Graduate Program

The Ph.D. program in history at UC Santa Cruz emphasizes an interdisciplinary and cross-cultural approach to historical studies. The History Department offers a rigorous program of instruction and independent work that trains students in the techniques of original historical research and equips them to teach university-level courses in history. The department only admits those highly motivated students who are most qualified to pursue advanced studies in history. The department also only admits those applicants who can best benefit from the specific strengths of our faculty. Just as the work of most professional historians centers around research and teaching, training in these areas constitutes the two essential poles of the graduate program in history.