History (PhD, MA)

Program Overview

The Department of History offers graduate programs leading to the Master of Art (MA) and Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) degrees in fields such as American, European, East Asian, Latin American and Ottoman history. While concentrating on the history of one nation or geographic area, our students are encouraged to develop a comparative or global perspective in their work and may work in thematic areas such as the history of science, medicine and technology; global history; imperialism; and women, gender and sexuality. We cooperate closely with a host of interdisciplinary programs and departments to offer students additional instruction in comparative and world history perspectives.

Our graduate students edit and produce our very own Binghamton Journal of History, an outlet for premier undergraduate and graduate work by Binghamton University students.

Degrees Offered

• PhD in History
• MA in History

Internships, Research Opportunities and More

Students will have the opportunity to work closely with faculty mentors in their field(s) of interest, mixing seminar coursework with the pursuit of individual research projects. As they learn to produce original research in their area of specialization, they will benefit from the support of a diverse graduate student community that includes many international students. MA students will have the opportunity to develop a research portfolio, something that offers tangible evidence of the skills and knowledge that they have mastered. PhD students must produce a dissertation, a lengthier and more in-depth study that produces new knowledge for fellow historians and for the broader public. Students in both MA and PhD programs present their research findings at our annual Graduate Research Conference, and many will also share their discoveries at one of our many history workshops, which offer an opportunity to practice oral presentation skills, exchange ideas and develop lasting scholarly partnerships.

Our program offers training in such specialized skills as HGIS, and we work with language and literature departments to provide support for language acquisition. The Department also provides teaching and graduate assistantships as well as support for research travel and language study abroad on a competitive basis. Students may also garner financial support and professional experience through one of the Graduate School's many graduate assistant positions. Entrepreneurial students will uncover such possibilities as co-editing the Binghamton Journal of History, assisting the Journal of Women's History or mounting an exhibit for the University Art Museum or Special Collections. In addition, PhD students and leading MA students will have the opportunity to teach summer courses.

Funding

Funding is reserved for PhD track students (including MA and PhD combined). Generally, funding consists of being a Graduate Assistant (GA) or Teaching Assistant (TA). Students receive a tuition scholarship and a monthly stipend. MA only students are typically not eligible for funding.

Qualified individuals could also apply for the Clifford D. Clark Diversity Fellowship. To be eligible, you must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident and a new graduate student planning to enroll full-time during the award period. You also must meet one or more of the following diversity criteria: Member of a group historically underrepresented in higher education (African American, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander or Hispanic American); raised in a single-parent household; first-generation college student; history of overcoming disadvantage. Although membership in a group historically underrepresented in higher education is considered, it does not form the full basis for the awards. Each applicant will be evaluated on his or her own merit.

After You Graduate

The History Department's Professional Development Committee helps prepare students for graduation, offering workshops in writing CVs and cover letters, managing job interviews and applications, and more. Our Center for Career and Professional Development is another resource we offer to help students assemble a resume, find internships and networking opportunities, and succeed after graduation.

Our alumni have been competitive on the job market, including the academic job market in the United States and internationally. Recent doctoral graduates have found tenure-track positions at such institutions as Florida State University, SUNY Delhi and Wheaton College. Our MA students have been accepted to PhD programs at a number of institutions, and are now training to be the professors and researchers of tomorrow. Several have opted to pursue careers as academic advisors and still others have opted for careers outside of academe, with the National Park Service, political campaigns, high schools, and private industry.

Admissions Requirements

To be eligible for graduate study, you must:

• Provide a complete set of your undergraduate (and, if applicable, graduate) transcripts showing one of the following:
  • You have earned a bachelor's degree (or its equivalent) from a nationally or regionally accredited college or university
  • You are within one academic year of earning a bachelor’s degree (or its equivalent) from a nationally or regionally accredited college or university
  • You are eligible to apply as part of a memorandum of understanding between your current institution and Binghamton University
• Have earned, at minimum, one of the following:
  • A 3.0 GPA over your entire undergraduate career
  • A 3.0 GPA during your last 60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits of your undergraduate degree, with most courses graded regularly (not as "pass/fail")
  • A 3.0 GPA in a graduate degree, with most courses graded regularly (not as "pass/fail")
  • In consideration of the different grading scales used around the world, each academic department evaluates international transcripts to determine on a case-by-case basis whether they demonstrate one of the above requirements.

To apply, you must submit the following materials. For general guidelines for these materials, see the Admission Requirements website.

• Online graduate degree application with graduate degree application fee
• Transcripts from each college or university that you have attended
• Personal statement of 2 to 3 pages describing your reasons for pursuing graduate study, your career aspirations, your special interests within your field, and any unusual features of your background that might need explanation or be of interest to the graduate admissions committee
• Résumé or curriculum vitae
• Two letters of recommendation
• Official GRE scores: optional, but encouraged
• Writing sample: a paper submitted for an advanced undergraduate or graduate course

International students must also submit the following materials. For more information about these materials, see the International Students section of the Admission Requirements website.

• International Student Financial Statement (ISFS) form
• Supporting financial documentation (such as bank statements, scholarship or sponsor letters, etc.)
• Proof of English proficiency (such as official TOEFL/IELTS/PTE Academic/Duolingo* scores)
  • *In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the Graduate School at Binghamton University has temporarily approved the use of the Duolingo English Test as proof of English proficiency through the 2023 application cycle.

This information is subject to change. While we make every effort to update these program pages, we recommend that you contact the department with questions about program-specific requirements.

Deadlines

Accelerated/4+1 Degrees

You may also be interested in our accelerated/4+1 degree programs which allow students to complete their bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in just 5 years!