History (PhD)
The Department of History supports graduate study in Public History and US Social and Cultural History with a focus on the 19th and 20th centuries. Faculty strengths in this area include urban history, digital history, the built environment, labor, the history of sexuality, the history of women and gender, the history of political economy, and the history of popular culture and entertainment. We offer a PhD in American History and a PhD in Public History/American HIstory. History doctoral students work closely with faculty in and out of the classroom as they train to become academic historians, public historians, teachers, archivists, museum professionals, and researchers as well as possess sufficient preparation to pursue other career pathways.
Curriculum
PhD in History Course Requirements
The PhD Program is an in-person program that culminates in a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree. There are two pathways for the PhD Program: PhD in American History and PhD in Public History/American History. Each requires 60 credit hours of coursework, demonstrated competency in two research tools, comprehensive examinations, and writing and defense of a dissertation.
All PhD students must successfully complete UNIV 370 Responsible Conduct in Research and Scholarship. It is strongly recommended that students complete this two-day training before beginning the second year of their program.
Students who enter the PhD in History after completion of a master's degree in history will have slightly adjusted coursework requirements.
PhD in History - American History Course Requirements
The PhD in 19th- and 20th-Century American History is an in-person program that culminates in the Doctor of Philosophy Degree. The PhD in History requires 60 credit hours of coursework, demonstrated competency in two research tools, comprehensive examinations in major and minor fields, and writing and defense of a dissertation. Students will select a major field in United States history and two minor fields in consultation with the Graduate Program Director.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| HIST 400 | Contemporary Approaches to History | 3 |
| HIST 403 | Professional Lives of Historians | 3 |
| HIST 598 | Dissertation Proposal Seminar | 3 |
| Six Major Field Courses | 18 | |
| Nineteenth Century America | ||
| Twentieth Century America | ||
Four (4) Additional HIST 400-Level Courses | ||
| Two 500-level Research Seminars or one 500-level Reserach Seminar and HIST 599 Directed Research. One of the Research Seminars must be in the Major Field. | 6 | |
| Three Courses in First 1 | 9 | |
| Three Courses in Second 1 | 9 | |
| Three Directed Studies or Electives | 9 | |
HIST 400-level course or HIST 499 Directed Study | ||
| Total Hours | 60 | |
- 1
In consultation with their advisor, students will select two minor fields. Each minor field consists of three courses. Students coming in with a M.A. will select one minor field in which they must complete at least three courses. This field must be distinct from the major field and from fields taken at the Master's level. Students entering with a B.A. must complete two minor fields.
- Minor fields include areas of geographic or topical foci such as Gender and Women's History, Modern Europe, and Public History.
- Other thematic minor fields (such as race and ethnicity or colonialism and empire) may be created with the approval of the Graduate Program Director.
- Students may also select a minor field from another discipline with the approval of the Graduate Program Director.
- Students wishing to pursue a minor field in public history must meet with the Public History Program Director to formally declare public history as their minor field and indicate their plans for fulfilling the minor.
PhD in History - Public History/American History Course Requirements
The PhD in Public History/American History requires 60 credit hours of coursework, demonstrated competency in two research tools, comprehensive examinations in both Public History and American History major fields, a Public History Portfolio, and writing and defense of a dissertation. Public History/American History PhD students have two major fields in Public History and American History, thus they do not have any minor field requirements.
Building on Loyola's already strong Master's public history program, this 60-hour in-person degree program provides the opportunity for students to compete for positions calling for a doctorate, such as teaching public history at the university level, curating or administrating at governmental institutions such as the Smithsonian Institution or the National Park Service, or serving as a principal in a consulting firm. In essence, this program is similar to the standard American history PhD program but requires a double major in Public History and American History instead of a major field in American History and two minor fields. Students will leave Loyola with a firm grounding in American history as well as in the skills and theory of public history and its practice. Loyola is one of the few universities to offer a public history degree at the doctoral level and hopes to continue to attract strong non-traditional students already working in the public history profession as well as students interested in history at the doctoral level.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| HIST 400 | Contemporary Approaches to History (if equivalent not taken for Master's program) | 3 |
| HIST 403 | Professional Lives of Historians | 3 |
| HIST 598 | Dissertation Proposal Seminar | 3 |
| Seven Public History Major Field Courses | 21 | |
| Public History Media | ||
| Public History: Method & Theory | ||
| Management of Historic Resources | ||
| Archives & Record Management | ||
| Public History: Museums | ||
| Public History Internship | ||
| Choose one of the following: | ||
| Archives & Record Management | ||
| Practicum in Public History | ||
| U.S. Local History | ||
Other approved HIST 400-level or 500-level course | ||
| Seven American History Major Field Courses | 21 | |
| Nineteenth Century America | ||
| Twentieth Century America | ||
Four (4) Additional HIST 400-Level Courses | ||
HIST 500-level course | ||
| Three Elective Courses | 9 | |
All electives must be HIST 400-level courses. | ||
| Total Hours | 60 | |
Minor Fields
Students in the PhD in American History will choose two minor fields in Public, Medieval, Modern Europe, or Gender and Women's History. The courses listed below are possible options as any actual minor field coursework will be developed with the Graduate Program Director. Thematic minor fields (such as race and ethnicity or colonialism and empire) may be created with the approval of the Graduate Program Director. Students may also select a minor field from another discipline with the approval of the Graduate Program Director. Students wishing to pursue a minor field in public history must meet with the Public History Program Director and formally declare their intention to use public history to do so.
Public History Minor Field Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| HIST 479 | Public History Media | 3 |
| HIST 480 | Public History: Method & Theory | 3 |
| HIST 483 | Oral History: Method and Practice | 3 |
Medieval History Minor Field Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| HIST 441 | Women's & Gender History: Europe | 3 |
| HIST 499 | Directed Study | 3 |
| HIST 499 | Directed Study | 3 |
Modern Europe Minor Field Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| HIST 441 | Women's & Gender History: Europe | 3 |
| HIST 464 | Transnational Urban History | 3 |
| HIST 499 | Directed Study | 3 |
Gender and Women's History Minor Field Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| HIST 441 | Women's & Gender History: Europe | 3 |
| HIST 442 | Women's & Gender History: U.S.A. | 3 |
| WSGS 401 | History of Feminist Thought | 3 |
Suggested Sequence of Courses
The below sequence of courses is meant to be used as a suggested path for completing coursework. An individual student’s completion of requirements depends on course offerings in a given term as well as the start term for the major. Students should consult the undergraduate program director for assistance with course selection.
PhD in American History Sample Program
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| HIST 400 | Contemporary Approaches to History | 3 |
| HIST 403 | Professional Lives of Historians | 3 |
| HIST 450 | Nineteenth Century America | 3 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| HIST 461 | Twentieth Century America | 3 |
| HIST 400-level course | 3 | |
| HIST 500-level course | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| HIST 400-level course | 3 | |
| HIST 400-level course | 3 | |
| HIST 500-level course | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| HIST 400-level course | 3 | |
| HIST 400-level course | 3 | |
| HIST 500-level course | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| HIST 400-level course | 3 | |
| HIST 400-level course | 3 | |
| HIST 500-level course | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| HIST 400-level course | 3 | |
| HIST 400-level course | 3 | |
| HIST 500-level course | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall | ||
| HIST 400-level course | 3 | |
| HIST 598 | Dissertation Proposal Seminar | 3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| HIST 600 | Dissertation Supervision | 0 |
| Hours | 0 | |
| Year 5 | ||
| Fall | ||
| HIST 600 | Dissertation Supervision | 0 |
| Hours | 0 | |
| Spring | ||
| HIST 600 | Dissertation Supervision | 0 |
| Hours | 0 | |
| Total Hours | 60 | |
PhD in Public History/American History Sample Program
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| HIST 400 | Contemporary Approaches to History | 3 |
| HIST 403 | Professional Lives of Historians | 3 |
| HIST 480 | Public History: Method & Theory | 3 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| HIST 461 | Twentieth Century America | 3 |
| HIST 482 | Archives & Record Management | 3 |
| HIST 500-level course | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Summer | ||
| HIST 582 | Public History Internship | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| HIST 479 | Public History Media | 3 |
| HIST 400-level course | 3 | |
| HIST 500-level course | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| HIST 481 | Management of Historic Resources | 3 |
| HIST 487 | Public History: Museums | 3 |
| HIST 400-level course | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| HIST 400-level course | 3 | |
| HIST 400-level course | 3 | |
| HIST 500-level course | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| HIST 400-level course | 3 | |
| HIST 400-level course | 3 | |
| HIST 500-level course | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall | ||
| HIST 598 | Dissertation Proposal Seminar | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Spring | ||
| HIST 600 | Dissertation Supervision | 0 |
| Hours | 0 | |
| Year 5 | ||
| Fall | ||
| HIST 600 | Dissertation Supervision | 0 |
| Hours | 0 | |
| Spring | ||
| HIST 600 | Dissertation Supervision | 0 |
| Hours | 0 | |
| Total Hours | 60 | |
Research Tools
PhD in American History Research Tools
Students must demonstrate competency in two research tools. One tool must be within public history and may include HIST 483 Oral History: Method and Practice or HIST 479 Public History Media. When taken for the research tool requirement, History 483 and History 479 cannot be counted toward the minor field in Public History. In special circumstances, students may petition the Graduate Program Director to substitute another research tool in place of the public history research tool requirement.
The second research tool requirement may be fulfilled in two ways: a) reading knowledge of a foreign language appropriate to the student’s major field or b) mastery of a special skill required by the student’s doctoral research. With the approval of the Graduate Program Director, students may demonstrate mastery in one of the following areas: digital humanities, statistics, computer science, GIS, and paleography. Courses taken in these subject areas at Loyola or another academic institution may be used to show mastery of a special skill but require prior approval by the Graduate Program Director.
PhD in Public History/American History Research Tools
Students must demonstrate competency in two research tools. When taken for the research tool requirement, HIST 483 cannot be counted toward the major field in Public History. The research tool requirement may also be fulfilled by: a) reading knowledge of a foreign language appropriate to the student’s major field or b) mastery of a special skill required by the student’s doctoral research. With the approval of the Graduate Program Director, students may demonstrate mastery in one of the following areas: digital humanities, statistics, computer science, GIS, and paleography. Courses taken in these subject areas at Loyola or another academic institution may be used to show mastery of a special skill but require prior approval by the Graduate Program Director.
Comprehensive Examinations
PhD in American History Examinations
Near the end of their graduate coursework, PhD students must pass a take-home written examination and a two-hour oral examination in their major field. For the written examination, the student will produce three 10–15 page historiographical essays based on a reading list developed in conjunction with a three-member committee of history faculty of their choosing. The committee should be established no later than the beginning of the semester in which the student intends to take the examination. Students will have two weeks to complete the exam, which will be evaluated by the committee. The two-hour oral exam will occur within two weeks of completing the written exam.
For the major field examination in US history, students will have a field in two chronological areas:19th-Century and 20th-Century US History. They should also choose two thematic areas for the examination. Thematic areas include: Urban, Women/Gender, Sexuality, Indigenous America, Religion, African-Americans/Race, American West, Immigration/Ethnicity, Labor, Environmental, or Legal. Other thematic fields are possible with the approval of all committee members.
Students satisfy the first (of two) minor field requirements by the successful completion of three courses (nine credit hours) with at least a B (3.0) average.
The second minor field requirement is satisfied one of two ways:
- Passing a take-home written examination in which they will produce two 10–15 page historiographical essays based on a reading list developed in conjunction with a two-member committee of history faculty of their choosing. The committee should be established no later than the beginning of the semester in which the student intends to take the examination. Students will have one week to complete the exam, which will be evaluated by the committee. Those who select a minor field outside of history must successfully pass a comprehensive examination in that discipline.
- The Public History minor field examination is a two-hour oral examination before a two-person faculty committee, one of whom must be the Public History Program Director. Students must schedule an exam date during the semester they are finishing their Public History field courses. The Public History Portfolio (see below) is submitted to the faculty committee a minimum of two days prior to the oral exam.
- Students entering the PhD Program with Advanced Standing take only one minor field exam.
- For the minor field examinations in areas outside of US history (such as medieval, modern Europe and other thematic fields with a Transnational Urban focus), students should work closely with their committee members to create reading lists with a broad chronological sweep and a set number of thematic areas.
PhD in Public History/American History Examinations and Portfolio
Near the end of their graduate coursework, PhD students in the Public History/American History Program must take two series of comprehensive exams, one for each major field.
For the American History major field, taken near the end of their graduate coursework, students complete a take-home written examination and a two-hour oral examination. For the written examination, the student will produce three 10–15 page historiographical essays based on a reading list developed in conjunction with a three-member committee of history faculty of their choosing. The committee should be established no later than the beginning of the semester in which the student intends to take the examination. Students will have two weeks to complete the exam, which will be evaluated by the committee. The two-hour oral exam will occur within two weeks of completing the written exam.
For the American History major field, students will have a field in each of two chronological areas: 19th-Century and 20th-Century US History. They should also choose two thematic areas for the examination. Thematic areas include Urban, Women and Gender, Sexuality, Indigenous America, Cultural, African Americans and Race, American West and Borderlands, Immigration and Ethnicity, Labor, Environmental, or Legal. Other thematic fields are possible with the approval of all committee members.
The Public History major field examination is a two-hour oral examination before a two-person faculty committee, one of whom must be the Public History Program Director. Students must schedule an exam date during the semester they are finishing their Public History field courses. The Public History Portfolio (see below) is submitted to the faculty committee a minimum of two days prior to oral exam.
PUBLIC HISTORY PORTFOLIO REQUIREMENT
The portfolio, which represents the capstone of the Public History major field, documents the achievements of PhD students and thereby identifies their strengths, weaknesses and abilities as public historians. Students begin compiling their portfolio during the first semester in the program. The final version will be submitted to the public history examination committee a minimum of two days prior to the oral exam.
Dissertation
Students will develop a dissertation field within their major field. For students in the Public History/American History program, their dissertation will be in their American history major field, although it can have a Public History focus. This field must be designated before students conclude their required coursework (typically not more than 18 credits beyond the MA, and at the end of the first year of the doctoral program). They will present a dissertation topic and proposal to their major advisor for review and approval when they take HIST 598 Dissertation Proposal Seminar. Students formalize their proposed committee with approval from the Graduate Program Director and the Graduate School.
Following the successful completion of doctoral examinations and the portfolio requirement, students will make a public presentation of their dissertation proposal to a dissertation committee, which will include the dissertation director and at least two other faculty members acquainted with the research areas of the dissertation. In discussing the proposal, students and members of the committee should work out problems and address questions the committee members may have. Upon successfully completing the dissertation proposal review, students complete the Graduate School dissertation proposal process and submit their proposal, if applicable, to any relevant research compliance bodies (IRB) and to the Graduate School. Following its approval by the Graduate School and the successful completion of all other degree requirements, students are admitted to PhD candidacy.
Once students have advanced to candidacy, they will enroll in HIST 600 Dissertation Supervision each semester to maintain standing with the Graduate School while completing their research and writing the dissertation.
The PhD dissertation must be completed, approved by the designated committee members, and successfully defended orally at a public defense.
Graduate & Professional Standards and Regulations
Students in graduate and professional programs can find their Academic Policies in Graduate and Professional Academic Standards and Regulations under their school. Any additional University Policies supersede school policies.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the PhD in History, graduates will be able to:
- Apply the necessary skills to produce original scholarship on a chosen historical topic using primary sources while evaluating the validity of context and biases of primary and secondary sources.
- Identify and criticize interpretive paradigms and methodologies relevant to historical scholarship and the historical profession.
- Apply the necessary skills to produce original scholarship on a chosen historical topic using primary sources while evaluating the validity of context and biases of primary and secondary sources. [Public History/American History]
- Identify and criticize interpretive paradigms and methodologies relevant to historical scholarship and the historical profession. [Public History/American History]
- Demonstrate knowledge of the field of public history and its approach to understanding and presenting the past as well as illustrate facility with a variety of public history subfields. [Public History/American History]
Graduate & Professional Standards and Regulations
Students in graduate and professional programs can find their Academic Policies in Graduate and Professional Academic Standards and Regulations under their school. Any additional University Policies supersede school policies.