Graduate History at Fordham University

Fordham offers a M.A. degree in six concentrations: Medieval, Early Modern and Modern European, American, Latin American, Gender, and Global History; a PhD in five concentrations: Medieval, Early Modern and Modern European, American, and Latin American; and a Certificate in Documentary Editing. Whether they are working toward the M.A. or the Ph.D., are studying full-time or part-time, are fresh out of college or returning to study after a hiatus, graduate students at Fordham have the opportunity to work with an outstanding History faculty committed to excellence in both research and teaching. Beyond the classroom, students can expect personal attention from their professors and early help in their professional development. The primary function of the graduate program is to develop skills in critical analysis and historical research, but the department also attends to other aspects of professional training. For example, the course on college teaching trains graduate students in pedagogical methods and classroom teaching; a faculty member then mentors those students who are awarded teaching fellowships after this class. The certificate program in documentary editing provides students with guidance in entering that profession as well as practical experience. Because of their wide experience in teaching, research and such historical activities as documentary editing, oral history, and archival description, Fordham professors can assist students in developing their skills – whether they aspire to college teaching positions, high school posts, careers as documentary editors, jobs as journalists, or other history-related professions.

Opportunities to gain teaching experience are available both through teaching fellowships awarded through the department and in the many adjunct positions offered at New York area colleges. We also encourage students to offer papers at scholarly conferences and then guide them through the process; partial funding for travel to such conferences is offered through the Graduate Student Association. Similar encouragement and guidance is extended to students who wish to secure outside fellowships and grants to fund research and the final stages of dissertation writing. Within the department, students organize themselves in reading groups to further develop their skills in foreign languages. Excellence is also encouraged with the awarding of annual prizes, such as the Loomie Prize for the best seminar research paper. At the conclusion of the degree program, faculty members guide students on how to set up a dossier and look for a job related to the degree they obtained.

The Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of History is Dr. Daniel Soyer. Please send any questions, comments, and news to him at soyer@fordham.edu.