PhD in History

1. Comprehend the content, literature, and methodologies of three distinct subfields of history.
   The measure used was the Doctoral Qualifying Examination (DQE) in three subfields: In consultation with their major supervising professor and the Director of Graduate Studies, students design subfields within the four specializations listed above. These subfields necessarily will be transnational in scope, but will likely have a basis in the historiography of a specific region and time period. DQEs will include nine hours of written examinations and up to three hours of oral examination, covering the three subfields.
2. Complete a program of career diversity discernment that includes both coursework within the department and a diversity internship placement selected in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies.
3. Demonstrate reading proficiency in a language other than English in order to do historical research.
   Students may demonstrate proficiency through six credits of college-level coursework prior to admission to the program; earning a B or higher grade in a reading proficiency course at Marquette; or passing a language exam dealing with translating sources in consultation with the doctoral candidate’s dissertation director and the Director of Graduate Studies.
4. Complete a book-length work on an original historical topic.
   The measure is a defense of dissertation that meets department and professional standards for research, argument, and writing.

Our doctoral students similarly have found success in education. Historically, roughly three-fourths of our PhD alumni have earned tenure track jobs. The decline in Humanities hiring has resulted in fewer of those positions but our recent graduates still hold tenure track positions as well as those of research faculty, work steadily as visiting assistant professors, lecturers and adjunct instructors, and teach in private high school programs.

See where our other graduate students have been placed since Graduate School. 

Current members of the department have been awarded grants in the following areas: 

• Fulbright-Hays
• Mellon Foundation
• Fulbright
• Rockefeller Foundation
• ACLS
• NEH
• American Philosophical Society grants
• Marquette University Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence,
• College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Award for Advising

Our faculty have also published books by top university presses like Cambridge, Johns Hopkins, North Carolina, California, NYU, Oklahoma, Syracuse, and Kansas, and by academic presses like Routledge, Berg, Brill, Bedford-St. Martin’s. 

While maintaining a focus on academic excellence and continuing to anchor our program in the intellectual rigors of historical inquiry, we also actively support those planning for careers outside of the academy.

Career planning begins in our orientation program and continues in discussions through our coursework and workshops, often in conjunction with Marquette’s Center for Teaching and Learning, the Preparing Future Faculty and Professionals program, and Career Services.