Program Requirements

General Program Requirements:
Number of Credits Required to Earn the Degree: 39

Required Courses:

• One methodology seminar (HIST 8714 Historical Methods), taken in the first year
• One 9000-level research/writing seminar (HIST 9208 Research Seminar), taken in the first year
• One writing colloquium (HIST 9211 Writing Colloquium)
• Eight 5000+ level reading and literature review courses (24 credits), with the course offerings coordinated by the Director of Graduate Studies; four of the courses are recommended to be taken in the student's area of interest.¹
• 6 credits of HIST 9994 Preliminary Examination Preparation, HIST 9998 Pre-Dissertation Research, and HIST 9999 Dissertation Research.

¹

With the permission of the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS), students may register for up to two graduate courses outside the department. With the permission of the DGS and the relevant faculty instructor, students may register for one HIST 9683 Readings in History as an elective in conjunction with a geographically specific, upper-level undergraduate course. Students can choose to register for a second Research Seminar as an elective.

Language Examination: PhD students must show competence in at least one foreign language related to their research. To demonstrate competence, a student must pass a short translation exam administered, in most cases, by the University’s language departments. The dissertation advisor determines whether competence in additional languages is required. The language requirement should be satisfied prior to the dissertation prospectus defense. The language requirement may be waived at the discretion of the advisor and with the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies. Students may take up to two semesters of CLA 5001 for language exam preparation, but these courses do not count toward credit requirements for the degree.

Culminating Events:
Comprehensive Examination:

The Comprehensive Exam is an oral exam overseen by three faculty members to be taken at end of fourth semester or beginning of fifth semester, comprising: 

Geographic Field: This is a list of approximately 50-80 books covering a distinct geographic field (for example: one of two halves American history, European, Asian, African or Latin American/Caribbean history). In all cases, students should strive for broad chronological coverage of a geographically defined area. 

Thematic Field: This is a list of approximately 50-80 books that provides the thematic and conceptual foundation for the dissertation research. 

Supplemental Field: In consultation with their advisor, students will define a third field for the oral exam, choosing to work with a faculty member to master 1) a book list of 20-30 books and articles that highlights a methodology important for the student's research (oral history, object analysis, microhistory etc.) that does not overlap with two primary fields; or 2) a list of 20-30 books and articles in a second, relevant thematic or geographic field that does not overlap with the primary fields; or 3) petition the DGS for an alternative supplemental field, such as a teaching or professional portfolio.  

Students may retake the oral exam if they fail. After failing twice, students are dismissed from the program. 

General Examination:
Doctoral students who pass the preliminary exam proceed to the general exam, which consists of three fields, each guided by a different member of the faculty. Note that the dissertation advisor should be the examiner in either the Geographic and/or Chronologically Distinct Field or the Thematic Field:

• Geographic and/or Chronologically Distinct Field – The reading list should include 75-80 books and articles that examine a broad field in terms of time and space, e.g., 20^th-Century U.S. History, Atlantic World, Latin American or Caribbean History, or Southeast Asian History. Students designate a member of the Graduate Faculty to examine them in this field and collaborate with that faculty member in creating the reading list.
• Thematic Field – The reading list is made up of 50 books and key articles that explore a more focused and topical area, such as Diplomatic History, Labor History, Queer Studies or Urban History. Students designate a member of the Graduate Faculty to examine them in this field and collaborate with that faculty member in creating the reading list.
• Teaching Field – Students submit a detailed and largely original syllabus, ideally for an undergraduate class, covering either the geographic field (a survey class) or the thematic field (a more specialized, upper-level class). They designate a faculty member to lead a discussion of the syllabus. The other two members of the exam committee are welcome to participate in this discussion. Students should submit the syllabus to all three members of the examining committee 72 hours before the exam.

Doctoral students typically complete the general exam in their fifth term. This oral exam is two hours long. All three members of the exam committee leading the exam in the Geographic/Chronological Field, Thematic Field, and Teaching Field need to be present at the exam. Students are asked to discuss issues pertinent to their prepared fields of study and teaching. To pass the exam, all three members of the committee must approve of the student’s performance. Students may retake the oral exam if they fail. After failing twice, students are dismissed from the program.

University-wide regulations governing examinations when a PhD student matriculated apply throughout their career until the degree is received. If departmental or college regulations change, the student similarly follows the rules in place at the time of their matriculation unless they obtain approval of the advisory committee and written permission from the Graduate Council to follow more recent requirements.

Students preparing to take their general examination should confirm times and dates with their other committee members and the Graduate Administrator. All parties involved should receive confirmation of the time, date and room well in advance of the examination.

Dissertation Committee:

After passing the general exam and in consultation with the primary advisor, students select the members of their Doctoral Advisory Committee. The Doctoral Advisory Committee is formed to oversee the student's doctoral research and is comprised of at least three Graduate Faculty members, two of whom are from the History Department. The student's primary advisor functions as the chair of this committee and is responsible for overseeing and guiding the student's progress, coordinating the responses of committee members, and informing the student of their academic progress. 

Further, either during the process of writing the dissertation prospectus, or at some time following its approval, students, again in consultation with their primary advisor, select a qualified external reader of the dissertation. The external reader may either be on the faculty of a Temple University department other than History or a member of the faculty of a college/university other than Temple. Once the external reader has agreed to serve in the capacity (and received approval from the Graduate School), that person is added to the Dissertation Examining Committee. The total membership of the Dissertation Examining Committee may exceed four faculty (the minimum being the three Graduate Faculty members who approved the prospectus plus the external reader). A majority of the committee's members, however, must be Temple University History Department Graduate Faculty. 

Prospectus:
All doctoral candidates must prepare a dissertation prospectus in close consultation with the advisor prior to advancing to PhD candidacy. This document, usually 15 to 20 pages in length, must achieve the following goals: 

1. Identify the major research question of the dissertation.
2. Situate the dissertation in the existing scholarly literature.
3. Lay out a coherent research strategy that identifies the archives and sources that will be used.
4. Include a timeline for research and writing of the dissertation.

The prospectus defense is open to History Department faculty. At this event, the doctoral candidate makes a brief presentation lasting approximately 10 to 20 minutes, outlining the contents of the prospectus. A copy of the dissertation prospectus is made available at least one week before the defense for examination by the faculty. During the defense, faculty engage the candidate in vigorous conversation about the proposed project.

The prospectus must be defended no later than the 7th semester. Failure to defend the prospectus by the end of the sixth term is grounds for dismissal from the doctoral program. At the end of the defense, the candidate's Doctoral Advisory Committee meets privately to vote on advancing the student to PhD candidacy.

Dissertation:
Dissertations must be written and defended within seven years of matriculation. Students who have made satisfactory progress toward completing their dissertation can apply for an extension of up to three additional years. Therefore, the maximum total time permitted for completing the PhD program is ten years. Students in the PhD program must register each term until all requirements for the degree have been fulfilled unless they receive a leave of absence.

All dissertations must be prepared in accordance with the guidelines of the Dissertation and Thesis Handbook. Students should arrange a procedure for submitting draft chapters for review to their primary advisor and other members of the Doctoral Advisory Committee.

When the chair and a majority of the Dissertation Examining Committee agree that the written dissertation is of sufficient quality to be defended, the student should arrange with the Committee a time for the oral defense to be held. The student should then notify the Graduate Administrator of the proposed defense date. The oral defense must be publicly announced in writing at least ten days in advance of the date of the defense and must be open to the public. A copy of the dissertation is made available to the department at least one week before the defense for examination by the faculty.

An Oral Defense Chair must be identified. This person must be a Temple University presidential faculty member and may not be the chair of the student’s Dissertation Examining Committee.

In the event that a member of the Dissertation Examining Committee cannot attend the defense, teleconferencing or videoconferencing is arranged. This arrangement must be approved by the Graduate School prior to the defense. No more than one member of the Dissertation Examining Committee can be physically absent from the defense.

The dissertation defense is a public event, open to History Department faculty and doctoral students. At this event, the doctoral candidate makes a brief presentation, outlining the main argument of the dissertation. During the defense, faculty and students engage the candidate in a vigorous conversation about the project. At the end of the defense, the Dissertation Examining Committee meets privately to vote on the candidate’s performance. The candidate is notified immediately of the decision.