Doctor of Philosophy in History Combined Program with NDSU

Admission Requirements

The applicant must meet the School of Graduate Studies’ current minimum general admission requirements as published in the graduate catalog.

  1. Preference for admission into the Ph.D. program with full graduate standing will be given to applicants who have a GPA of at least 3.5 in history courses in an earned bachelor’s or master’s degree.
  2. Applicants will submit a statement of intent clearly outlining the applicant’s research interests, career goals, and purpose for seeking a Ph.D. in history.
  3. Applicants will submit a substantial paper previously submitted for a class in history to provide evidence of ability to research thoroughly, to interpret and analyze primary and secondary sources, to synthesize information, to organize thoughts logically, and to communicate clearly and effectively.
  4. Scores on the Graduate Record Examination are required.
  5. Satisfy the School of Graduate Studies’ English Language Proficiency requirements as published in the graduate catalog.

Degree Requirements

Students seeking the Doctor of Philosophy degree at the University of North Dakota must satisfy all general requirements of the School of Graduate Studies as well as specific requirements of the History Department.

  1. Students must satisfactorily complete 90 credits beyond the bachelor’s degree. Students entering with an M.A. degree must complete at least 60 additional semester graduate credits. Core course requirements must be met which include: Methods of Historical Research, Historiography, Seminar in the Teaching of History, at least two research seminars, and at least two readings courses. Students must complete 36 course credits with at least 27 credits in history courses. Students will earn 12 credits in two or more major fields. Students may choose a third major field or a minor field (nine semester credits).
  2. Students must have a proficiency in two languages other than their native language or one world language and one special research skill such as statistics or computer science.
  3. The program will require at least one academic year in residence at either campus. Each student will register at one of the universities that will be the student’s academic “home.” The student’s adviser must be employed in the home university. At least one member of the student’s committee must be employed at the other (not home) university. Students may have to take courses at both universities.
  4. Students will write three comprehensive examinations in their major and minor fields. The exams will be read and graded by the supervisory committee. Students will complete an oral examination based on the written exams. The oral examination is to be conducted by the supervisory committee.
  5. Students will write a dissertation (up to 24 credits) on an approved topic in consultation with the faculty adviser and the supervisory committee of five faculty. The dissertation must be based on extensive research in primary and secondary sources, must argue an original thesis, and must be defended before the supervisory committee.
  6. The committee will be composed of the faculty adviser who represents the student’s field of study and who will direct the research and writing of the dissertation. A second member of the committee (second reader) represents the student’s major field of study. A third member of the committee will represent the student’s minor field of study. The fourth member of the committee represents either the student’s major field or minor field. At least one of the four history faculty must be from the cooperating (non-home) university. The School of Graduate Studies will appoint the fifth member of the committee.

Residency Requirements

  1. Students enrolled in the Ph.D. program are required to complete at least one academic year (18 credits minimum) in residence at one campus.
  2. Resident students may qualify for teaching assistantships. Students who have completed a M.A. degree may be assigned full responsibility for undergraduate courses or may be assigned to assist a faculty member in teaching courses.
  3. Students will be required to take some courses from faculty at both campuses, but will register at only one university. Some courses will be offered by interactive video network, some will be offered through internet online systems, some courses will require students to travel to the other campus.
  4. Students not residing on one of the cooperating campuses will have to have access to a satisfactory research library for various courses and for dissertation research.

Courses

‡ All 593 and 594 courses involve reading, bibliographical study, discussion, and writing. Study may be confined to a subtopic within the general subject area. Repeatable with different subtopics. Students in the M.A. program will not ordinarily take more than one 593 or 594 in the primary concentration.

The following undergraduate courses are eligible for inclusion on graduate programs of study. Additional assignments and higher standards of accomplishment are required of students taking these courses for graduate credit.

HIST 344Ancient Rome3
HIST 405The Founding and Fracturing of the United States, 1776-18613
HIST 406The United States: Civil War and Reconstruction, 1850-18773
HIST 407The United States: Rise of Industrial America, 1877-19173
HIST 412U.S.Foreign Relations since 19003
HIST 413The United States since 19453
HIST 419Great Britain since 18153
HIST 470United States-Canadian Relations, 1776 to the Present3
HIST 481Public History Practice3