a session on the new MA in Museums, History and Culture on December 4.
Funding and Teaching Assistantships
Every Ph.D. student receives full tuition remission and a fellowship to cover living expenses for five years. Learn more about course loads, transfer credits, extended and part-time study options in the CCAS Graduate Student Academic Policies.
Students gain teaching experience by serving as teaching assistants for undergraduate lecture courses. Several of our graduate students have won Philip J. Amsterdam Graduate Teaching Awards for their contributions. Visit the Office of Graduate Student Assistantships and Fellowships to find and apply for positions.
Program Course Requirements
The following requirements must be fulfilled:
The general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Graduate Programs.
The requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Program.
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 Writing History, 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 are required to pass language examinations when their field of study or dissertation topic requires proficiency in a particular language.
Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.5 to remain in the program.