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GRADUATE STUDY IN HISTORY
The Department of History offers strong programs at both the master's and
doctoral levels in American and European history and is a national leader in the
field of African history. Doctoral students are normally accepted in those three areas of study only, but it is also possible, in consultation with the faculty advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies, to define a field that is not geographically specific and would allow for the exploration of a particular theme, or themes, in a transnational context. Within the European field, students will specialize in medieval; early modern, 1500 to 1815; or modern, 1789 to present. Graduates of the department pursue careers not only
in the traditional areas of research and teaching but also in fields as diverse
as library and museum work, government service, publishing, and business. The
department has a special relationship with the American and New England Studies
Program, which provides a range of courses supplementing the department's
American history offerings. In African history, the highly regarded African
Studies Center provides an interdisciplinary approach encompassing
anthropology, economics, political science, and sociology, as well as history.
Other areas of strength include European and American diplomatic, cultural,
and intellectual history and international
comparative history. Access to research collections in the Boston area is an
important complement to graduate study in a number of fields offered by the
department. Moreover, a consortium arrangement with
Boston College, Brandeis
University, and Tufts University
enables students to take courses at these other schools and share library resources.
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Procedures and Timetable
The department accepts applications for
September admission only. The deadline for all applications is January 15. A complete application will include:
- Application form (either online or mailed paper application)
- All relevant transcripts beginning with bachelor's level
- Two letters of recommendation required, three preferred
- GRE scores
- Personal statement/statement of purpose
- Writing sample
- Statement on foreign language competence
For more information, see Frequently Asked Questions below.
The departmental Graduate Studies Committee consists of a faculty member in
each of three major areas (American, European, African) as well as a graduate
student; this committee reads and makes recommendations to the Graduate School
on all applications. The process begins in January and continues until all applications received by the January 15 deadline have been considered. Applications are not considered until they are
complete, that is, have the requisite letters of recommendation, relevant
transcripts, and GRE scores. After a wait for any missing credentials to
arrive, the department will send a notice that an application is incomplete; it
is the applicant's responsibility to make sure all materials are submitted.
Applicants may also check here on the department's website for up-to-date
information on the status of an application.
In addition to making decisions on admission of applications, the admissions
committee looks for outstanding applicants who might be recommended for
Presidential University Graduate Fellowships or Graduate Dean's Fellowships; students who win these
fellowships receive tuition for a full course load as well as a stipend (in
2009-10 the stipend is $18,900). The committee's admissions meetings are spaced approximately two to three weeks apart, and admission decisions are mailed to applicants as soon as
possible after these meetings.
Financial Aid
In addition to applicants recommended for University
Fellowships and Graduate Dean's Fellowships, the admissions committee may notify other applicants that they
have been recommended for admission to the program with an "aid pending"
status: that is, a decision on financial aid has not yet been made. Later in the
admissions process, these applicants may be awarded aid from the department's
own financial assistance budget. It should be noted that this budget is quite
limited and is ordinarily restricted to those admitted to the PhD program.
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Frequently Asked Questions on the Admissions Process
Q. How strict is the January 15 deadline?
A. The admissions committee will begin considering applications immediately
after the January 15 deadline and will continue to read applications as they come in. It is particularly advantageous for applicants requesting financial aid to get their complete application in by January 15, preferably earlier. After the deadline, applicants must request permission to
apply late from the Director of Graduate Studies.
Q. I got all my materials in by the January 15 deadline, yet your website says my application is still incomplete. What should I do?
A. An enormous amount of application material arrives at the Graduate School in January and early February. It takes time for the staff to open the mail, log in the information, and send it to the departments. If you sent your material, it is probably on its way to the department and you should not worry. Our website, which is updated frequently, is the best place to check on the missing items. Letters of recommendation are the items most often missing from a file. Since it is your responsibility to make sure the file is complete, you should check
with your evaluators to be sure they have in fact sent their letters. Since GRE scores are sent directly from the Educational Testing Service, they must be matched with the correct application, a process that takes time.
Q. Are there any common problems the admissions committee experiences in reviewing applications?
A. There are several: One of the most commonly overlooked sections of the application is the request for information on your knowledge of foreign languages. The department staff records whatever information you provide, but it does not have the time to search your transcript or résumé for language proficiency. The department requires that you submit a separate sheet describing your foreign language competence (beginning, intermediate, advanced level) and including a list of language courses taken; either upload this page to the Graduate School site (use the "Upload Documents" tab on the online application) or, if you do not apply online, mail the information sheet to the department. An additional issue is that many applicants do not select the correct degree program: If an applicant already has a master's degree in history, he or she should apply for the post-master's PhD program; an applicant coming directly from a bachelor's degree (whether in history or in another discipline) should apply for the MA/PhD post-bachelor's program.
Q. What are the minimum GRE scores required by the department?
A. The department does not have a minimum required GRE score, since the
admissions committee looks at many other factors, such as letters of
recommendation and transcripts. It may be helpful, however, to know that the
average verbal score of those entering the program in September 2007 was 616 (which translated to an average percentile of 85%).
Q. Is a writing sample required for the application?
A. Yes, it is. The preferable way to submit it is by uploading it with the online application; alternatively you may mail a copy directly to the History Department, 226 Bay State Road, Boston, MA 02215. No writing sample should be longer than 40 pages.
Q. Do I have to take the TOEFL exam?
A. Aside from the exception described below, all applicants whose native language is not English must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language. The minimum score requirement is 213 (for the computer-based test), 550 (paper-based test), or 84 (internet-based test). The TOEFL requirement is waived only if an applicant has received, or expects to receive, an undergraduate or graduate degree from a college or university in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, or New Zealand.
Q. How can I find out if my application is complete?
A. There are several ways: You may check here on the department's website for
the status of
an application; this information is updated often. You may contact the
department by e-mail. Or you may telephone us
at 617-353-2555. You should not contact the Graduate School staff; they will
simply refer you to the department.
Q. When will I learn of the department's decision on my application?
A. Beginning in January, the admissions committee meets every two or three weeks to consider all
complete applications. The committee will inform those applicants who are admitted of its recommendation within a day or two of each
meeting (the department does not send a notice to those who were not accepted). All applicants (including those not admitted) will receive official notification from the Graduate School
approximately one to two weeks later. Two factors may delay action on your application:
You may have sent your application by the deadline, but any missing credentials
will delay its consideration. In addition, a large number of applications
reach the Graduate School near the deadline date; time is required to open or download and then
process this material.
Q. How many applicants does the department accept each year?
A. The department does not have quotas for admissions. For fall 2007
admissions, 201 applications were received, 83 were admitted, and 13 enrolled
in the graduate program.
Q. How many of those 13 were PhD students?
A. Four entering students were in the PhD program and nine in the MA.
Q. Of the entering students, how many received financial aid?
A. Two entering students received a University or Graduate Dean's Fellowship.
Q. How long do I have to let you know whether I am accepting an offer of
admission?
A. If financial aid has been offered, a deadline will be stated in the letter
awarding the aid. Otherwise you have until the end of July to let the department
know.
Q. I was admitted and accepted your offer. When will I hear more?
A. You will receive an e-mail notice from the Graduate School in early summer confirming the fact that you are expected to enroll in September as well as an e-mail from the department. Then in early August you will receive materials on
the registration process: a scheduled appointment with an advisor, a list of
courses offered in the fall, a copy of the graduate handbook, and other relevant
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Note: As of the fall of 2007 the department has made significant changes in its MA and PhD programs. Both the old and the new policies are included in the material below. Specific rationales for the changes are as follows:
Changes in required courses: The four courses now required of all students (GRS HI 700, 701, 750, and 770) will provide graduate students with the kind of international and cross-cultural perspectives that are appropriate for a discipline that has become increasingly globally oriented. In addition, they will give students the breadth of knowledge and the methodological sophistication that they need to produce a paper required for the MA that will conform to the highest standards of rigorous scholarship. Finally, the orientation and breadth of the courses will do much to enrich students' scholarship and to maximize their competitiveness in their search for employment, not only in the academy but also in museum work, government service, consulting, and business.
Requirement of two courses outside history (PhD students only): Students need to receive training in areas that are germane to the areas in which they intend to do research. For example, students who intend to become political historians need to be aware of current developments in political science, would-be economic historians should be familiar with the methodology and substance of contemporary economics, and historians of religious thought should be aware of developments occurring within the field of Religious Studies.
Introduction of a dissertation workshop (PhD students only): The Dissertation Workshop course requirement will provide students with guidance, support, and a source of intellectual community while they are writing their dissertations, as well as a forum for presenting their research. |
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The MA in history is intended as either a terminal degree or a preliminary
degree for those students who have been admitted to the program leading to the
PhD in history. Students admitted to the MA program and desiring to advance to
doctoral studies will be reevaluated by the Graduate Studies Committee before
being admitted to the PhD program.
Course Requirements (for students admitted before September 2007)
Students are required to complete eight courses that carry graduate credit,
i.e., numbered 500 or above. Some lecture courses numbered 300-399 also have
corresponding 800-level numbers; graduate students wishing to enroll in these
courses, which will make special provisions for graduate work, will register
for the 800-level courses. One of the eight required courses must be GRS HI 700: Problems in
Historical Analysis. In addition, students in European history must take GRS HI
719 (or an approved substitute in years when this course is not offered), students in African history must take GRS HI 777, and students in American
history must take a seminar in that field. At least four courses must be
selected from one of the following fields of history: Africa, the United
States, Britain, medieval Europe, the Middle East, early modern
Europe/America, modern Europe.
Course Requirements (for students admitted after September 2007)
Of the eight semester courses (32 credits) needed to satisfy the requirement of work in residence, all students must take the following four courses: GRS HI 700 (European Historiography), HI 750 (American Historiography), HI 770 (African Historiography), and HI 701 (The Historian's Craft). HI 700, 750, and 770 are reading courses focusing on historiographical issues and approaches in the areas where the department has special strengths and a sizable array of courses. HI 701 is a course intended to provide students with the necessary range of analytical, research, and expository skills and methods that are associated with the historian's craft. Toward that end, the course is designed to move from the original conception of a problem to a publishable article. At least one of the reading courses (HI 700, 750, or 770) must be taken prior to taking HI 701, which will be offered every year in the spring semester.
Candidates for the MA may count only two courses designed primarily for undergraduates (these courses are offered at the 800 level and ordinarily have 300-level equivalents) for the degree.
Courses taken at other accredited graduate schools or in
other schools or colleges of Boston University not used toward the awarding of
any other degree may be transferred on recommendation of the department. For
the MA degree, no more than two such courses may be transferred.
Major Research Paper (for students admitted before September 2007)
Every student must write at least one major research paper between 25 and 40
pages in length: the equivalent of a publishable journal article, based on
primary sources, and meeting professional standards of documentation,
argument, and literary structure. This paper may be developed in a research
seminar or in directed research with a faculty member. It will be graded in the
normal way by the instructor of the course for which it was written, after which
a copy of the paper must be submitted to the Graduate Studies Committee;
judgment as to whether it fulfils the research requirement rests solely with
the committee. A paper accepted as fulfilling the requirement remains in the
student's file.
Major Research Paper/MA Capstone Experience (for students admitted after September 2007)
Within the context of HI 701 (see Course Requirements above) students will write a major research paper, which will be separately certified by the Graduate Studies Committee as the student's capstone experience. The paper must be between 25 and 40
pages in length: the equivalent of a publishable journal article, based on
primary sources, and meeting professional standards of documentation,
argument, and literary structure. It will be graded in the
normal way by the instructor of HI 701, after which
a copy of the paper must be submitted to the Graduate Studies Committee;
judgment as to whether it fulfils the research requirement rests solely with
the committee. A paper accepted as fulfilling the requirement remains in the
student's file.
Language Requirement
The candidate shall demonstrate a reading knowledge of one relevant foreign
language. This regulation emphasizes the need for genuine ability to use
foreign languages in advanced courses and in certain kinds of research.
Language examinations, consisting of one or more passages to be translated (a
dictionary is permitted), are given in September, January, and April.
Students are expected to qualify at the start of their work in residence (except
in cases where, for a language such as Russian and Arabic, it is recognized that
additional time may be required).
If the candidate has passed a reading examination at another accredited
graduate school and submits evidence to that effect to the chair of the Graduate
Studies Committee, the departmental requirement in most instances will be
waived. The Department of Modern Foreign Languages offers reading courses for graduate students in French (GRS LF 621), German (GRS LG 621), Italian (GRS LI 621), and Spanish (GRS LS 621). The final examination in these courses includes a passage selected by the History Department. Passing one of these reading courses fulfills the department's language requirement.
Applying for Graduation
Students must file an application for graduation in the Graduate School office
(check with this office for deadlines). Note that an application is good only
for the specified date (September, January, or May); if a student needs
additional time to complete requirements, a new application must be filed. Note also that a student must be registered for the semester in which he or she graduates and in the preceding one and that a student must be registered for any semester in which a degree requirement is completed (such as submission of the research paper or passing the language examination).
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There are six components to the PhD program: course work, major research
paper(s), language examinations, the qualifying oral examination, the
prospectus and dissertation, and the final oral examination. These components
are explained in the following sections:
Course Requirements (for students admitted before September 2007)
One course is required of all entering students, GRS HI 700: Problems in
Historical Analysis. In addition, students in European history must take GRS HI
719, students in African history must take GRS HI 777, and students in American
history must take a seminar in that field. Students entering the program with a BA degree take,
preferably over a period of four or five semesters, 16 graduate courses that
carry full credit (4 credit hours) or the equivalent in total credit hours (64).
Students entering with an MA degree take, preferably over two or three
semesters, eight graduate courses that carry full credit or the equivalent in
total credit hours (32). No more than four and one-half courses may be taken for
degree credit in any one semester.
Course Requirements (for students admitted after September 2007)
All students in the PhD program are required to take the following four courses: GRS HI 700 (European Historiography), HI 750 (American Historiography), HI 770 (African Historiography), and HI 701 (The Historian's Craft). HI 700, 750, and 770 are reading courses focusing on historiographical issues and approaches in the areas where the department has special strengths and a sizable array of courses. HI 701 is a course that focuses on research and is designed to enable students to move from the original conception of a problem to a publishable article. At least one of the reading courses (HI 700, 750, or 770) must be taken prior to taking HI 701, which will be offered every year in the spring semester. Students entering the program with a bachelor's degree take 64 credits, 56 of which should be taken in seminars, lecture courses, directed research, and directed study prior to taking the qualifying oral examination, preferably over a period of four or five semesters. Students entering with an approved master's degree take 24 credits prior to taking the qualifying oral examination, preferably over two or three semesters.
Under ordinary circumstances students are required to take two graduate-level courses in a single discipline other than history that is related to their interests. These courses must be selected in consultation with the student's advisor.
Candidates for the PhD may count only 16 credits in courses designed primarily for undergraduates (these courses are offered at the 800 level and ordinarily have 300-level equivalents) for the degree.
After completing all other course requirements and the qualifying oral examination, every doctoral student is required to complete four semesters of a two-credit Dissertation Workshop course (GRS HI 900). The eight credits count toward the 64-credit requirement for PhD students. This course, presided over by a departmental faculty member, meets every two weeks for a presentation of a significant piece of dissertation research by a current graduate student, a roundtable discussion of an important research issue, or a topic relating to a career in college teaching. Although students in Boston are expected to attend the course regularly, students need not be in residence to enroll in HI 900. However, every dissertation student must present his or her research once a year, either in person or by some other means when appropriate.
Petitions for transfer of credit must be approved by the
Graduate Studies Committee. Students entering with a BA degree may petition for
transfer of credit up to four courses; students entering with an MA degree
cannot transfer any course credits from another university.
At one point or another most students will request a grade of Incomplete from
their instructors, in order to have additional time to complete a term paper or
other assignment in an appropriate manner. The Graduate Studies Committee
requests faculty members to set deadlines for the submission of such work. It
asks students to remove Incompletes by the end of the next semester; the
committee will not normally recommend the award of financial aid to students
with longstanding Incompletes.
Major Research Paper
Each year of full-time residence, every student must write at least one major
research paper between 25 and 40 pages in length: the equivalent of a
publishable journal article, based on primary sources, and meeting
professional standards of documentation, argument, and literary structure.
The paper completed in GRS HI 701 (The Historian's Craft) counts as one of the research papers; students entering the program with a bachelor's degree must complete a second paper, which may be developed in a research seminar or in directed research with a
faculty member. Research papers will be graded in the normal way by the instructor of the
course for which they were written, after which a copy of each paper must be
submitted to the Graduate Studies Committee; judgment as to whether it fulfills
the research requirement rests solely with the committee. A paper accepted as
fulfilling the requirement remains in the student's file.
Language Requirements
See MA language requirement. The doctoral candidate shall demonstrate a
reading knowledge of two relevant foreign languages. A candidate beginning
post-BA doctoral work shall qualify during the first year in at least one--and
is urged to do so in both--of the languages required. Beyond the end of the third
semester of full-time study, financial aid may be discontinued and/or the
student may be required to take a reduced course load until the language
requirement is fulfilled. A post-MA candidate shall fulfill the requirement in
both languages during the first semester of full-time study, or be subject to
the same conditions noted above. With the permission of the Graduate Studies Committee, candidates in certain areas of concentration
may substitute a two-semester course in statistics or in another tool subject
for the second of the two foreign languages.
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Qualifying Oral Examination
To be admitted to candidacy for the PhD degree, a student must pass a two-hour
qualifying oral examination. The examination may be taken as soon as the
candidate has completed the basic work in residence and has secured a sponsor
for an approved dissertation topic; it must be taken no later than twelve months
after the completion of course work. Qualifying examinations are not ordinarily administered
after the end of classes in any given semester. The initial preparation for this
examination begins early in a student's career. Students should choose courses
and make personal contacts with faculty members with their oral examinations in
mind. They should have a general idea of their examination fields by the time
they complete course work and should then undertake intensive reading in those
fields under faculty direction. Each oral examination is unique, for the
examination is intended to test the knowledge of a specific student. However,
there are certain regulations and norms to which all examinations must conform:
- General Character. The qualifying oral examination has one major field,
which shall be comprehensive and cover any and all phases of the subject, and
one minor field. Students may choose the order in which they wish the examiners
to proceed, and each examiner will question the student for half an hour. The
entire two-hour oral examination must be given on one occasion. All examiners
are required to be present for the entire period. Both language examinations, research paper(s),
and all course work must be completed before an oral examination can be
scheduled.
- Composition and Approval. Each student should submit an approval form at
least two months before the exam is scheduled to occur. This form lists the
members of the examination committee and defines the character and scope of the
major and minor fields and examiners. The examination committee consists of
four persons, three of whom must have expertise in the student's major field and
one in the minor field. The Director of Graduate Studies may sit as an ex officio
member of the committee. The chairperson of the examining committee, in
consultation with the candidate and the members of the committee, is
responsible for arranging the time and place of the examination. The
examination committee may postpone the exam if it believes the candidate is not
adequately prepared.
- Definition of Major Field. The definition of the scope of the major field is
primarily the responsibility of the examining faculty, in consultation with
the student and the Graduate Studies Committee. The major field will ordinarily
be the field within which a dissertation topic is chosen. The fields of
specialization are: Africa, the United States, Europe (medieval; early modern,
1500 to 1815; or modern, 1789 to present). It is also possible, in consultation with the faculty advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies, to define a field that is not geographically specific and would allow for the exploration of a particular theme, or themes, in a transnational context. Within the European fields there is
the option of the following national emphases: France, Britain, Germany,
Russia, or Spain, or a topical emphasis such as social, intellectual, or
economic. The major field in African history requires regional specialization
plus knowledge of a related discipline, such as anthropology or economics.
- Definition of Minor Field. The precise scope of the minor field is primarily
the responsibility of the examining faculty, in consultation with the student
and the Graduate Studies Committee. The minor field should be outside the
period or outside the country covered by the major field. Minor fields should be
broadly defined so that they span no less than a century. Appropriate minor
fields might be the European Renaissance, Tudor and Stuart England, Germany
since 1848, European thought in the nineteenth century, United States history
since the Civil War, or modern Latin America. These fields should be the
equivalent of a survey course which the student might later be able to teach.
- Performance. At the conclusion of the qualifying oral examination, and in
the student's absence, the chair shall poll the committee on the student's
performance. The student must perform satisfactorily in all fields, the major
and the minor, and satisfy all examiners, in order to receive a grade of Pass. The examiners may also award a grade of "Pass with Distinction," which will be recorded in the student's departmental file. In
the case of a vote of failure, a candidate is entitled to a second examination,
at a date decided by the examination committee and the Director of Graduate
Studies. In the case of failure at the second qualifying oral examination, the
student's file is sent to the Graduate Studies Committee; this committee will
decide whether the student's degree candidacy should be terminated. If a
student's performance in the minor field is deemed unsatisfactory, the
examination committee may decide that the student must retake only that portion
of the examination.
 Prospectus and Dissertation
Each student is required to submit a detailed prospectus or dissertation outline to the Graduate Studies Committee for approval within four months of the successful completion of the qualifying examination. This prospectus may be prepared in a Directed Study with the prospective dissertation advisor during the last semester of course work, or it may be prepared after all course work has been completed. The prospectus, distributed in written form, must be approved and signed by the prospective first and second readers of the dissertation before submission to the Graduate Studies Committee. The prospectus is normally six to ten double-spaced pages in length
and explores succinctly three aspects of the dissertation topic: the
issue to be addressed, the methods to be employed, and the sources to be consulted. Approved prospectuses, kept on file in the department administrator's office, are available to students for consultation. The Graduate Studies Committee may require revision of the
prospectus before approving it; once approved, the prospectus is filed in the
Graduate School office.
Further information on dissertation preparation is
presented in a booklet entitled "Preliminary Steps for the Preparation of the
Dissertation," available from the Graduate School. Note that the department prefers that notes for the dissertation be placed at the bottom of the page, but endnotes are acceptable with the approval of the student's dissertation committee.
The dissertation shall be based upon a detailed, thorough, and
critical study of a historical subject. It shall demonstrate the candidate's
ability to assemble all the available historical material bearing on the
subject, to analyze and evaluate the material critically, and to interpret the
evidence with impartiality and insight. The candidate is expected to
demonstrate not only industry in research, but also marked ability in the
interpretation of historical data and in the presentation of the results in
readable fashion.
The dissertation abstract, which must be
submitted at least three weeks before the defense, must be approved by the
Director of Graduate Studies, the department chairman, and the Associate Dean of the
Graduate School.
Final Oral Examination (Dissertation Defense)
A final examination shall follow the successful completion of the
dissertation. The examiners will test the candidate's scholarly attainments
within the special period to which the dissertation or the major part of it
belongs and will lay stress upon the candidate's ability to discuss at length
and in a clear and orderly fashion important historical issues and problems.
Graduate School regulations require a minimum of five committee members, and all must be members of the Graduate School faculty at
Boston University, either by regular or by special appointment. In addition to the grades of Pass or Fail, the examiners may award a grade of "Pass with Distinction," which will be recorded in the student's departmental file.
Applying for Graduation
Students must file an application for graduation in the Graduate School office
(check with this office for deadlines). Note that an application is good only
for the specified date; if a student must postpone a dissertation defense, a new
application must be filed. Note also that a student must be registered for the semester in which he or she graduates and in the preceding one and that a student must be registered for any semester in which a degree requirement is completed (such as submission of the research paper or passing the language examination).
Progress toward the PhD Degree
Students should work closely with their dissertation readers to devise a
compact schedule for research, writing, and revision. Faculty and students
share responsibility for adhering closely to this schedule. A PhD candidacy
expires on its fifth anniversary; under certain circumstances extensions of
time to complete degree requirements are given, upon the approval of a petition
to the Committee on Academic Standards of the Graduate School. However, the
Graduate Studies Committee strongly encourages all students to complete
language examinations, course work, and the qualifying examination as quickly
as possible. It suggests as well that students apply early for outside funding
for a year's research, so that the dissertation will be promptly completed.
Finally, the committee will normally award financial aid only to those students
who are making satisfactory and sustained progress toward the completion of
their degree within the specified time periods.
Residency
The department admits students for part-time and full-time work, and although
full-time students are preferred, the department makes every effort to
accommodate those who may be returning to graduate study or who for other
reasons wish to pursue the degree at a slower pace. Students should note that
once their courses have been completed, they must register and pay the
Continuing Student Fee each semester until the award of their degree. With the
approval of their advisor or the Director of Graduate Studies, students may
petition for a year's leave of absence. During that period the student need not
pay tuition charges or the Continuing Student Fee. Additional leaves of absence
may be granted by the Committee on Academic Standards of the Graduate School in
the case of serious illness, military service, maternity, or other major
disruptions. It is the responsibility of the student to apply for a leave of
absence. Students also have the responsibility of notifying the Graduate
School and the department of changes of address, so that registration materials
and other official announcements reach them promptly. Students whose personal
or financial circumstances make it impossible to make satisfactory progress
toward the degree should consider the option of withdrawal from the department.
Students who withdraw must wait two years before applying for readmission and
must present clear evidence of new scholarly accomplishment and a strict
schedule for the completion of degree requirements.
Academic Advisors
All entering students are referred to an appropriate member of the faculty for
advising and should also consult the Director of Graduate Studies. Advisors may
be changed at any time as the student's academic interests are clarified.
Normally the advisor sits on the qualifying examination committee and serves as
first reader for the dissertation.
Registering for Classes
Registration packets are distributed to students each semester.
During the designated early registration periods, a student must make an
appointment with his or her advisor and select courses for the next semester.
Then the student goes to the department administrator's office; there the
student may obtain an authorization code to register for classes on the Web,
or the administrator will do the registration online for the student.
Consortium Courses
Boston University graduate students may register for graduate courses at
Boston College,
Brandeis University, or Tufts University. They make
arrangements to enroll in such courses at the Office of the Registrar, 881 Commonwealth Avenue. The instructor
from the outside institution is responsible for awarding a grade.
 Continuing Student Status
A student who has completed all departmental course requirements must register
each subsequent regular semester for continuing student status until all
requirements for the degree have been completed. Payment of the Continuing
Student Fee each semester entitles the student to use the libraries and
academic staff. Note that a student must be registered for any semester in which a degree requirement is completed (such as submission of the research paper or passing the language examination).
Certification of Full-Time Study
A student registered for fewer than three courses or 12 credits but engaged
otherwise in full-time study, research, or teaching pertinent to the
completion of degree requirements or to gaining competence in the field of
study may be certified as a full-time student. A student desiring full-time
certification must submit to the Graduate School a completed full-time
certification form approved by the advisor and department chair or Director
of Graduate Studies.
Petitions
A student who has reached the time limit for the fulfillment of degree
requirements must file a petition for an extension of time; the Graduate School
will notify the student when such a petition is required.
The department strives to support every student in good standing as fully as
possible. Financial resources are, however, limited, and all awards are made on
a competitive basis. Aid is ordinarily restricted to students in the PhD program. Entering students may apply for graduate scholarships
and graduate assistantships, each of which covers part or all of the tuition.
After the first year, students may be eligible for a teaching fellowship, which
provides a stipend (the exact level changes from year to year) and a tuition
scholarship. Entering students with outstanding records become candidates for
University Fellowships or Graduate Dean's Fellowships; these provide a full tuition scholarship and a
substantial stipend. Fellows who continue in good standing are
candidates for teaching fellowships. Ordinarily financial aid is limited to
three years. Entering students are urged to familiarize themselves with the
various loan programs that provide subsidized loans for graduate education and
with work-study opportunities. The department works individually with each
student to structure the best possible aid package.
There is also a travel fellowship available for
doctoral students already enrolled in the graduate program: For students who have passed their qualifying
oral examination, the Engelbourg
Fellowship provides travel funds to support research for a student's dissertation. The Graduate School also offers Graduate Research Abroad Fellowships to fund students' travel. In addition, the department has funds to purchase a short-term pass to Harvard University's Widener Library for qualified doctoral students.
The General Society of Colonial Wars funds a fellowship, named the General Society of Colonial Wars John Adams Grant for Studies in American Colonial History, for doctoral students working in the period of American history between the founding of Jamestown and the Battle of Lexington. Information on applying for this award is available.
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