Contact Us
Admissions at a Glance
- Deadlines
- January 15 (Fall Admission Only)
- Summer admission
- No
- Required materials
- Application form and fee
- Statement of purpose*
- Official or unofficial transcripts
- 3 letters of recommendation
- GRE scores optionalÌý
- Resume
- Writing sample: recent written work of substantial length (master's thesis, research paper, or interpretative essay)
- Learn moreÌýabout additional requirements for international students
How to Apply ÌýRequest Info ÌýTuition & Funding
*Statement of purpose: explain how your research interests are relevant to the research conducted by the department's faculty
Admissions and Program Requirements
How Admissions Decisions Are Made
Admission to the PhD program is at the discretion of the Department's Graduate Committee and Chair, who act within the framework of American University and College of Arts and Sciences standards. Admission is normally contingent upon the student's prior achievement of an MA degree, but on occasion some exceptionally well-qualified students may be admitted directly to the PhD program from their undergraduate work, although they must fulfill MA requirements on the way to the PhD.
The student's MA need not necessarily be in the discipline of history, provided that he or she has a good background in history and a strong record of course work in history at the undergraduate and graduate level. The holder of an MA degree in another field who has a limited background in history is better off applying to the History Department's MA program.
Please include a statement of purpose indicating educational and career objectives, areas of interest within history, and relevant academic or practical experience.