Doctor of Philosophy in History

The program offers advanced study in the fields of United States, medieval, early modern, and modern Europe, China and Japan, Middle East and/or South Asia, Latin America, and Africa. Other areas of specialization include borderlands, critical theory, cross-cultural women's and gender history, economic and labor history, empires, environmental history, ethnicity, race, and nationalism, law, culture, and society, mass, popular, and folk cultures, mobilities, religion and history, science, technology, and medicine, and Middle East, North African, and South Asian Studies. In addition to taking courses in the major field, students take an advanced historiography course, courses in a minor field of study, and a course outside of the major and minor fields. After the first year of study, students complete a yearlong research seminar course culminating in a major research paper and a departmental conference.

The doctoral program curriculum, consisting of coursework, research seminars, language study, and practical training, is designed to develop students' skills in historical research, writing, and teaching. Students spend three years building a foundation of historical knowledge and ability, after which they follow their research interests into the archives. Their archival work results in an original dissertation. Completion of the program takes 5-7 years, depending upon the particulars of language, field, and archives.

UC Davis requires academic records from each college-level institution you have attended.
A minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent) from the institution where you have earned or will earn your bachelor's degree.
Three (3) letters must be submitted.
Applicants must submit writing samples in English of 15 to 30 pages with the online application. Three (3) letters must be submitted electronically through the online application. Please do not submit a hard copy. Submit all recommendations through the online program. UC Davis requires academic records from each college-level institution you have attended. The minimum scores required for admission are as follows:
TOEFL Internet Based Test (iBT) - 80
TOEFL Paper Based Test (PBT) - 550
IELTS - 7.0 (on a 9-point scale)