Admissions to Graduate Study
Admission is by vote of the executive committee. An undergraduate major in history is normally preferred but not required. The student's undergraduate course of study should include some fundamental courses in American history and related fields. Students with an M.A. degree in history or a professional degree in law or other related fields are encouraged to apply.
We ask every candidate to complete an application (Request an application from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences) and to submit the usual array of transcripts and letters of recommendation. We also ask to see a writing sample--a paper or two, or a few chapters from a thesis--and weigh it more heavily in our admissions process than is the case in other programs. We encourage applicants to visit the campus and meet faculty and students before the admission deadline.
Every applicant is also asked to take the Graduate Record Examination and send us the result. Further information about the examination is available from the Educational Testing Service, P.O. Box 6000, Princeton, New Jersey, 08541-6000; phone, (609) 771-7670.
The deadline for a completed doctoral application to the American history program is January 15. The deadline for M.A. candidates to the American history program is April 30.
Brandeis University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, or disability.