History Masters in US
This section will address how to select which program you should attend.
ACTION-STEPS/RESOURCES
- History is a big subject that allows for a lot of choice in graduate studies. Students can earn a master’s or PhD in specific fields like Renaissance Studies or get a degree in Historic Preservation. Just getting started with history? Try a Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies or Archival Studies. Finding a graduate program in history can be difficult for prospective students. Filter your search by Master’s Graduate History Programs or PhD Graduate History Programs. If you have a more specific skill in mind, search by Graduate Certificate History Programs. Browse Degree Options in History.
- The first place to begin your program research is to consult with professors at your undergraduate institution; they can help suggest programs that would be appropriate. Then search the AHA’s database and carefully review the history department websites of schools to which you think you might apply. Consultation of these sites will enable you to get a sense of program basics, degree requirements, the interests of faculty and current graduate students, admission requirements, and application procedures. Not all sites will be equally informative, but it is important to try to cull as much information from them as you can. At this early phase, it is particularly important to pay attention to faculty profiles. The faculty, and especially your advisor, have an enormous impact on your professional training, so the importance of finding someone appropriate to work with cannot be emphasized too strongly. Most faculty members only accept students whose interests are relatively close to their general area of interest. Take some time to read something written by your potential advisor so that you can articulate in your correspondence and application why you think your intellectual interests are a good match for this program and advisor. It is advised that you write to a potential advisor before you apply. Describe something about yourself and your research interests and inquire politely whether he or she might be willing to supervise a dissertation on the subject (but take care not to be too wedded to a specific question or approach because professors want to know that you are open to learning more). Contacting your potential mentor gives them an opportunity to tell you if they are over-committed to supervising other dissertations, if they are planning an extended sabbatical, or perhaps if they are planning to retire.
- When choosing between colleges, there are several questions you need to ask yourself about each history program you consider. These questions include:
- Does the program offer courses in the area of history, which I am most interested in studying?
- Does the department mostly focus on traditional history, or is cultural history included as well?
- Is the library equipped with academic journals and up-to-date multimedia resources (film, video, and photos) that I will need as a serious history major?
- Will there be opportunities for internships and research experience with a local historical society or museum?
- The AHA’s newsmagazine Perspectives offers regular items for graduate students ranging from general advice to specific information about the state of the history job market. The Recommended Reading for Potential Applicants might be particularly helpful as you consider doctoral study. To have State-wise information, browse the History of Doctoral Programs by State.
- For Master’s/Ph.D. in Public History: The Public History Navigator is a consumer’s guide to public history programs designed to help students prepare for, select, and succeed in a graduate public history program. This “consumer’s guide to public history programs” is designed to help history undergraduates prepare for, select, and succeed in a graduate public history program. The Navigator also includes links to other online resources that will help undergrads navigate the waters of grad school. It’s also great for high schoolers who are considering pursuing history or public history as their focus of study in college.
- Top programs: Here is the complete list of Best History Schools in the USA. In a nutshell, strong graduate marketing schools are:
- Top Five: American University, Arizona State University, Auburn University, Binghamton University–SUNY, Boston College.
- Next Ten: Boston University, Bowling Green State University, Brandeis University, Brown University, Carnegie Mellon University, Case Western Reserve University, The Catholic University of America, Central Michigan University, Claremont Graduate University, Clark University.
- Top program by specialty: make sure to check the ranking of programs based on their specialty subfield in History.
Complement the above field-specific tips with general tips on program selection (under the tab of ‘selection’).
MOTIVATIONS FOR DEGREE
If you are fascinated by learning about the past and how it affects the future, if you love reading historical fiction or nonfiction for fun, you might consider studying history in the United States. As a history major, you will learn how to interpret objects and written documents from the past, read the works of published historians and evaluate their ideas. Students who study history in the United States have nearly endless career options open to them. Some of these career options include:
- Archivists: Archivists care for permanent records and historically valuable documents such as letters, diaries, clippings, legal documents, maps, films, videos, sound recordings, and other records. They may also take part in research activities based on archival materials.
- Curators: Curators run the educational, research, and public service activities of museums, zoos, and other institutions. They work closely with museum educators, zookeepers, publicists, and publishers to produce exhibits, special events, and publications.
- Teachers: Elementary, middle, and high school teachers work in public or private schools, imparting knowledge to their students and trying to instill in them a love of learning.
- Historians: Historians collect and interpret materials from the past. They use these materials to answer questions about the importance of historical events, their causes, and their effects.
- Librarians: Librarians help people find information in resources such as books, magazines and the internet. They collect, catalog, and organize information.
These are just some of the countless careers that students who study history might choose to go into. Whatever your specific interests, you will be able to find a way to put your love of history to use. >To Read More
Skills gained with a History Degree: History provides graduates with a wide range of transferable skills. Principally, students develop the ability to understand and analyze issues and events to a high level of competence. Other marketable skills include:
- a talent for clear expression, both oral and written;
- putting forward ideas and arguments in a concise manner;
- gathering, investigating and assessing material;
- basing conclusions on research and generating ideas;
- organizing material in a logical and coherent way.
To employers who recruit graduates in any discipline, these skills will be more important than the actual subject.
For Master’s Applicants:
- Some master’s programs combine history and other disciplines, such as education, while others are designed as pathways to doctoral programs. You’ll also be equipped to seek out certifications that may further aid you in pursuit of your career of choice. Master’s degree programs in history typically cover ancient and modern world history, including discussion of how past events have affected the present. Many graduate history programs examine how history has impacted gender and race relations, politics and society. Students learn to put historical events into context, gather data, write reports and share information with scholars and the general public.
- Master’s courses tend to lean towards specialisms (such as oriental history) or broad fields (such as modern history). Professor Richard Whiting, head of the history department at the University of Leeds, says research indicates that the higher your degree, the more employable you’ll be. “In the past, one sensed that more specialized students became less attractive to employers but the reverse is now true,” he says. Besides the usual two-year master’s options, Leeds does a research MA for one year. “It’s like a mini PhD, which takes students to a whole new level of research competence,” says Whiting.
- Average Salary by Job: The amount you’ll earn with a master’s degree in history depends in part on the job you take after you graduate. It’s important to remember the vast amount of options available, namely in some of the most exciting institutions in the country. Here are a few of your options, along with the average salaries you can expect according to reports:
- Executive Assistant: $45,000
- Middle School Teacher: $47,831
- Assistant Professor: $49,382
- Archivist: $49,495
- High School Teacher: $50,231
- Non-Profit Executive Director: $63,500
For PhD Applicants:
- A Ph.D. in History is a terminal degree in the field and can take up to 5-7 years of study beyond any undergraduate studies.
- Most students earning their Ph.D. in History go on to become professors at the university level. Professors are required to both teach and conduct research on behalf of the university and then present that research at conferences with other professors. Individuals who hold a Ph.D. in History might also work as historians, compiling and interpreting historical information contained in various archives and artifacts.
- Job Outlook & Salary Info: Professors may advance in both pay and standing within the university by publishing their research work in a university press and independent journals. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), postsecondary teaching positions were expected to increase 19% from 2012-2022, which was faster-than-average growth. History postsecondary teachers earned a mean yearly wage of $73,090 in May 2012. Meanwhile, historian jobs were predicted to grow six percent from 2012-2022. This was slower than average, due in part to decreased federal funding expected. The BLS also reported that historians made an average yearly salary of $58,240 in May 2012.
- If you are confused between a Master’s or a PhD in History, then browse through What Can You Do With a PhD in History? vs. What Can You Do With a Masters in History? by Study.com
Some excellent links to career information include:
- Career Diversity for Historians by American Historical Association
- 20 Enlightening YouTube Videos About Careers in the History Field
- What Can You Do With a History Degree? by Top University Career Advice
- What Can I Do As A History Major? by UC – Davis
- What to do with a degree in history? by The Guardian
- Careers in History by Washington University in St. Louis – Department of History
- Academic and Career Options for History Majors Video by Study.com
A lot of our tips talk about how you can strengthen your application, but you can build a stronger application when you’ve done the things this program values in the years prior to the application. The application itself is the communication part (in which you communicate what you’ve done to the admission committee), but this section gives guidance on the substance part (what you can actually do before you apply). In this section, we talk about what you can do in the years leading up to applying that can make you an ideal candidate. Supplement the following tips with general tips (under the tab of ‘Pre-Application’) to become a competitive applicant.
ACADEMIC EXPERIENCES/BACKGROUND
An undergraduate major in History or related social sciences provides an excellent foundation for graduate study in a wide range of fields. If your goal is graduate school, your undergraduate studies in history are an excellent place to start. Here are some pointers:
- Bachelor’s degree Requirement: Mostly, a bachelor’s degree in History is not required for admission to the graduate program, but having an undergraduate degree in history increases your chances of admission. Whatever your major, it is important to have a strong background related to the area of history or related social sciences to which you will apply.
- GPA Requirement:
- Generally, an average GPA of B or better gives candidates a fighting chance for admission and the overall GPA is more important than history history-specific GPA. This may, however, vary across universities.
- The record of the last two years of studies is generally given more weightage compared to your freshmen and sophomore year records.
- For Top Tier: You may require an average GPA of 3.5 or above.
- Important Courses:
- Focus on doing well in your history coursework
- It is strongly recommended that you take an introductory history course, several advanced courses in history, historical research methods, historical theory and statistics in your undergraduate. Although, statistics is not required by most universities in this field.
- It is also recommended to take up as many courses relevant to the subfield of sociology that you wish to pursue.
- When choosing elective history courses in your undergraduate, do not shy away from courses that promote writing and critical thinking. Some people think: “Research papers–uggh!” But, have you ever seen a job description that says: “WANTED-crackerjack multiple choice and fill in the blank expert?” No? Well, you get the point.
- Alongside your undergraduate studies, keep ArchiveWiki – Historians, a very recommended web page, as a study companion site. This web is a wonderful resource reviewing possibly all of undergraduate History in a very brief yet very explanatory way.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCES
You should start getting involved in research as an undergraduate so that you can make a well-informed decision about continuing research in graduate school. Undergraduate research projects can take a wide variety of forms, from assisting faculty and graduate students in their research to conducting your own independent project for course credit. Apply for a research grant. Sign up for challenging programs and courses leg the honors track in your major. Develop your writing and analytical skills. For students interested in entering a Ph.D. program in history, seek out professors who are willing to become mentors and allow you to assist on research projects.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Seek out on-the-job training activities, including internships and volunteer opportunities.
- A well-chosen Internship allows you to sample potential careers, build your resume, and learn new skills. A wide range of internships are available to history students in the for-profit, nonprofit and government sectors in Pakistan and abroad.
- Although volunteer work is less formal than an internship, it can help you build a winning resume. In addition, long-term volunteer experience can help counterbalance limited work experience, especially if the volunteer work was in the same market sector where you eventually hope to work.
VOLUNTARY/ SOCIAL WORK
Join or Charter a History Club: Taking a leadership role in the history club will help build your resume and give you an opportunity to demonstrate your organizational skills. Lead a service project for the club, become a club officer or start a history club if your department does not have one. Go to The National History Club Guide to get an idea about the volunteer work required in this field.
OTHER EXPERIENCES/BACKGROUND
- Communication and Time Management Skills: In graduate school, you will be expected to give seminar presentations, write papers, and prepare a thesis or dissertation describing your research. Therefore, it’s helpful to look for opportunities to hone your communication skills by presenting your undergraduate research results on campus and at regional or national meetings.
- Attend and consider doing a poster presentation at the annual meetings of national historical associations. Some of these include:
- Also, try attending major History Conferences as listed below:
- 25th International Pakistan History Conference on ‘Trends in South Asian History’ at Karachi University
- History Dept holds Conference on Pakistan: Creation and Consolidation at FC College
- Upcoming events and seminars at NIHCR
- Technical Skills: Depending on your research interests, it will be necessary to take additional advanced coursework in history, economics, research methods, or language courses. Background in a foreign language (some) is also an additional (optional) component to increase your credentials for admission. This course work will depend upon the skills you need to further develop your research interests. In general, you will need effective problem-solving, teamwork, and communication skills, as well as extensive historical knowledge, to join a research group. Look to acquire applied skills in qualitative research methods, word processing, database searching, spreadsheets, and statistical modeling during your undergraduate work. List your historical skills on your graduate school application.
TIME-LINE
What should you be doing, timeline-wise, as an undergraduate History student? Actually, you began preparing for graduate school on the day you entered your undergraduate program. Hence, you need to consider the following actions/steps to be a successful graduate applicant.
| During your Freshman Year: |
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| During your Sophomore & Junior Years: | This is the time to really get serious and begin your quest for advice.
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| During your Senior Year: |
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All above-mentioned activities will help you develop the skills you need to be a successful graduate applicant and beyond. The sooner you take charge of your own professional development, the better you will ensure your success as a future Masters/Ph.D. History.
This section provides an overview of general guidelines pertaining to the application process. It also delineates the key components of the application process.
GENERAL ADVICE
Follow the below guidelines in order to land on the right program of your choice:
- Reaching out to Professors:
- Consult with the professors in your intended program and ask them about their program and experiences.
- Then, using their advice, start searching for programs that appeal to you.
- Start making a list of the common requirements of your intended Ph.D. programs in History.
- Read through the faculty profile and browse their research to see if it aligns with your interest in the professors asking for advice.
- Reach out to the professors whose research interests you and ask them for help and advice.
- Researching your Field:
- Start reading extensively about your intended field of study. Read both general news and specific research from notable academics.
- Start writing about the things you read to help you develop your skills as a researcher and future publisher.
- Practical Experience:
- Seek internships in research with the professors of your intended field.
- Use your work experience to develop contacts and look for grants and funding.
- In a nutshell, the following sub-fields and/or degrees are available for History: U.S. Colonial History, Modern U.S. History, European History, African-American History, African History, Women’s History, Asian History.
- No. of Universities to Apply:
- Master’s Program: You should apply to at least 8 to 10 universities.
- Doctoral Program: You should apply to around 12 to 15 universities. Some recommend applying to up to 20 universities as well.
Refer to the Program Selection Section for further information.
TIME-LINE
| Component | Is this component required? | How important is this component (in the overall review of the application for admission)? | Notes on timelines (if applicable) |
| Overall Application Deadline | Submit early. Mostly, you will have all of your applications in by mid-December. This will give you plenty of time to write your statements of intent, rearrange your school list, etc. Don’t wait until the last minute. | ||
| Standardized tests or entry exams | General GRE – Required by most programs | Very Important | Spend 3 months preparing for the test. Take the test 2 months (in October) before the app. deadline. Test scores are usually due before the overall app. deadline. |
| Transcripts (past academic records) | Required | Important | Request transcripts from school 1 month (in early November) before app. deadline. |
| Letters of recommendation | Required | Very Important | Start preparing the statement 4 months before the app. deadline. Spend 2 months in writing/ revising the personal statement. |
| Personal Statement | Required | Very Important | Start preparing the statement 4 months before the app. deadline. Spend 2 months in writing/ revising the personal statement. |
| Resume or CV | Required by some programs | Less Important | Spend 1 month in writing/ revising your resume/CV. |
| Interviews | Rarely required | Important | |
| Writing Samples | Required by most programs | Very Important | Spend 1 month preparing a 1-page summary for your ‘Research & writing samples’ including any academic papers, presentations, thesis/independent study, publications, etc. You can upload a list or abstract(s) at the time of your app. deadline to give the admissions committee an idea about your actual work and abilities. |
At this point, if you are seriously considering graduate school, you must buy Getting What You Came For: The Smart Student’s Guide to Earning an M.A. or a Ph.D. and follow The History Blog. Or, if you want an overview of “Getting What You Came For”, here is a summary.
Moreover, Here are the 50 History blogs that are useful for students to seek advice about graduate school applications in History. These are run mostly by students for students. Almost all questions have been asked, but the quality of the answer varies, so take everything with a grain of salt.
Complement the above field-specific tips with general tips on overview (under the tab of ‘overview’).
Pakistani applicants suffer the most because of inadequate information — or wrong information — about essays and personal statements. This section will address those inadequacies specifically in relation to applying for this program. Supplement the following field-specific tips with general tips (under the tab of ‘essay’) to craft a stellar personal statement.
BASIC INFORMATION
A Personal Statement is the most important component in this field. Make your statement of reasons for graduate study concise (no more than two pages) and readable (double-‐spaced, or at least skip lines between paragraphs, and in 12-‐point font).
ACTION-STEPS/ RESOURCES
Which resources should I make use of?
- Read: How to write a personal statement for history and Personal Statement Advice: History before planning your personal statement.
- After reading the above link, check out these samples to get an idea of how successful Marketing major applicants have written their personal statements: History Personal Statement Sample, History Personal Statements Portal and History Personal Statements by Category. It is recommended to write your own statement and not use some pre-prepared format. Just give yourself enough time to do it.
TIPS ON GOOD AND BAD STATEMENTS
What is essential in the statement:
- How to impress: It’s all about selecting examples and experiences that really help to demonstrate your love of the subject. Ask yourself these questions while you’re drafting your statement: Why do you love history? Which period or approach particularly appeals to you and why? What new insights has studying history given you? Why do you want to study it further? Which history books have you most enjoyed reading? Which historical sites have you most enjoyed visiting? What do you hope to do with your history degree in the future? Dr Louise Carter | Admissions Tutor – University Campus Suffolk
- Why you want to study history: This is an obvious one, but try to bring your love of history to life with evidence. The best statements are those that go straight into engaging with what currently inspires you about the subject, not simply ‘As a child when my uncle took me to a castle…’
- Relevant experiences: one way to show your engagement with the subject is to talk about an experience and – crucially – what it was you learned. This could be a museum or gallery visit, volunteering, wider reading you’ve undertaken – even a powerful documentary or insightful discussion with your grandparents. A tutor told us one of the best statements they’ve read opened with a short account of a conversation with a grandad about his experiences in World War II.
- How do other subjects give you useful knowledge or skills? Try to do this in an interesting way (rather than just listing out what else you’re studying), giving a sense of your broader reading and intellectual interests.
- Career aspirations: if it’s relevant, explain where you see yourself in the future and how a history degree can help you get there. Don’t forget to elaborate on why – many history students say they want to be teachers or journalists, for instance, so saying this alone won’t help you stand out.
- Relating it back to history: Dr Selina Todd from the University of Oxford told us she’s looking for creative evidence of your engagement with history. That could be through work experience or creative writing, an interest in current affairs and how history helps us to understand them or maybe something about how your hobbies and personal interests fit with history. For example, if you play in a band, are you also interested in music of the past?
What are bad statements/ what things to avoid:
- Avoid using long quotations in your statement – ‘we want to know what you think!’
- Don’t just say: ‘I have a passion for history’ – demonstrate it.
- Misspellings and grammatical inaccuracies are a no-no. History is a literate subject, so it needs to be well-written.
This section will cover the basics of recommendation letters, which are one of the most important parts of the application process. Supplement the following field-specific tips with general tips (under the tab of ‘recommendations’) to ensure you have strong letters of recommendation.
BASIC INFORMATION
Letters of recommendation are extremely important, so choose your recommenders wisely. Most schools ask for three letters of recommendation. At least two letters should be from people with Ph.D.s in Sociology or any other related Social science.
Suggested timeline: Distribute materials by early October.
ACTION-STEPS/RESOURCES
- Before requesting your recommenders for LoR, go over the following links carefully:
- Letter of Recommendation Guidelines for History Majors
- Advice to Students Seeking References or Recommendations
- Guidelines for Requesting Letters of Recommendation for Undergraduates
- Ten Guidelines for Requesting a Letter of Recommendation from Faculty
- Etiquette for Asking for a Letter of Recommendation
- Also, consult This Letter of Recommendation Got Me Into Yale! and 4 Amazing Recommendation Letter Samples from History Teachers.
TIPS ON GOOD AND BAD LETTERS
What is essential in the LoRs:
A good letter of recommendation requires time and preparation. A hastily written, platitudinous letter does the recommender no favors and reflects badly on the recommender. Here are some tips that will help make this process easier for you and the recommenders and get you the best possible letters to help you reach your goals.
- Choose recommenders who know you in a capacity relevant to the purpose of the recommendation. If you are applying for a Ph.D. scholarship in History, approach people who are familiar with the advanced study you have done (say at the honors level) rather than someone who taught you in a first-year unit.
- WHOM should you ask to write a letter? The best and most obvious choice is a professor who gave you a good grade in a class (or better yet, more than one class) and has been impressed by your academic performance. Ideally, the professor should also be able to comment on your creativity and personality. The instructor of a seminar course related to history is a good choice — but any upper-level course (especially one requiring a paper) in history should give you a good opportunity to distinguish yourself and establish the kind of relationship that will result in a strong letter of recommendation.
What are bad LoRs/ what things to avoid:
- It is probably not wise to select faculty in whose courses you have received poor or mediocre grades. As a rule of thumb, if you have not earned a B+ or higher grade from a professor, they will not be able to write you a strong letter of recommendation and may refuse to write one for you at all.
This section will cover everything else related to the application process, including transcripts, interviews, resumes, and standardized tests.
TRANSCRIPTS
Basic Information:
Timeline: Check your college’s Registrar’s policy when it comes to ordering your official transcripts.
Tips:
- Bachelor’s degree Requirement: Mostly, a bachelor’s degree in History is not required for admission to the graduate program, but having an undergraduate degree in history increases your chances of admission. Whatever your major, it is important to have a strong background related to the area of history or related social sciences to which you will apply.
- GPA Requirement:
- Generally, an average GPA of B or better gives candidates a fighting chance for admission and the overall GPA is more important than a history-specific GPA. This may, however, vary across universities.
- The record of the last two years of studies is generally given more weightage compared to your freshmen and sophomore year records.
- For Top Tier: You may require an average GPA of 3.5 or above.
Complement the above field-specific tips with general tips on transcripts (under the tab of ‘transcripts’).
INTERVIEWS
Basic Information:
Interviews are very rarely asked for in this field. However, most programs will grant you an interview if you request it, and an interview may help you decide whether a given program will provide what you want. Some schools use telephone interviews to help guide their selections.
Resources:
If you do get a call for an interview, in order to prepare well, get an idea from Mock Interview in addition to the sample potential questions below.
RESUME/CV
Basic Information:
In the academic market, a curriculum vitae or CV is very important and, after your cover letter, is your first introduction to the search committee. The CV is a summary of your educational background, research and professional experiences. Your CV is a tool to help you move from an application to an interview.
Resources:
For a detailed guideline on how to write/build your resume/CV, go over the following links:
- Resume Tips by The College of New Jersey – Department of History
- Resume Template by University of South Carolina – Department of History
- Also, do check out the following samples to have an idea of how successful graduate applicants in History have written their resumes:
STANDARDIZED TESTS
Basic Information:
Only the General (verbal and quantitative) GRE examinations are required.
Suggested timeline for the general GRE: Take the GRE the summer before you apply, if at all possible (the earlier, the better, provided you have enough time to prepare before the test date). If you are not going to take a prep course, start studying as soon as possible. If you are taking a class, sign up for one that will end shortly before you take the test.
Tests Needed:
- GRE General
- TOEFL – Required by most programs for international applicants
Resources:
General GRE:
According to the ETS chart, the average GRE scores of applicants with an intended major in History are: Verbal: 150, Quant: 147, Analytical: 3.8.
The above scores are intended major. What does “intended” major mean? It simply means that these are the average scores of people planning on applying to graduate school in a specific major.
Moreover, using a scale drawn from the limited score data in the US News & World Report’s report on graduate schools, here are the average scores of admitted applicants to the History graduate program:
| Top 10 programs | Programs ranked 11-50 | Programs ranked 51-100 | ||||
| Verbal | Maths | Verbal | Maths | Verbal | Maths | |
| History | 157-161 | 150-154 | 153-157 | 148-152 | 151-155 | 146-150 |
Source: GRE scores for Social Science programs – Magoosh GRE Blog
Remember that you will be applying to a social science program, so applying to graduate school is anything but easy; this is just a “good-enough” approach should put you in a decent position to create the appropriate study goals. So, if you’re interested in a Master’s/PhD in History from MIT, then this is a good place to start.
FINAL COMMENTS ON APPLICATIONS
- What are History graduate programs looking for in candidates? There’s no single, simple answer to this question. Some factors that enter into the admission considerations include:
- Intellectual flexibility: Take care not to be too wedded to a specific question or approach teachers; they want to know you are still open to learning more.
- Are you a good fit? Remember that selection committees are not just evaluating your potential. They also want to be sure that they have the intellectual resources to help you succeed.
- Will your chosen advisor(s) be available? Your potential mentor may be overcommitted, supervising other dissertations, planning an extended sabbatical, or preparing to retire.
Complement the above field-specific tips with general tips on final comments on applications (under the tab of ‘overview’).
This section will cover the approximate costs of the program and provide information on resources that may help with funding. Complement the following field-specific tips with general tips on finances (under the tab of ‘finances’).
ACTION-STEPS
Which resources can I find useful?
International fellowships typically have earlier deadlines (September-October). Here is the laundry list of various external fellowships for international applicants by Caltech, which has a combination of tuition, living stipend, research/travel grants, research internships, and conferences, lasts for 3-5 years, and may only be used at schools in the US.
TIPS ON FUNDING OPTIONS
- There are numerous awards, grants, and fellowship programs at AHA. The Association recognizes and supports a wide variety of notable historical works. They offer annual prizes honoring exceptional books, distinguished teaching and mentoring in the classroom, public history, and other historical projects. Over the years, their grants and fellowships have supported the research of hundreds of historians on a range of topics and fields. The work produced by winners of AHA awards, grants, and fellowships is among the best in the historical profession. Go to Awards & Grants to inquire further.
- Also go through the following links to know about the available funding in History:
The following sources were consulted in developing this tip sheet and we encourage you to consult these sources for additional information and guidance on your application.
- Graduate School Application Process: From Start to Finish by American Historical Association
- Study History in the US by International Students Blog
- Guide to Public History Programs by National Council on Public History
