Our program offers students a collaborative approach to the training of professional historians who will carry our discipline forward in the decades to come. We offer a PhD in history and a MA/MS degree in history and information science. We do not offer an independent MA degree in history. In coursework, research, and writing, Illinois history graduate students explore an extraordinary range of topics, themes, and time periods. Our accomplished and innovative faculty represent many different backgrounds and interests, yielding a range of course offerings and intellectual opportunities, supported by the resources of one of the world’s great research libraries.
Our Program
PhD in History
The Department of History offers over 20 graduate fields of study with varying geographic, chronological, and thematic emphases. Our goal is for every student in our doctoral program to build a research record, gain teaching experience, and engage in other professional experiences necessary to succeed in the academic job market and beyond.
MA/MS Degree in History and Information Science
Together with the School of Information Sciences, we offer dual degree Master of Arts degree in History and a Master of Science degree in Library and Information Science.
The dual degree program matches expertise in historical research and writing with professional education, and prepares students for professional careers in archives, libraries, museums, historical societies, corporations, and government agencies.
Fields of Study
The Department of History offers over 20 graduate fields of study, with varying geographic, chronological, and thematic emphases.
Financial Support
The Department of History has long maintained an excellent record of financial support for its PhD students. Financial support opportunities include fellowships, teaching assistantships, and research assistantships, as well as Graduate College fellowships for incoming underrepresented students and students with an exceptional record of academic achievement. The department does not currently have resources to support fellowships or TAships for students in the MA/MS program.
Professional and Career Development
We offer workshops for entering the job market, practice job talks, and a pedagogy course for graduate students. The Graduate College Career Development office holds workshops for humanists on careers inside and outside of academia, and the Humanities Research Institute holds summer workshops for pre-doctoral students in the humanities interested in pursuing careers outside the academy.
Graduate Student Organizations and Groups
Our department fosters and supports an active History Graduate Student Association (HGSA), which advocates for all students in the department and represents the graduate student body in nearly all departmental committees, including the Diversity Committee and the Graduate Studies Committee. It also sponsors workshops, social and cultural events, a mentoring program for new students, and opportunities to forge networks across cohorts and research interests. The department is also an active supporter of the Graduate Employees Organization (GEO) (Local 6300 IFT/AFT AFL-CIO, a home-grown labor union in which many of our students are leaders.