The Ph.D. Program in History

Princeton’s History Ph.D. program is designed to be completed in five years. During the first two years students complete their coursework, language training, two original research papers, and take the General Examination. Students devote the next three years to researching and writing the dissertation, drawing upon Princeton’s rich library holdings as well as archives across the world. Many students also choose to teach undergraduate courses as preceptors to gain valuable classroom experience. The Ph.D. degree is conferred following the successful Final Public Oral Examination of the dissertation.

Fellowship Support

All students admitted to the program are typically offered a five-year fellowship package from the Graduate School which covers tuition, healthcare, and stipend. The average time to degree completion is six years, and any students who find themselves without external fellowship support for the sixth year may apply to the History Department for a supplemental stipend. Departmental funds are also available to support language training, research travel, and travel for other scholarly purposes.

History of Science

Please note that although the History of Science Program is located within the History Department, these programs have separate admissions processes. Read more about graduate study in History of Science.