Overview

Our program admits students in five primary fields, which reflect faculty strength: 1) United States; 2) Latin America; 3) Early Modern Global; 4) East Asia; and 5) Middle East. By admitting only a few students in these five fields, the department can focus its resources on preparing students for a diverse range of careers.

In addition to seminars in our five primary fields, we offer graduate coursework in the thematic areas of: 1) Environment, Science, and Technology; 2) Gender; 3) Transnational; 4) Race and Ethnicity; 5) Modern Global; and 6) Colonialism and Nationalism.

Features

Upon admission to the department, graduate students join an intellectual community committed to excellence in scholarship and teaching. History students at Pennsylvania State University work closely with world-class faculty, graduate student colleagues, and undergraduates.

Our graduate students benefit from small academic seminars, reliable financial support, faculty mentoring, a top-tier library, professionalization seminars, and options for interdisciplinary work.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Theory, Method and the Practice of History
Church and State in Medieval Europe
Gender in the Early Modern World
Global History 1300-1800: Empires, Economy, and Civilizations
Early Modern Europe
History and Social Theory
The History of Colonialism and Mass Death
Deviance, Crime and Madness in Modern Europe
Imperial Borderlands in Modern Europe

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 96 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-08-25 00:00:00
- Apply before 2025-12-01 00:00:00

Language

English

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Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

University Park, United States

Disciplines

History View 160 other PhDs in History in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

3.5

English requirements

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Other requirements

General requirements

Requirements:

substantial course work in history
a minimum GPA of 3.50 (on a 4.0 scale)
at least three semesters of college-level work in a foreign language (additional language training appropriate to the fields in which the applicant proposes to work may also be required for admission)

The Department of History requires a statement of intent outlining proposed fields of study and career goals, as well as a sample of written work (undergraduate history thesis, master's thesis, seminar paper or equivalent research paper) as evidence of historical research and writing skills.

Three letters of recommendation are required; it is strongly preferred that at least two of them be from historians.

Student insurance

Make sure to cover your health, travel, and stay while studying abroad. Even global coverages can miss important items, so make sure your student insurance ticks all the following:

Additional medical costs (i.e. dental)
Repatriation, if something happens to you or your family
Liability
Home contents and baggage
Accidents
Legal aid

We partnered with Aon to provide you with the best affordable student insurance, for a carefree experience away from home.

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Starting from €0.53/day, free cancellation any time.

Remember, countries and universities may have specific insurance requirements. To learn more about how student insurance work at Pennsylvania State University and/or in United States, please visit Student Insurance Portal.

Tuition Fee

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International

44996 USD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 44996 USD per year during 96 months.
National

44996 USD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 44996 USD per year during 96 months.
In-State

25456 USD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 25456 USD per year during 96 months.

Living costs for University Park

1000 - 1500 USD /month

Living costs

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find PhD's scholarship opportunities for History.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

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