Ph.D. Course Requirements

All Ph.D. Students

• HIS 200, Methods and Theories of History (Year 1, fall quarter)
• HIS 298A, Constructing a Field, an independent study with adviser (Year 1, fall or winter quarter)
• HIS 201, Directed Research Colloquium (Year 2, winter quarter)
• HIS 202, Practicing World History (Year 1)
• One of the following research seminars during your first four quarters:
  • HIS 204A, History of Gender
  • HIS 204C, Colonialism, Nationalism, and Race
  • HIS 204E, Transnationalism, Borderlands, and History
• HIS 280A, Graduate Proseminar (Year 1)
• Graduate students will complete at least five readings seminars in their research area / primary teaching field. These specializations must be defined in consultation with faculty advisors and declared by the end of the student’s first year in the Ph.D. program. Students may substitute  independent studies with advisors and other faculty members for two of these seminars.
  • Course examples, but not limited to: 200B, 209A, 210A, 210B, 217, 244, 263, 265
• Second teaching field: Two graduate courses in a second teaching field focused on a different region or analytical approach than the primary field.
• Outside courses: Two graduate courses outside the History Department.
• Beyond this, all other students who are not advanced to candidacy may select any of the two-unit courses offered by the department. Completion of a minimum of 14 five-unit courses (in addition to the HIS 280A) is required for advancement to candidacy. 

Foreign Language Requirement

Students with a primary teaching field in U.S. history are expected to demonstrate a reading competency in at least one foreign language prior to taking the qualifying examination. Students in all other teaching fields must demonstrate a reading competency in at least two foreign languages prior to taking the qualifying examination; competency in one of the languages must be demonstrated by the end of the sixth quarter of enrollment and competency in a second language must be demonstrated by the end of the eight quarter of enrollment. Usually, competency will be demonstrated by passing a reading exam administered by a member of the History faculty. Students who believe that they have already demonstrated competency through previous course work or through their performance on a standardized test should petition the graduate director.