Admission and Aid
Please refer to FAQ for answers to frequently asked questions.
Admissions
Each year the History Department matriculates between 10 and 12 graduate students, which provides a small and intimate learning environment. While most candidates are admitted for the Ph.D. degree, Duke also occasionally accepts a student who wishes to pursue an M.A. degree. No university funding is provided towards the M.A. degree, and only those that can pay their own tuition should apply. In addition, a few students entering the Law School for participation in a joint JD/MA degree. Duke does not admit new candidates for the spring semester.
Applications must be submitted online by December 15th. If submitted before November 15, the fee is $65. After November 15, the fee is $75. You can apply online here.
Nominations for university awards are made by the History Department in mid-February. Nominations for departmental awards are made in March, and likely candidates are invited to visit campus for a weekend to meet faculty and graduate students.
Click here for more detailed information on graduate admissions.
Funding for New Applicants
University-wide fellowships
The Graduate Committee nominates the most outstanding applicants
- James B. Duke
- Duke Endowment
- University Scholars
- International Fellowships
Area Studies Fellowships
Qualified applicants are also nominated for these by the Graduate Committee for Area Studies Fellowships in:
- Asia/Pacific
- Russia
- Western Europe
- Medieval-Renaissance
- Latin America
- Canada
National or International Fellowships
The History Department has been successful in obtaining such support and in recruiting outstanding applicants who have earned national or international fellowships such as the Ford, Mellon, and Javits. The strongest of these nominees who are not funded by university or by outside sources are offered Departmental fellowships. There are usually eight such multi-year awards and each award is renewable annually upon the basis of strong performance. These awards provide tuition for five years and a stipend for the first three years, which includes assignment as a research or teaching assistant.
Teaching Assistantships
Year 1: Departmental fellows typically have two graderships, each of which requires 9 hours/week
Years 2-5: A holder of a departmental fellowship usually designated as a TA in one undergrad course during one semester each year (work includes teaching a section of a large class, grading papers and exams, or even giving an occasional lecture, depending upon the nature of the class--roughly 19 hours/week)
There will continue to be flexibility within these general guidelines, depending upon the needs of each student and of the department in a given year.
Funding for Ongoing Students
The Dean of the Graduate School authorizes an actual budget during the spring semester. The department allocates these funds for graduate student support on the basis of faculty appraisals of individual progress in the program, and fellowship renewal depends upon sound academic work. Occasionally, it is possible to offer support to an outstanding student who arrived without aid, but this is not the norm and should not be expected.
A portion of the Department's graduate funding each year is allocated as "Work-Study" money for students whose financial situation makes them eligible. To determine eligibility for "Work Study" aid, students should complete and file a Graduate and Professional School Financial Aid Statement [GAPSFAS] by January 1 of each year. Participation is crucial in terms of bringing full funding to the Graduate History Program each year.
Click here for more detailed information on financial aid for graduate students.