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History

About the Program

Brandeis University's M.A. and Ph.D. programs in History train students to research, write, and teach history at the highest level. Our program’s broad and rigorous training will equip students to make a contribution beyond the academy; students are encouraged to tackle problems of large and urgent importance, not only to other scholars, but to wider civic dialogues that require an understanding of the past. Our faculty members prepare future historians for the excitement and challenges of a career devoted to exploring and explaining the past. A flexible program of study allows students to work closely with the faculty.

Despite its relatively small size, the Department of History offers students a comprehensive, flexible, varied, and vibrant curriculum, which includes our dynamic and interdisciplinary “Thematic Seminars,” which cross national borders to explore such themes as Film and History, the Atlantic World, Diaspora and Decolonization, or the Rise of the Modern State. The History department takes pride in having among its faculty members and graduate program alumni several award-winning historians. It thus combines the best of both worlds: the intimacy of a small liberal-arts college department and the intellectual strength of a major research institution.

Degree Options

•  Ph.D. in History (full-time)
•  M.A. in History (full-time)

Courses and Completion Requirements

For the most updated course listing, course descriptions, and degree requirements, please click here.

Faculty

We encourage you to explore one of the department’s greatest assets through our faculty pages. Learn more about the people who will help guide you along your graduate school path here.

Additional Resources

Consortium: Our membership in the Boston consortium allows you to take courses at Tufts University, Boston University, and Boston College, thus enhancing your Brandeis experience and the spirit of collaboration which Brandeis embodies.
Student Services: At Brandeis, you will become part of a community that is strengthened by life both within and outside of the classroom and laboratory walls. Please visit Student Services to see the array of University resources, events, and programming for graduate students, including our Graduate Student Services Center, Off-Campus Housing, Health Insurance, English as a Second Language (ESL) program, Disability Resources, Counseling Center, Career Services, and the Graduate Student Association.

Admission Information

Admission Semester:

Fall only

Application Deadlines:

Ph.D.: Jan. 15
M.A.: Rolling through Apr. 30; review of applications begins Jan. 15

Admission Requirements:

To apply for the program, you need to submit:

• An application to the graduate school, which can be electronically submitted here;
• An application fee (please click here for instructions);
• Official transcripts from all universities and colleges attended; applicants must provide a final transcript indicating successful completion of an undergraduate degree program before registration;
• A curriculum vitae (CV) or resumé
• Two letters of recommendation, which the admissions committee prefers to be submitted online (please click here for more information);
• A statement of purpose indicating your reasons for undertaking graduate study. In addition, please describe your qualifications for the academic program and your objectives in undertaking this program. The statement should clearly outline the historical problems or themes you intend to investigate. The statement should also indicate how your research interests would complement those of the faculty. Applicants to the master's program should discuss their academic and professional career plans and how the Graduate School could help them attain their goals.
• Critical writing sample not exceeding 35 pages; the 35-page maximum may consist of a single critical essay or two shorter essays of approximately equal length.
• Graduate Record Exam (GRE) general test is required. Our ETS institution code is 3092.

International students:  For additional requirements for international applicants (non-U.S. citizens or non-permanent residents), minimum TOEFL and IELTS scores, and important information regarding visas, please click here.

For a more comprehensive description of application requirements, please click here.

Financial Aid

Generous financial aid is available; for more information please click here.