Where can I get a history PhD in 4 years or less?

Question

Is there anywhere to finish a history PhD in 4 years or less?
How long does it normally take AFTER undergrad to get a PhD in history?

Answer 1

It would be very hard to find a place that would let you get a history doctorate in four years or less. Part of the deal with a doctorate in the humanities is that you know a staggering amount of stuff--you simply can't do that in four years. (Please note that most of the people in the field already know a staggering amount of stuff and have genius-level IQs. If they think you need more than four years, they're right.)

A lot of it depends on your specialty. A decent medieval or ancient-history degree might take ten or even fifteen years--you'll need to learn several dead languages and then read a lot of documents in those languages, documents which are probably kept someplace where the history happened, as in the National Museum of Iraq or the Maritime Archives of Spain. Some history doctorates are in easier areas, but no matter what your field you'll also have to familiarize yourself with the contents and arguments of about 100-150 books on your subject, and have at least a vague understanding of 250-300 more. This is so you can write a book-length study (your dissertation) on some new and novel thing in your field.

All told, if you are really fearsomely motivated and very well-prepared, you can get a doctorate in five years. Most candidates need six; most history candidates should probably plan on six. Again, it depends on your field. American history, you might be able to do five. Medieval from any place with a halfway decent program is going to be a minimum of seven.

You may be able to do it in less time overseas, as the other poster suggested. Be aware, though, that a) if you are American you are almost certainly unprepared for grad-level work overseas; and b) there won't be any support available during your studies, a crucial problem; and c) a lot of universities in the US may not hire you with a foreign degree; they might wonder how good that degree is, especially if you somehow did it in four, and you will NOT ever get a job in Europe. Ever.

To put it in perspective: the Rhodes scholarship, which sends Americans to Oxford after their B.A.s, is almost impossible to get. These students are simply the best America has, by and large. And yet relatively few of them tackle an Oxford M.A.--most go after the Oxford B.A. That's how hard it is.

Answer 2

You are asking the wrong questions.

You should be thinking about the quality of your PhD -- not the time it takes to get it. You should also be thinking about why you want a PhD.

Typically, a PhD involves two to three years of classes before writing a dissertation. A written exam is usually taken after the second year and an oral exam is usually taken after the third year. It is possible to gets a PhD in four years in the arts, but very rate. Five to seven years is more common.

You should only get a PhD if you are driven to do research and want to be a professor. A PhD in history is nearly worthless otherwise. In order to get a job, you have to go to as good a school as possible to get that degree.

If you are concerned about how long it takes, you should rethink your desire to get a PhD.

Answer 3

England