Graduate Bulletin

History, Ph.D.

COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS

Admission Requirements and Deadlines

Application Deadline:

Fall: January 15

Applications are evaluated together after the deadline date.

Letters of Reference:

Number Required: 2

From Whom: Letters of recommendation should be obtained from teachers or other individuals who are familiar with the applicant's academic work.

Coursework Required for Admission Consideration:

Applicants are expected to have majored or minored in history on the undergraduate level, but applicants lacking that qualification are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Master's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline:

No.

Bachelor's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline:

No.

Statement of Goals:

The Statement of Goals should be approximately 500 to 750 words in length, and should include the following elements: a clear statement of your interest in the doctoral program in history at Temple University, and why you feel that program will fill your needs; your major historical interests; your career goals; and your academic and research achievements, if applicable.

Standardized Test Scores:

The GRE is required. 550 on the verbal section and 500 on the quantitative section.

Minimum TOEFL score or range of scores needed to be accepted: 575 on the paper-based test or 230 on the computer-based test. Applicants who score below 600 on the paper-based test or 250 on the computer-based test will be required to take and pass a remedial English course during their first semester at Temple University.

Resume:

A resume is required.

Writing Sample:

The writing sample should demonstrate an applicant's ability to research and write a scholarly paper. The writing sample should be fully referenced according to a professional, scholarly style manual.

Program Requirements

Campus Location:

Main Campus, Center City

Students take most of their courses at the Center City Campus, while preliminary examinations and dissertation defenses are conducted on the Main Campus.

Full-Time/Part-Time Status:

Students are required to complete the Ph.D. program on a full-time basis.

General Program Requirements:

Number of Didactic Credits Required Beyond the Master's: 0

Required Courses:

Students must take two of the following courses:

HIS 401: Introduction to World History

HIS 402: Introduction to the United States

HIS 408: Introduction to the Third World

HIS 409: Introduction to European History

Students must also successfully complete two writing seminars.

Other coursework will be determined by the student's program of study.

Internship: No internship is required.

Language Examination: Yes, a language examination is required. The History Department requires Ph.D. students to demonstrate a reading knowledge of one language other than English. This requirement usually is fulfilled by passing a reading comprehension examination administered by appropriate language departments or by designated History Department faculty. This requirement must be satisfied before the student takes his/her preliminary examinations.

Culminating Events:

Preliminary Examination:

The purpose of the preliminary examination is to ascertain if the student has mastered the major scholarship in four different areas of study.

Subject Areas/Major Components of the Preliminary Examination The subject areas will be determined, in advance, by the student and his/her Preliminary Examination Committee. The examination consists of essay questions on four to five subject areas (each one taken on separate days), followed by a two-hour oral examination to be given two weeks after the student has taken his/her last written examination.

At what point in the program is the student expected to take the preliminary examination A student is expected to take his/her preliminary examinations within five years of enrolling in the doctoral program.

Writing the Questions for the Preliminary Examination The members of the student's Preliminary Examination Committee write the questions for the prelimination examination.

Evaluating the Preliminary Examination The Preliminary Examination Committee will evaluate the examination. Each member votes to pass or fail the student. In order to pass, a majority of the committee members must agree that the exam has been satisfactorily completed.

Criterion for Passing the Preliminary Examination. Evaluators assess the student's familiarity with historical scholarship in various fields and his/her ability to make comparative judgments and critique the existing state of scholarship.

Administering, Scheduling, and Proctoring the Preliminary Examination Students preparing to take their preliminary examinations should confirm times and dates with their Preliminary Examination Committee Chairperson, the other committee members, and the Graduate Secretary. All parties involved will receive confirmation for the times, dates, and rooms for the examination.

Dissertation:

Dissertation Advising Committee Information The Dissertation Advisory Committee is formed to oversee the student's doctoral research and is comprised of at least three Graduate Faculty members from the History Department. The student's primary adviser functions as the chair of this committee and is responsible for overseeing and guiding the student's progress, coordinating the responses of committee members, and informing the student of his/her academic progress.

Dissertation Examining Committee Information The Dissertation Examining Committee evaluates the student's dissertation and oral defense. This committee is composed of the Doctoral Advising Committee, including one additional Graduate Faculty Member from outside the department. The outside reader should be identified either while the student is writing his/her dissertation prospectus, or right after the prospectus is approved by the Dissertation Advisory Committee.

Advisor/Committee Information Advisers and committee members serve at the pleasure of the student and may be changed at any time before the preliminary examination and/or the dissertation defense. The student must register the change with the Graduate School.

Dissertation/Monograph Philosophy The Doctoral Dissertation is an original scholarly study that makes a significant contribution to the field of history. It should expand existing knowledge and demonstrate the student's familiarity with research methods and a mastery of his/her primary area of interest. Dissertations should be rigoriously investigated, uphold the ethics and standards of the historical profession, and demonstrate the student's ability to place discoveries in his/her primary field in a broader context.

Philosophy of the Proposal The dissertation prospectus demonstrates the student's knowledge of and ability to conduct the proposed research. The prospectus should explicitly indicate the dissertation subject, its contribution to the field, its historiographical context, and a proposed research strategy and agenda. A preliminary bibliography should be appended. The prospectus and the approval form signed by the Doctoral Advisory Committee should be filed with the Graduate School within twelve months of completion of the preliminary examination.

Criterion for Passing the Dissertation and the Defense. The Dissertation Examining Committee will evaluate the student's ability to express verbally his/her research findings, methodology, and the broader implications reached by his/her work. The committee will vote to pass or fail the dissertation at the conclusion of the public presentation.

Dissertation Defense Scheduling Students who are preparing to defend their dissertation should confirm a time and date with their Dissertation Examining Committee and register with the Graduate Secretary at least three weeks before the defense is to be scheduled. The Graduate Secretary will arrange the time, date, and room within five working days, and forward the student the appropriate forms.

Announcing the Dissertation Defense After the Graduate Secretary has arranged the time, date, and room for the defense, the student must send to the Graduate School (501 Carnell Hall) a completed "Announcement of Dissertation Defense" form at least 10 working days before the defense. The Department will post fliers announcing the defense. The student is also expected to provide a copy of the completed dissertation for examination by any departmental faculty two weeks before the defense date.

Contacts

Program Contact Information:

www.temple.edu/history/

Department Information:

Dept. of History
Gladfelter Hall (025-24)
1115 W. Berks Street

Philadelphia, PA 19122-6080
history@temple.edu
215-204-7461

Department Contacts:

Admissions:

Vladislav Zubok
zubok@temple.edu
215-204-8931

Program Coordinator:

David Watt
david.watt@temple.edu
215-204-7772

Graduate Chairperson:

Herbert Ershkowitz
ersh@temple.edu
215-204-7882

Chairperson:

Richard H. Immerman
rimmerma@temple.edu
215-204-7466

About the Program

Temple University offers a varied and flexible program for graduate training in history on the Ph.D. level. While general requirements ensure that every graduate is familiar with the basic issues of history and the latest approaches of professional historians, students are encouraged to tailor their programs to suit their own particular interests. To enrich their appreciation of history, students are also welcome to study in other disciplines. The thrust of the Ph.D. program is to prepare professional historians who are equipped to function in either academia or in public history. The Center for the Study of Force and Diplomacy, Center for African-American History and Culture, Myer and Rosaline Feinstein Center for American Jewish History, and Biographical Dictionary of Pennsylvania Legislators, which are all based at Temple, provide important support for the History Department's doctoral program. In addition, the Philadelphia area is rich in historical archives and museums.

Time Limit for Degree Completion: 7 years

Campus Location:

Main Campus, Center City

Students take most of their courses at the Center City Campus, while preliminary examinations and dissertation defenses are conducted on the Main Campus.

Students are required to complete the Ph.D. program on a full-time basis.

Department Information:

Dept. of History
Gladfelter Hall (025-24)
1115 W. Berks Street

Philadelphia, PA 19122-6080
history@temple.edu
215-204-7461

Ranking:

Not applicable.

Accreditation:

Not applicable.

Areas of Specialization:

Faculty members specialize and offer substantial coursework in the following areas: American Social and Urban history, Military and Diplomatic History, European Social and Cultural History, Third World History, and World and Comparative History.

Job Placement:

The program is primarily dedicated to producing well-trained historians who work in academia (four-year universities and and colleges, and two-year community colleges) or public history (government agencies, state and local historical societies and museums, and archives).

Affiliation(s):

The History program at Temple is affiliated with the Biographical Dictionary of Pennsylvania Legislators, Center for African-American History and Culture, Center for the Study of Force and Diplomacy, The Myer and Rosaline Feinstein Center for American Jewish History, Social Science Data Library, and Temple's Urban Archives. The History Department is also a member of the American Historical Association.

Interdisciplinary Study:

The program encourages interdisciplinary coursework, research, and interactions among faculty and students.

Study Abroad:

No.

Licensure:

Not applicable.

Non-Degree Student Policy:

Non-matriculated students are permitted to take up to 9 credit hours of coursework and these courses will transfer into their degree work after their admission into the program only if they earn a grade of "B" or higher in each one.

Financing Opportunities

Teaching Assistants (TA) are required to teach or assist in teaching at Temple. Their duties include 20 hours of service per week. TAs receive full tuition for a maximum of six academic credits, plus a stipend.

Other Financial Opportunities