The PhD program in History offers a broad-based, humanistic education that equips you with the research, analytical, and communication skills critical for meaningful careers in the field of History.
The PhD program in History enables you to conduct research at the highest level and begin your career as an academic historian or prepare for a wide range of academic and professional careers. You’ll work alongside CGU faculty-scholars who specialize in U.S. and European history and draw on expert faculty from the highly ranked Claremont Colleges as well. With abundant opportunities to traverse disciplines and bring diverse ideas together, you will engage in first-rate historical scholarship. The result: an in-depth education in history with a breadth of expertise and an instructional environment unmatched by most larger universities.
Program Highlights
- The Libraries of the Claremont Colleges are among the largest collections in California, and the Huntington Library, one of the world’s finest research libraries for English and American history, is nearby.
- You can pursue a PhD in History in conjunction with another degree program at CGU. You receive a diploma for each degree and “double count” some units from one program to the other to decrease your required total units.
Program At-a-glance
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72 units
required units
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PhD in History
degree awarded
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In Person
modality
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Spring, Fall
program start
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4 years | full time*
estimated completion time
7 years | part time
estimated completion time
Areas of Concentration
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American Studies
The American Studies concentration takes a multidisciplinary approach to the study of United States culture, society, civilization, and identity through the curricular lenses of history, literature, critical theory, and more.
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Early Modern Studies
The Early Modern Studies concentration undertakes interdisciplinary examination of history, culture, politics, and society within the transitional and transformative period that stretched between Medieval and modern societies, marked especially by the advent of print, Christian confessional war, and the rise of the modern state.
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Hemispheric & Transnational Studies
A comparative analysis of culture in the Americas, the concentration in Hemispheric & Transnational Studies explores how scholarship on the Atlantic, borderlands, and diaspora have reshaped U.S. American Studies, Caribbean Studies, and Latin American Studies, emphasizing the topics of empire, race, religion, and revolution.
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Media Studies
Situated at the bustling intersection of cultural studies, new media, critical theory, and popular culture, the burgeoning field of Media Studies examines the creative and critical practices of media consumers, producers, artists, and scholars, focusing on questions of representation, power, technology, politics, and economy.
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Museum Studies
The Museum Studies concentration investigates the history and political role of museums in society, the interpretation and display of a wide variety of cultural productions, and topics of special concern to museums as cultural organizations, using a multidisciplinary, practice-based approach to understand the historical development of this evolving field.
Where You Can Find Our Alumni
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Smith College
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Fort Lewis College
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CSU Channel Islands
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Mount St. Mary's College
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Claremont Colleges Libraries
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U.S. Department of Commerce
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Walla Walla University
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The Drucker Institute
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Azusa Pacific University
Faculty
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Matthew Bowman
Associate Professor of Religion and History
Howard W. Hunter Chair of Mormon StudiesResearch Interests
Mormonism, new religious movements, evangelicalism, religion and American politics
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Joshua Goode
Professor of History and Cultural Studies
Chair, History DepartmentResearch Interests
Modern Spain, 19th- and 20th-century Europe, Genocide and racial thought, Museums and commemoration, Memory
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Romeo Guzmán
Assistant Professor of History
Research Interests
Citizenship, Migration, Sport, Public history, Digital humanities
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JoAnna Poblete
Professor of History
John D. and Lillian Maguire Distinguished Professor in the HumanitiesResearch Interests
Colonialism and empire, unincorporated territories, migration and labor, comparative ethnic studies, Asian-American and Pacific Islander studies, 20th-century United States, indigenous issues, environmental history, oral history, U.S. expansionism
Extended Faculty
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Shane Bjornlie
Claremont McKenna College
Research Interests
Late Antique history, Roman history
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Myriam Chancy
Scripps College
Research Interests
African diaspora with specialization in its literature
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Alfred Flores
Harvey Mudd College
Research Interests
U.S. empire in Oceania with an emphasis on diaspora, labor, indigeneity, militarization, oral history and settler colonialism in Guåhan
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Lily Geismer
Claremont McKenna College
Research Interests
20th century liberalism in the United States, Fair housing, Liberal religion and politics
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George Gorse
Pomona College
Research Interests
Italian Renaissance art and architecture; Italian Baroque art and architecture; Medieval art history; history of cities, palaces, villas, and gardens; history of Genoa
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Vivien Hamilton
Harvey Mudd College
Research Interests
Medical technologies, including x-rays, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries
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Daniel Livesay
Claremont McKenna College
Research Interests
Early American and Atlantic history; Race, family, and slavery in North America and the Caribbean
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Char Miller
Pomona College
Research Interests
U.S. environmental policy, U.S. public-lands management, Western water politics, Immigration and border security, Urban politics and development, U.S. intellectual and cultural history
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Albert Park
Claremont McKenna College
Research Interests
Design & architecture, East Asian history & political economy, Korean history, Modern Japanese history
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Victor Silvermam
Pomona College
Research Interests
U.S. History, Alcohol and Drug Studies, History of Sexual/Gender Minorities, The Cold War, Labor Unions, International Labor Movements, U.S. and Britain, San Francisco Bay Area History, California History, Sustainable Development Policy
Curriculum
Courses
- History 300 (4 units)
- One Transdisciplinary course (4 units)
- Ten History elective courses (40 units)
- Six elective courses (24 units)
Up to 24 units transfer credit from previous graduate work in History may be substituted for the elective coursework requirements.
Research Tools Requirement
- Two foreign languages (or one foreign language and one research tool)
Research Papers
- Two substantive research papers
PhD Completion
- PhD qualifying exams
- Dissertation proposal
- Written dissertation and oral defense
Oral History Program
Inaugurated in 1962, the Claremont Graduate University Oral History Program has amassed an impressive collection of interviews with persons whose life experiences merited preservation and special projects, such as China Missionaries Oral History Project, funded by the Henry Luce Foundation. It is a premier resource for research into the history of The Claremont Colleges and California state government and politics.
Application Guidelines
| University Requirements | |
|---|---|
| Application Fee | $80 (fee is non-refundable) |
| Official Transcripts | Undergraduate/graduate Applicants must submit a sealed, official transcript from every undergraduate and graduate institution that has granted the applicant a degree. Electronic transcripts sent to admissions@cgu.edu are also accepted. For undergraduate coursework, applicants are required to submit proof of a completed bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Unofficial copies of transcripts are accepted for review purposes, but official copies will be required upon admission. Applicants currently earning a degree that will be completed prior to attending CGU are required to submit a transcript showing work in progress for evaluation purposes. Once the degree has been granted, a final official transcript documenting the degree conferred must be submitted to CGU. International applicants are advised to review the International Transcript Guidelines for additional information on submitting international transcripts. |
| English Proficiency Exam | Required (international applicants only) A valid score on one of the following examinations TOEFL, IELTS, Pearson PTE, Duolingo English Test is required of all non-native English-speaking applicants. The examination is not required for the following applicants:
CGU’s school code for the TOEFL exam is 4053. International applicants are encouraged to visit our International Applicants page for more information, including score requirements. |
| Resume | Applicants must submit an up-to-date copy of their resume. |
| Program Requirements | |
|---|---|
| Statement of Purpose | Please submit a 2-3 page statement of purpose that details your academic and/or professional achievements, your specific areas of research interest within your desired field of study, why you are a strong candidate for graduate studies at CGU, and your career goals. |
| Academic Prerequisites | Master’s degree required |
| Letter of Recommendation | 3 letters required When filling out the online application, please enter references acquainted with your potential for success who will submit a written recommendation on your behalf. In most academic departments, references from faculty members who can speak to your academic ability are preferred; applicants with substantial work experience may request professional references. Please do not enter family members as references. You will be required to input information for your recommenders (whether they are submitting online or not) in the “Recommendations” section of the online application. Please follow the directions in this section carefully before clicking on “Recommendation Provider List” to input the names and contact information for each recommender. You will have an opportunity to indicate if the reference writer will be submitting online. These reference writers will receive an email from CGU with instructions on submitting an online recommendation. Recommenders who are indicated as offline will not receive an email from CGU with instructions to submit. These reference writers can submit via traditional mail and should use the supplemental New Student Recommendation Form. Recommenders can also email their letter of recommendation to the Office of Admissions at admissions@cgu.edu. |
| Standardized Test Scores | GRE (optional) Applicants who have taken the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) General Test are invited to submit scores but are not required to do so. Applicants who feel that their Grade Point Averages do not adequately represent their ability to succeed in a graduate program may find it helpful to submit GRE scores for consideration. CGU’s school code: |
| Writing Sample | All applicants are required to submit a writing sample of previous work in addition to the statement of purpose. You may submit samples of any length you feel indicate your writing ability, but please note that we will be unable to return any items submitted as part of your application (please, no books). Most applicants submit one or two scholarly papers or excerpts of around 10-15 pages. Writing samples should not exceed 30 pages. |
Key Dates & Deadlines
CGU operates on a priority deadline cycle. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit complete applications by the priority dates in order to assure maximum consideration for both admission and fellowships.
Once the priority deadlines have passed, the University will continue to review applications for qualified candidates on a competitive, space-available basis. The final deadlines listed are the last date the University can accept an application in order to allow sufficient time to complete the admissions, financial aid, and other enrollment processes.
Spring 2026
Priority Deadline – November 1, 2025
Final Deadline (International) – November 15, 2025
Final Deadline (Domestic) – December 1, 2025
Classes begin – January 20, 2026
Fall 2026
Priority Deadline – February 1, 2026
Final Deadline (International) – July 5, 2026
Final Deadline (Domestic) – August 1, 2026
Classes begin – August 24, 2026
Cost & Aid
ESTIMATED TUITION (CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS, NON-RESIDENTS, INTERNATIONAL)
*Based on 2025-2026 tuition rates.
STUDENT FEES (PER SEMESTER)
| $245 Student Fee |
| $150 Technology Fee |
| International Student Services Fee**: $802 fall semester, $898 spring semester **Applies to all international students (F-1 visa only) who are registered in coursework, doctoral study, or continuous registration. The fee is assessed each fall and spring semester for annual ISO accident and sickness plans and administrative fees. Subject to changes. |
For estimates of room & board, books, etc., please download CGU’s Cost of Attendance 2025-2026.
| Program | 72 units |
As a student in the School of Arts & Humanities, you have the option of completing one of five interdisciplinary concentrations.
American Studies
The American Studies concentration takes a multidisciplinary approach to the study of United States culture, society, civilization, and identity through the curricular lenses of history, literature, critical theory, and more.
Early Modern Studies
The Early Modern Studies concentration undertakes interdisciplinary examination of history, culture, politics, and society within the transitional and transformative period that stretched between Medieval and modern societies, marked especially by the advent of print, Christian confessional war, and the rise of the modern state.
Hemispheric & Transnational Studies
A comparative analysis of culture in the Americas, the concentration in Hemispheric & Transnational Studies explores how scholarship on the Atlantic, borderlands, and diaspora have reshaped U.S. American Studies, Caribbean Studies, and Latin American Studies, emphasizing the topics of empire, race, religion, and revolution.
Media Studies
Situated at the bustling intersection of cultural studies, new media, critical theory, and popular culture, the burgeoning field of Media Studies examines the creative and critical practices of media consumers, producers, artists, and scholars, focusing on questions of representation, power, technology, politics, and economy.
Museum Studies
The Museum Studies concentration investigates the history and political role of museums in society, the interpretation and display of a wide variety of cultural productions, and topics of special concern to museums as cultural organizations, using a multidisciplinary, practice-based approach to understand the historical development of this evolving field.
These concentrations are available for students pursuing the following degree programs:
Master’s Degrees
Doctoral Degrees