Doctorate in History (PhD)
By pursuing a PhD degree in history, you will explore the world's broad historical questions and delve deeply into regional and national histories in an environment that prizes collaborative learning.
Whether you are preparing for an academic position or a career in the public or private sector, a PhD in history will enable you to make sense of the past and connect that understanding to the most pressing challenges of the present.
Why Brandeis?
Under the close guidance of a Brandeis historian, you will learn to conduct primary-source research — the foundation of your doctoral degree — while pursuing a flexible course of study that reflects your interests and further develops your critical-thinking, research, and writing skills.
While our department has special strengths in American and European history, doctoral candidates can take advantage of a diverse range of other graduate programs at Brandeis to complement their course of study.
As a PhD student, you will create and teach your own courses and receive tuition waivers and generous fellowship support. Mastery of at least one foreign language is required.
In our program, you will benefit from the hallmarks of a Brandeis education: small classes, dedicated mentoring by internationally recognized faculty, intellectual diversity, career support, and the wealth of academic and cultural resources Boston offers.
Careers and Alumni
Our alumni have gone on to careers such as:
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Senior editor of The Atlantic, Politics section
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Director of history at the Federal Judicial Center
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Director of the Henry George Birthplace, Archive and Historical Research Center
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Professor positions at institutions such as William Woods University, George Mason University, and Wentworth Institute of Technology
Fellowships and Aid
All students admitted to the PhD program receive tuition waivers and fellowships renewable for a total of five years. Learn more about the Irving and Rose Crown Fellowships.
Alumni Spotlight
Natalie Cornett, PhD’21, has transformed her dissertation into a book, "The Politics of Love: Gender and Nation in Nineteenth-Century Poland," which will come out in 2024 from Cornell University Press. She joined GSAS to talk about the journey from dissertation to first book.