History & Peace Studies

Students in the Ph.D. in History and Peace Studies normally take a minimum of 30 hours of courses in history, three of which may be pass-­fail, and 18 hours of courses in peace studies.

Other requirements include: proficiency in English and one or two other languages; a minimum of two research seminar papers, at least one of which will be a manuscript of publishable quality and submitted to a scholarly publication; comprehensive examinations in five areas; an application for external funding for scholarly research; research and teaching assistantships in history and peace studies; and a dissertation of original research.

Some courses not listed below might be substituted, depending on the student’s professional goals and the availability of courses.

Semester 1 [9 credit hours]
International Peace Research: Origins, Methodologies, Results
Global Politics of Peacebuilding
The Historian’s Craft

Semester 2 [9 credit hours]
Conflict Transformation and Strategic Peacebuilding
First-­Year Research Seminar in History Elective history colloquium

Summer 1
Study language if needed or take first language exam
Read for comprehensive exams

Semester 3 [9 credit hours]
Contemporary Conflict and Peace Processes
The Historical Profession
Elective history research seminar
Perform teaching assistantship in History

Semester 4 [9 credit hours]
Political Economy of War and Peace
Culture and Religion in Peacebuilding
Elective history colloquium
Perform teaching assistantship in Peace Studies

Summer 2
Take second foreign language exam, if needed
Prepare for comprehensive exams

Semester 5 [9 credit hours]
Elective history colloquium
Elective history colloquium
Elective history course
Perform teaching or research assistantship in Peace Studies or History
Continued preparation for comprehensive exams

Semester 6 [3 credit hours]
Elective history course or directed reading
Perform research assistantship in Peace Studies
Take written and oral comprehensive exams in sixth or seventh semester

Summer 3
Prepare manuscript for submission to scholarly publication

Semester 7
Take comprehensive exams in sixth or seventh semester
Submit application for external research funding
Submit dissertation proposal

Semester 8
Conduct dissertation research and writing

Semester 9
Conduct dissertation research and writing

Semester 10
Complete and defend dissertation
Prepare Job Placement Dossier