As a medium-sized program, we offer an intimate setting that fosters tightly-knit cohorts and that offers the opportunity to work closely with world-class scholars in research and teaching. Our department consists of a community of scholars – graduate students, undergraduates, and faculty – who share the values of the pursuit of history: exacting research in first-hand materials, critical context building, and the analysis of problems in the long term. We aim for a diverse intellectual atmosphere and a diverse student body, and prize comparative, connective, and collaborative thinking across chronological and geographical borders.
Department of History
Graduate
Ph.D. Program
Our Ph.D. program is designed to help students develop flexible skill sets that will enable them to meet their professional and intellectual goals.
Hallmarks of the Brown History doctoral program include an intimate setting, close collaboration with faculty, Brown's unique undergraduate population and open curriculum, world-class scholars working in every region of the globe, and the department's commitment to professionalization and teaching.
Learn about admission to the Ph.D. program in History at Brown University.
We welcome applications for potential Ph.D. students in the fields listed, where links to individual faculty pages will describe our department's expertise and scholarly projects in detail.
For a detailed outline of the graduate programs, including a year-by-year description, courses offered, and funding, please consult the handbook.
MA Program
We also offer an MA to currently-enrolled Brown students through the 5th year MA program (for undergraduates) and the Open Graduate Education program (for Ph.D. students in other departments.)
Please note that applications for the terminal MA program in History are no longer being accepted as of November 2018.
History Master's Program
Curriculum guidelines for currently-enrolled MA students and prospective applicants to the Fifth Year MA and Open Graduate Education programs for Brown students.
Contact
Ph.D. Admissions Inquiries
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Cynthia Brokaw
Chen Family Professor of China Studies, Professor of History and East Asian Studies202 Peter GreenOffice Hours Tuesdays, 9:00-10:00am and 11:00am-12:00pm
All Other Inquiries
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Jennifer Lambe
Director of Graduate Studies, Associate Professor of HistorySharpe House 230Office Hours Wednesdays, 9:00am-11:00am (Zoom) and alternate Tuesdays, 2:00pm-3:30pm
Additional Graduate Information
Learn about financing and support for graduate students, research and travel funding, emergency loans and sixth year funding.
Brown degree holders have gone on to edit and write for major publications; participate in public policy and lead nonprofits; perform historical consulting and work in public history; and direct educational programs at every level.