History, Ph.D.

Program Overview

The Ph.D. in History at LSU is a research-oriented program requiring 54 semester hours of coursework and dissertation research. Students choose a major and minor field, with major fields including US History, European History, and Latin American History. The program emphasizes creative scholarship and requires proficiency in one or two foreign languages.

Program Outline

Students must choose a major field and a minor field.

Outline:

• Coursework:
• Students with an MA from another university must complete basic seminars in their major field:
• United States History: HIST 7904, HIST 7908, HIST 7951, HIST 7952, HIST 7956, HIST 7957, plus two Special Topics seminars (HIST 7958 and/or HIST 7959)
• Students must also complete courses in their minor fields.
• Students with an MA from LSU will have already completed the basic seminars.
• Major Fields:
• US History (inclusive)
• Latin American History
• Medieval and Early Modern Europe
• European History since 1500
• British History
• Minor Fields:
• Must fall outside the scope of the major field.
• Approved by the student's major professor and minor field professors.
• Typically requires nine hours of coursework.
• Cannot fall within the same major field.
• Students may take a minor field outside of the department with permission of their major professors.
• World History Minor:
• Requires both a set amount of coursework and an examination.
• Courses: HIST 7970 (when offered in World History and approved by the minor's coordinator), two 4000- or 7000-level courses in two of the following areas (outside their major field): Africa, East Asia, Latin America, and South Asia.
• A thematic course that cuts across regions or courses in European or US history with a decisive transnational or global theme may be substituted for one of these, if approved by the minor's coordinator.
• Single Minor: HIST 7970 (when offered in World History and approved by the minor's coordinator), one 4000- or 7000-level course in one of the following areas: Africa, East Asia, Latin America, and South Asia.
• Double Minor: HIST 7970 (when offered in World History and approved by the minor's coordinator), three 4000- or 7000-level courses in three of the following areas (outside their major field): Africa, East Asia, Europe, Latin America, South Asia, and the United States.
• Doctoral Degree Audit:
• General Examinations:
• Offered once each semester, in November and April.
• Minor field exams may consist of a four-hour written exam; in certain cases, a minor field may consist only of course work, and a written exam will not be given.
• Once the minor field exam (or course work) has been completed, the student must take the major field exams the following semester.
• Once the major field examination has been successfully completed, the student becomes a PhD Candidate.
• Final Examinations:
• Foreign Language Requirement:
• Students in American and British history must demonstrate reading proficiency in one foreign language.
• Students in all other concentrations must demonstrate reading proficiency in two foreign languages (for medieval history one of those languages should be Latin).
• Demonstrated through a sight translation conducted by a member of the faculty or by successfully completing a reading knowledge course offered by the Departments of Foreign Languages or French Studies.
• General Examinations:
• Foreign Language Requirement:
• Demonstrated through sight translation or completion of a reading knowledge course.
• Minor Field Exam:
• May consist of a four-hour written exam or course work only.
• World History Minor:
• General examination consisting of a written assignment and oral examination.