History PhD

AU’s PhD in History will prepare you for a career as an educator, researcher, analyst, and writer working in academia, public and institutional history, and other fields requiring investigative and analytical skills. In this program, you will develop a deeper understanding of how historians investigate and interpret the past while you explore the past with your own original research.
You will receive a high level of mentorship and develop close working relationships with your professors. Under the guidance of our award-winning faculty, our students complete strong dissertations and present work at top conferences while making valuable connections and gaining experience in the Washington, DC, area.
This program is ideal for students interested in American and modern European history, including Russian history. Our department also has strengths in a variety of subfields, including public history, African American history, women’s/gender history, politics and foreign relations, and Jewish history. This diversity will open your options for research and allow for specialization without sacrificing breadth of study.