The Doctoral Program in History
Both students holding/finishing BAs and students holding/finishing MAs should apply for entrance into the doctoral program. Students entering with an MA sometimes follow a faster track than students entering with a BA. High school teachers interested in pursing an MA degree should apply to our MAII program. Each year, the History Department admits a limited number of students into each program.
The doctoral program is divided into course work, comprehensive exams, research in the field, and writing and defending the dissertation. Students usually form a doctoral committee in their second semester, consisting of a dissertation director, a second specialist in their major field, and one faculty member for each of two minor fields. One minor field can be outside of the department (e.g. anthropology, sociology, political science). Students take at least four graduate courses in their major field and two in each minor field.
We expect students to complete the doctoral program in six years. Normally, students would move through the program at more or less the following pace, although some fields have slightly different requirements:
1st year
- 2-3 courses per semester including History 803, a seminar about approaches and methods.
- 2nd semester: formation of the doctoral committee, in consultation with its members and the graduate director.
- Certification of proficiency in one language
2nd year
- 2-3 courses per semester
- Preparation of the dissertation proposal
3rd year
- 1st semester: Complete comprehensive exams
- Submission of proposals for dissertation funding, outside and inside the university
4th year
- Dissertation research
5th year
- Return from dissertation research travels, and begin write-up
6th year
- Completion of writing and defense of the dissertation
Please let us hear from you.
Email: history@msu.edu
301 Morrill Hall
East Lansing, Michigan 48824
Main Office Phone: (517) 355.7500
Fax Number: (517) 353.5599
Main Office Hours: 8:00-5:00 M-F