University of Nevada, Las Vegas offers the PhD of History as a full-time degree delivered on campus at its main campus in Paradise , United States of America. Taught in English and completed over 4 years, the program equips students with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills required for history and related professional fields. The next available intake begins on August 28, 2027.

About PhD in History

The History Department's Ph.D. program was formed in 1991. It embodies the ultimate expression of the Department's mission to generate and disseminate new knowledge through research, analysis, and publication. The three areas of concentration are: North American West; North American Culture and Society; and European Culture and Society. The program seeks to provide graduates with the capacity for original research and thought, and the qualifications for employment in secondary schools, community colleges and universities. Our first graduate received her degree in 1996.

The Ph.D. program is a more specialized course of study designed to train students to teach and write history at an advanced level. Seminars instruct students in the skills required for original scholarship. The doctoral program has three areas of concentration: North American West; North American Culture and Society; and European Culture and Society. The concentration in the history of Culture and Society emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach to European and North American history. The study of cultural forms, practices, and events offers the opportunity to explore issues in politics, economics and social life from a national and transnational perspective. The Department has specialists in nineteenth-century American cultural history, twentieth-century American cultural history, American religious history, urban history, gender history, the Atlantic World, as well as the intellectual and cultural history of classical antiquity, medieval Europe, eighteenth-century Britain, eighteenth-century France, nineteenth-century Russia, twentieth-century Britain and twentieth-century Germany, Near Eastern and Islamic history, and colonial Latin America. A large microfilm collection, archives house in Special Collections in UNLV's Lied Library, and a growing collection of digital databases provide important resources for student research. The concentration in the North American West emphasizes a broad approach to the study of the region. The unique geography, social characteristics and demography of the North American West place it at the heart of many issues facing the United States today. The study of its economic, environmental, ethnic, racial and cultural past offers the opportunity to explore not only themes that pertain to Nevada and the Southwest, but also those that address the region and nation as a whole. The West's political and social systems, its rural, urban, and industrial sectors, its controversies over water, and its distribution of wealth make it an important focus of scholarly interest. With specialists in, environmental history, urban history and the built environment, American Indian history, the Latino/ahistory, borderlands, ethnohistory, and history of Mexico., The faculty collectively provides both depth and breadth in its coverage of the field, encourages the study of diverse cultures, and interdisciplinary work in Western history. UNLV contains numerous resources for the study of the region. A large microfilm collection with strength in western newspapers and in American Indian, women's, labor, ethnic and environmental history is available for students, as are extensive local and Nevada history collections.

Doctoral students take a specialized course of study in preparation for comprehensive exams in geographical, chronological, topical, and methodological fields to assure a firm grounding in broad contexts and to cultivate expertise in specialized areas. The culmination of the degree is the dissertation: a major written contribution to the field of history based on original research, worthy of publication.

There are four types of courses: colloquia, readings course devoted to mastering the historical literature in particular fields; seminars, dedicated to original research work and writing; and historiography, courses in the history of historical writing and historical theory and method; and independent study. Students are encouraged to develop a course plan that embraces the interdisciplinary strength of the faculty
The doctoral program trains graduates to think analytically about the past, conduct original research, and to convey their knowledge through clear, professional prose. The doctoral program qualifies graduates for employment in four-year colleges and universities, community colleges, secondary schools, and in a variety of other institutional settings.

Students in the doctoral program are eligible to apply for graduate assistantships and opportunities for part-time teaching in the University and Community College System of Nevada on a competitive basis. The Department also supports graduate student research and professional development with a competitive grants program. In addition, the Graduate College offers summer research funding on a competitive basis.

Available Options

Post-Bachelor's – North American West Track
Post-Bachelor's – North American Culture and Society Track
Post-Bachelor's – European Culture and Society Track
Post-Master's – North American West Track
Post-Master's – North American Culture and Society Track
Post-Master's European Culture and Society Track

Upon completion of the Ph.D. program in History, students should be able to:

Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of the content of an extensive body of scholarly material in a major field defined by historical period, geographic region or regions, or theme, e.g. History and Memory.
Demonstrate knowledge of the content of an extensive body of scholarly material in a minor field defined by historical period, geographic region or regions, or theme, e.g. History and Memory.
Demonstrate knowledge of the major theoretical and historiographical approaches to their major field.
Demonstrate an awareness of the role of historians in the construction of the past and the role of contemporary context in shaping the perspectives of historians.
Demonstrate the ability examine sources thoroughly, efficiently, and even-handedly within the context of the existing scholarly literature in the field and construct a well ordered, well-argued and well written paper of substantial length.

Disciplines

College of Liberal Arts

Requirements and Admission Criteria for PhD in History at University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Entry Requirements

While each graduate program has unique admissions standards, the Graduate College maintains minimum standards for graduate admission. All advanced degree and certificate program applicants must meet these eligibility requirements to be considered for admission. Immigration status does not impact admission to UNLV.

Bachelor’s Degree – You must hold a four-year baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution, or an approved international equivalent.
Grade Point Average – You must have a minimum overall grade point average of 2.75 (4.00=A) for your bachelor’s degree, or a minimum 3.00 (4.00=A) for the last two years (60 semester hours).
Additional Requirements – Factors that may also be considered by the academic department to which you are applying include test scores (like the GRE or GMAT), the type of course work completed during undergraduate studies, letters of recommendation, writing samples or portfolios, and any other supporting documents your department/program may ask you to submit to complete your application.
International Applicants: Proof of English Proficiency – The application process for international students is the same as for domestic students, with the exception of submitting proof of English Proficiency.
Transcripts – All applicants are required to submit a transcript from each postsecondary institution attended, showing all degrees and coursework, the dates awarded, and grades received. If the institution is outside the U.S., a foreign credential evaluation may be required. Please review our foreign credential evaluations page for additional guidelines, information, and requirements.
Credentials not in English must be accompanied by an English translation certified as true by a university official, an official representative of a United States embassy or consulate, the United States Information Service, the United States Education Foundation, or an approved professional translating service. Notarized copies of originals or translations are not considered official.

Credentials from China: Students who have completed a degree in China must provide copies of the original language transcripts and a copy of their Degree Certificate and Graduation Certificate. Documents verified by the Center for Student Services and Development (CSSD) or the China Academic Degree and Graduate information Center (CDGDC) are also accepted.

Credentials from India: Consolidated marks sheets are acceptable if yearly mark sheets are not available. Mark sheets must also be issued by the degree-granting institution. Mark sheets from affiliated colleges, are not acceptable or considered official. Students who have completed a degree in India must also provide a copy of their Provisional Certificate.

Please note that the aforementioned requirements are the minimum requirements established and monitored by the Graduate College. Meeting the minimum admissions requirements is a necessary but not sufficient condition of admission. Admission decisions are based on applicants meeting the minimum Graduate College requirements and a more extensive and holistic departmental review, which considers a combination of factors, including indicators of success based upon academic degrees and records, the statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, test scores, relevant work experience, and the like.

English Requirements

PTEMin 65
IELTSMin 6.5
TOEFLMin 80

Career Opportunities after Completing PhD in History

A degree in history provides students with the skills necessary for success in a wide range of careers and professions ranging from business to law, social services, and education. The department seeks to train majors in the specific skills and knowledge necessary for public school teaching and for graduate student in history or in professional schools. For more information about specific careers and job openings, the UNLV History Department encourages its students to refer to the American Historical Association's Guide to Careers in History.

Tuition and Fee Information for PhD in History at University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Application Fee 95

How to Apply for PhD in History at University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Review Admission Requirements – Review requirements for advanced degree and certificate program applicants. Be sure to check your department of interest as well because departmental requirements vary. Please note that only degree-seeking students are eligible for I-20/student visas and graduate assistantships. Certificate programs are not considered degree-seeking. However, with proper approval students may be enrolled concurrently in both degree and certificate programs.
Application Procedures – To apply to the Graduate College, submit the following admission materials for consideration:
- A completed application. Complete the application online.
- A nonrefundable admission application fee of $95, payable online by credit card or by check/money order, to the Board of Regents, UNLV.
  
  *Note: Applications and materials will not be processed until the application fee is received. Applicants to any UNLV graduate program must pay the admission application evaluation fee for each application filed. Denied applicants, who later seek admission to the same or other UNLV degree program, are required to pay an additional application fee.
Additional Graduate College Application Materials – If needed, send any additional Graduate College admission materials (for example: your admission receipt with your check payment; your transcripts if you did not upload them into your online application; or your official transcripts upon admission; etc.) to:
Office of Admissions

University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Mail Stop: 1021
4505 S. Maryland Pkwy.
Las Vegas, NV 89154
Additional Materials for your Department & Degree Program Application – Submit any additional department-required admission materials by uploading them into your online application. Please check with your graduate program of interest and refer to the application checklist on the Home tab of your Grad Rebel Gateway account in order to determine their specific admission requirements prior to submitting your online application.
Financial Certification Requirement – Submit Financial Certification form and Bank Letter to the Graduate College.
Before an I-20 can be issued, all international students must submit a completed Financial Certification form and bank letter. Even if you anticipate receiving a Graduate Assistantship, you must submit the Financial Certification form and bank letter.
- Confidential Financial Certification

PhD in History at University of Nevada, Las Vegas

About PhD in History

Available Options

Post-Bachelor's – North American West Track

Post-Bachelor's – North American Culture and Society Track

Post-Bachelor's – European Culture and Society Track

Post-Master's – North American West Track

Post-Master's – North American Culture and Society Track

Post-Master's European Culture and Society Track