phd in history quora

• Skip to main content
• Prospective Students
• Current Students
• Apply Apply
•   Follow Us

What Can You Do with a PhD in History?

You’re a history buff — the person everyone wants on their trivia team. You can rattle off the dates, facts, and names of the world’s most significant events and periods. If you’re considering using your powers for good, getting a PhD in history is a great option. 

People with a passion for being stuck in the past have options once they’ve completed their history doctoral program. Beyond history jobs in academia, there’s a spot for a historian around the table in nearly every industry. The skill set required to complete a PhD opens up a variety of doors in whichever direction you choose to pursue. Here’s an idea of some things you can do with a PhD in History . 

If you see yourself leading the nation’s young people through their own historical journeys, a PhD prepares you to teach at almost any level, though going the professor route could be more lucrative than teaching high school. On average history professors make between $80,000-$164,000 per year. 

You’ll select your focus and spend your days sharing your passion with undergraduate and master’s level students. Along with teaching, if you pursue a history career in academia, you’ll likely spend some time researching topics within your wheelhouse. Re: your passion! 

If spending your days in front of the class, hosting debates, and leading young minds excites you, there might be even more time on a college campus in your future. However, tenured history professor roles may take some time to find and the salaries can range based on the type of university and location.  

Future Planning

Those studying the past usually have some insights into the future. If you’re looking to explore the world outside of strictly history, you might use your skills to find a career in future planning. No, not retirement planning (though that’s an option too).

Historians have a knack for identifying themes and patterns in culture, politics, and the world. A history PhD program allows you to use your historical knowledge to contribute to the modern world by making an impact on the community around you. Many politicians, inclusion officers, grant writers, and even human resource managers use their history PhDs to influence their worlds. 

Your ability to think critically about the past and lend your knowledge to the future makes you an asset to any organization looking to excel into the modern world. Be prepared to market yourself as someone who can best set the organization up for success in an ever-changing world. 

Business/Technology

In the business and technology world, it’s all about understanding the customer. Who are you selling to? What is their day-to-day life like? How do you best understand their needs and wants? 

As a historian, your ability to communicate with a diverse population and understand the context of their lives makes you especially valuable on a sales, marketing, development, or innovation team. As a PhD, employers know you are well-read, have strong research skills and have spent many, many, many hours writing. It’s no surprise that Historians make excellent copywriters, marketers, and editors. 

We won’t lie to you, there aren’t many Fortune 500 CEOs that can claim a doctorate in history. Most CEOs have MBAs or degrees in engineering. But there should be more historians up at the top — maybe you have what it takes. 

Intelligence Analysis

You may not be the next Indiana Jones, but you might cut it as a secret agent. The ability to analyze and synthesize information from various sources is crucial for intelligence analysts — and history PhDs have that in spades. 

Skilled at recognizing biases, evaluating the reliability of sources, and making informed judgments based on incomplete or uncertain information, historians have a strong ability to think critically and evaluate evidence. 

Additionally, historians have a deep understanding of the historical, cultural and social context in which events occur. This understanding can help you identify underlying factors and motivations that may not be immediately apparent to others. 

Archivist/Historian

If you’ve always dreamed about a career in history, this is likely what you’ve pictured. Spending days dusting off old newspapers and curating the perfect collection of artifacts — historians and archivists are often hired by governments or organizations to collect, analyze, organize, and preserve important documents and artifacts. 

Companies may hire a historian to reflect on the organization’s past in order to better inform their future choices or to maintain an existing collection of artifacts. We get it. We saw National Treasure, too. This would be a pretty amazing career.

The salary for historian jobs   can vary based on size of the organization and unfortunately, the importance they place on preserving their history. For reference, the average PhD in history salary is $75,000 in the U.S.

Become a Historian at SMU

So, what can you do with a PhD in history? You can make sense of the past to inform the future, you can write exceptionally well, and you can excel in nearly any industry. Simply holding your doctoral degree in history shows employers the determination you have. There should be a seat saved for you at every company, college, and organization looking to succeed.

Ready to get started?

Explore what you can do with a PhD in History, read the guide Reanalyzing Our World, PhDs in The Humanities at SMU !

Request more

Information.

Complete the form to reach out to us for more information

Published On

More articles, recommended articles for you, spotlight: ph.d. alumnus matthew babcock.

Prof. Matthew Babcock is an Assistant Professor of History at UNT Dallas, where he has worked as a...

Is a PhD in Humanities Worth It?

If you’ve recently completed an undergraduate degree in a field like English, History or Religious...

How to Compare History PhD Programs

So, you've set your sights on pursuing a PhD in History. As a prospective History PhD student, you...

Browse articles by topic

Subscribe to.

Graduate Students

Learn more about our  students' research interests and dissertation projects.

CURRENT STUDENTS

Ph.D. Program

Stanford Ph.D. Program in History aims to train world-class scholars.

Every year we admit 10-12 promising students  from a large pool of highly selective applicants. Our small cohort size allows more individual work with faculty than most graduate programs in the United States and also enables funding in one form or another available to members of each cohort.

Fields of Study

Our graduate students may specialize in 14 distinct subfields: Africa, Britain, Early Modern Europe, East Asia, Jewish History, Latin America, Medieval Europe, Modern Europe,  Ottoman Empire and Middle East, Russia/Eastern Europe, Science, Technology, Environment, and Medicine, South Asia, Transnational, International, and Global History, and United States. Explore each field and their affiliates . 

The department expects most graduate students to spend no less than four and no more than six years completing the work for the Ph.D. degree. Individual students' time to degree will vary with the strength of their undergraduate preparation as well as with the particular language and research requirements of their respective Major fields.

Expectations and Degree Requirements

We expect that most graduate students will spend no less than four and no more than six years toward completing their Ph.D. Individual students' time-to-degree vary with the strength of their undergraduate preparation as well as with the particular language and research requirements of their respective subfield.

All History Ph.D. students are expected to satisfy the following degree requirements:

• Teaching: Students who enter on the Department Fellowship are required to complete 4 quarters of teaching experience by the end of their third year. Teaching experience includes teaching assistantships and teaching a Sources and Methods course on their own.
• Candidacy : Students apply for candidacy to the PhD program by the end of their second year in the program.
• Orals:  The University Orals Examination is typically taken at the beginning of the 3rd year in the program.
• Languages: Language requirements vary depending on the field of study.
• Residency Requirement : The University requi res  135 units of full-tuition residency  for PhD students. After that, students should have completed all course work and must request Terminal Graduate Registration (TGR) status. 

Browse the Ph.D. Handbook to learn more .

The History Department offers 5 years of financial support to PhD students.  No funding is offered for the co-terminal and terminal M.A. programs. A sample Ph.D. funding package is as follows:  

• 1st year: 3 quarters fellowship stipend and 1 summer stipend 
• 2nd year: 2 quarters TAships, 1 quarter RAship (pre-doc affiliate), and 1 summer stipend 
• 3rd year: 2 quarters TAships, 1 quarter RAship (pre-doc affiliate), and 1 summer stipend 
• 4th year: 3 quarters of RAships (pre-doc affiliate) and 1 summer stipend 
• 5th year: 3 quarters of RAships (pre-doc affiliate) and 1 summer stipend

Knight-Hennessy Scholars

Join dozens of  Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences students  who gain valuable leadership skills in a multidisciplinary, multicultural community as  Knight-Hennessy Scholars  (KHS). KHS admits up to 100 select applicants each year from across Stanford’s seven graduate schools, and delivers engaging experiences that prepare them to be visionary, courageous, and collaborative leaders ready to address complex global challenges. As a scholar, you join a distinguished cohort, participate in up to three years of leadership programming, and receive full funding for up to three years of your studies at Stanford. candidates of any country may apply. KHS applicants must have earned their first undergraduate degree within the last seven years, and must apply to both a Stanford graduate program and to KHS. Stanford PhD students may also apply to KHS during their first year of PhD enrollment. If you aspire to be a leader in your field, we invite you to apply. The KHS application deadline is October 11, 2023. Learn more about  KHS admission .

How to Apply

Admission to the History Graduate Programs are for Autumn quarter only.  Interested applicants can online at  https://gradadmissions.stanford.edu/apply/apply-now and submit the following documents: 

• Statement of Purpose (included in Application)
• 3 Letters of Recommendation
•  Transcripts are required from all prior college level schools attended for at least one year.  A scanned copy of the official transcript is submitted as part of the online application.  Please do not mail transcripts to the department.   We will ask only the admitted students to submit actual copies of official transcripts.
• 1 Writing Sample on a historic topic (10-25 pages; sent via  Stanford's online application system  only)
• The GRE exam is not required for the autumn 2024 admission cycle
• TOEFL for all international applicants (whose primary language is not English) sent via ETS. Our University code is 4704.
• TOEFL Exemptions and Waiver information
• Application Fee Waiver
• The department is not able to provide fee waivers. Please see the link above for the available fee waivers and how to submit a request. Requests are due 2 weeks before the application deadline.

The Department of History welcomes graduate applications from individuals with a broad range of life experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds who would contribute to our community of scholars. Review of applications is holistic and individualized, considering each applicant’s academic record and accomplishments, letters of recommendation, and admissions essays in order to understand how an applicant’s life experiences have shaped their past and potential contributions to their field.

The Department of History also recognizes that the Supreme Court issued a ruling in June 2023 about the consideration of certain types of demographic information as part of an admission review. All applications submitted during upcoming application cycles will be reviewed in conformance with that decision.

Application deadline for Autumn 2024-25 is Tuesday, December 5, 2023 at 11:59pm EST . This is a hard -not a postmark- deadline. 

All application material is available online. No information is sent via snail mail. Interested applicants are invited to view a Guide to Graduate Admissions at  https://gradadmissions.stanford.edu/ . 

Questions? 

Please contact  Arthur Palmon  (Assistant Director of Student Services).

Department Bookshelf

Browse the most recent publications from our faculty members.

In the Shadow of Liberty: The Invisible History of Immigrant Detention in the United States

Uncertain Past Time: Empire, Republic, and Politics | Belirsiz Geçmiş Zaman: İmparatorluk, Cumhuriyet Ve Siyaset

Embodied Knowledge: Women and Science before Silicon Valley

Compton in My Soul

The Fox Spirit, the Stone Maiden, and Other Transgender Histories from Late Imperial China

Department of History

Ph.d. programs.

The Department of History’s doctoral degree program seeks to train talented historians for careers in scholarship, teaching, and beyond the academy. The department typically accepts 22 Ph.D. students per year. Additional students are enrolled through various combined programs and through HSHM.  All admitted Ph.D. students receive a  full  financial aid package  from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. 

History of Science and Medicine

The  Program in the History of Science and Medicine  (HSHM)  is a semi-autonomous graduate track within the Department of History. HSHM students receive degrees in History, with a concentration in the History of Science and Medicine.  There is a separate admissions process for students interested in the History of Science and Medicine. For more information, please see the  HSHM website . 

Combined Doctoral Programs

Joint ph.d. programs.

Department of History

Get a phd in history.

The goal of the History PhD programme is for the finished doctor to be able to independently conduct scientific historical research, as well as work within areas such as teaching, management, the arts sector, media or publishing.

Around 30 PhD candidates at the Department study a vast variety of historical areas and periods. Together, they make up a large portion of the department's research.

Every year the Department receives applications from highly qualified candidates. Studying on doctoral level involves four years of full-time study, three of which are dedicated to the dissertation and one year to courses. The PhD student has two supervisors during their study.

Current open applications spring 2024

Applications are currently open for two doctoral student positions. Last date to apply is 2024-03-15. Read more: 

The PhD Programme

Each year the Department receives applications from many highly qualified candidates. Studying on doctoral level involves four years of full-time study, three of which are dedicated to the dissertation and one year to courses. The PhD student has two supervisors during their study.

You will find the Department’s study plan for the PhD programme here (in Swedish). 

An individual study plan is drawn up when a new PhD student is admitted to the programme, This document will be updated annually.

A PhD student usually has full employment at the University for up to four years, which includes full benefits such as sick leave, parental leave etc. Doctoral studies are usually conducted on a full-time basis. Half time can also be possible, although only for a period of a maximum of eight years.

The Stockholm-Uppsala Research school in History

Since 2008, the History departments at Stockholm and Uppsala Universities collaborate around the PhD programme. The cooperation is built on common courses, PhD-student organised workshops, common seminars and the possibility to have supervisors from both departments. The admissions process is also coordinated.

The research school has four compulsory courses:

"Introduktionskurs till forskarutbildningen i historia" (Introduction to the PhD programme), 4,5 hp

"Historisk teori och historiska klassiker" (Historical theory and historical classics), 7,5 hp

"Metodkurs" (Methodology), 7,5 hp

"Teoritillämpning i historisk forskning" (Theory put into practice) 7,5 hp. Read about this course here (in Swedish): "Teoritillämpning i historisk forskning "

The PhD student is free to choose their remaining courses, in consultation with their supervisors.

Teaching in the PhD program is given in Swedish and English. Some compulsory courses are given only in Swedish.

Stockholm University offers Swedish language courses for international employees. Find them here:

Department of Swedish Language and Multilingualism

Call and Admissions

The call for applications to the PhD programme is published on the departmental web pages and on the University web page www.su.se, www.uu.se As of 2024, the call for applications opens mid-February and closes March 15.

Admissions are usually decided in early June with studies beginning on September 1. A different starting date can be agreed to by the Head of Department.

Apply for a PhD student position at Stockholm University's recruitment system. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the advertisement, and that it is submitted before the deadline.

Include the following information with your application:

• Cover letter.
• CV – degrees and other completed courses, work experience and a list of degree projects/theses
• Research proposal, approximately 6 pages.
• Degree certificates and grades confirming that you meet the general and specific entry requirements.
• Degree projects/theses: a) Bachelor / C thesis; b) Master thesis at the advanced level, or D thesis; c) Information on how much actual study time has been spent on the essays / thesis work.

Instructions for applicants are available here:

How to apply for a position

The application should include a research proposal. The applicant must briefly describe his/her proposed field of research. The account should contain one or more research problems and an outline of the implementation of the research. The research proposal will be assessed on the basis of: relevance; originality; potential for completion within the specified time limits (i.e. a period equivalent to four years of full-time study). The research proposal should be an independent work by the candidate.

The admissions process is open and positions are awarded in competition. Decisions on admissions are made by the Departmental board based on the recommendations of an admissions committee that comprises of scholars from the History departments in Stockholm and Uppsala, external reviewers and a PhD student from one of the departments. 

Be aware that different calls may have differing requirements. Always read the current call before applying.

More information, in Swedish, about the admission procedure is to be found in this PDF:

Attending the PhD programme requires funding from day one, either from the University or external funding agencies. The Department may admit applicants who have funding from other sources if the Department finds that this is a secure source of funding. The Department is very restrictive with admitting applicants on this basis. PhD students are employed by the University for 48 months.

Qualification requirements

In order to meet the general entry requirements, the applicant must have completed a second-cycle degree, completed courses equivalent to at least 240 higher education credits, of which 60 credits must be in the second cycle, or have otherwise acquired equivalent knowledge in Sweden or elsewhere.

In order to meet the specific entry requirements, the general syllabus for doctoral studies in the field stipulates that applicants must have received a passing grade on second-cycle courses worth at least 30 credits, including a degree project worth at least 15 credits.

The qualification requirements must be met by the deadline for applications.

When do I need to have finished my master’s thesis in order to be able to apply?

In order to meet the general entry requirements, the applicant’s master’s thesis must be discussed, graded and archived no later than on the day of the deadline for applications.

Why are places on the PhD programme so competitive?

According to Swedish law, departments may only admit persons to the PhD programme who are fully funded for the duration of their education. The Department may admit applicants who have funding from other sources than the University, if the Department finds that this is a secure source of funding. The Department is very restrictive with admitting applicants on this basis.

How many places are available each year?

The Department usually admits 1 to 2 PhD candidates each year, sometimes more. This roughly corresponds to 10% of the applicants.

Do I need to contact the Department before I send in my application?

You do not need to contact the Department or any presumptive supervisors before you apply. It is however worthwhile to acquaint yourself with the research profile at the Department on the Department web pages.

You may not discuss your research proposal with anyone from the Department. This is one of the texts that the admissions committee evaluates and it should be your own work.

Questions about PhD studies and application? Contact the Director of PhD studies at the Department.

• Visiting address

Universitetsvägen 10D, floor 9

Universitetsvägen 10D, floor 9, Building D in Södra huset Campus Frescati, Stockholm

Last updated: February 15, 2024

Source: Department of History

Search among our courses and programmes

• Bachelor's level
• Master's level

Last updated: September 5, 2023

Source: Department name

Study at Stockholm University

• Academic Writing Service
• Study and career counselling
• Studying with a disability
• Your rights and responsibilities
• Examination services
• Stockholm Student Health Services
• Study environment
• In an emergency
• Studenthuset and Infocenter
• Student unions
• Sporting activities on campus
• Places to study
• Computer places and printers
• Get access to wifi
• IT safety and security tips
• Software for students
• Digital tools and services
• Career events
• Find jobs and internships
• Tips for finding your career in Sweden
• Business and innovation support
• Visas and residence permits
• Swedish personal identity number
• Living costs
• Learning Swedish
• Step-by-step guide
• Entry requirements
• Costs, fees and scholarships
• Important dates
• Sweden’s higher education system
• FAQ and contact
• How to apply
• Select your courses
• Practicalities
• Our courses and programmes
• First-class education and research
• Discover Stockholm and Sweden
• Meet us online and around the world
• Hear from our alumni
• Students of Stockholm University
• Our researchers. Your teachers
• Study with us – the newsletter
• Pre-departure information
• Checklist for admitted students
• Welcome Activities
• Get access to IT services
• How to register
• Find your way on campus
• Q&A regarding the coronavirus
• Exchange studies
• Calls for application
• Short-term exchange
• Traineeship abroad
• Degree project abroad
• Application for a degree certificate
• Degree requirements
• Digital degree certificates
• Credit transfer
• Qualifications & degrees
• Stay in touch with us
• Alumni Mentorship Programme

New Rules For Doing PhD in India (2023)

Jan 2, 2023

Image credit: Unsplash.

Dr Tushar Chauhan

UGC has proposed new rules and regulations in 2022 for doing PhD in India. Here are critical changes for students willing to do PhD in 2023.

A Master’s degree or 4 years of bachelor’s is required to apply for any PhD in India. However, the 4 years bachelor’s will only be used for tech and engineering students, for now.

Qualification

Now the M.Phil degree is optional for getting admission into the PhD.

For 4 years of bachelor’s and 3 + 2 years master’s degree, 75% and 55% marks, respectively are mandatory for the application.

Minimum Marks

University Grant Commissions or any private university conducts an entrance examination for PhD admission.

Primary requirement

In India, one-year coursework is mandatory for doing original research for PhD. Students have to complete their coursework before starting research.

Course work

The ideal duration for doing a PhD in India is 3 years. Students may ask for more time if required.

The previous important requirement for PhD award– research paper publication is now not compulsory for getting the doctorate honor.

Publication

Besides, all other previous important rules and regulations are unchanged., i hope you like this story. please share it and visit our blog for more content., next story- 9 benefits of gantt chart for phd..