Doctorate of Philosophy in History is a research-based program in History that studies the past events, records and written events of past periods. By studying these past events, one will have a thorough study of mankind and can forecast the future civilization. The postgraduation from any recognised university or Master of Philosophy is that primary qualification for joining this PhD program.
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Key Skills Required for the PhD in History
Currently, the requirement to join a PhD program in History is a master’s degree in the related and allied subjects. At the same time, any students can’t pursue this program. Because it requires some skills to handle the whole research program.
- Passionate: the person who wants to join the PhD in History should develop an urges and willingness to learn and devote themselves to get the desired results from the chosen subject and area.
- Reasonable: A research Scholar must be reasonable in the sense that he/she should develop an ability to reason the derived analysis and results in a sound judgement.
- Strong-willed: the research process is a time-consuming activity. So, the research scholar should be a strong-willed person who can carry out their research activity until the desired results are derived out.
- Good Communication skills: to describe and present their research findings and analysis the researcher should have a keen communication skill to deal without junks and jargons.
Highlights of the Doctorate of Philosophy in History
| Course Type | Doctorate |
| Duration | 3-5 years (normal) |
| Eligibility | Master’s degree in History and its allied streams |
| Recruitment Companies | Museums, art galleries, historical sites, national parks |
| Job position | Researcher, History teacher, Corporate historian |
Course Type
PhD in History is a doctoral degree where the scholars will learn the research skills and requirements. This program can pursue in either full time or part-time basis.
Duration of the Course
Normally, the duration of PhD in History is 3 to 5 years. But this will vary to more than 5 years. This variation depends on the selected topic the feasibility of the research works and so on.
Eligibility of the Course
The minimum eligibility for the PhD program in History is a Master’s degree in History and its allied subjects with a minimum mark of 55% from any recognised university. The students who have a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) can also apply for the program.
Admission Process
- Each University has its standards and mode to select PhD Scholars.
- Generally, the research scholar should have their research proposals that include the topic of their research works, data collection method, relevance and significance of the selected topic and so on. That means a proposal should include the entire outline of the research work.
- Some universities prefer scholars who have qualified National Eligibility Test (NET) and Junior Research Fellowships (JRF).
- In addition to these, some universities may conduct their entrance examinations for shortlisting the candidates for the interview rounds.
Syllabus of the Course
The PhD program consists of course work and the thesis presentation. The course work will be carried out for a period of first six months of the program. In these six months, the research scholars will understand the procedures that need to develop in research areas. The curriculum of the program will vary from universities.
Some subjects that generally involves in this program are as follows:
- Readings in Trends in Historiography
- Research Methodology
- Themes in Early Indian History I (for students specializing on Early India)
- Aspects of Social and Economic History of Medieval India I (for students specializing in Medieval Indian history
- Debates in Modern Indian History (for students specializing in Modern Indian history)
- Language – Persian, Urdu or any other language depending upon the research interest of the student
- Themes in Early Indian History II (for students specializing in Early India)
- Aspects of Social and Economic History of Medieval India II (for students specializing in Medieval Indian history)
- Debates in Modern Indian History II (for students specializing in Modern Indian history)
- Language – Persian, Urdu or any other language depending upon the research interest of the student
Career Prospects of Doctorates in History
History is one of the important subjects in Arts stream. Doctorates in History can find immense opportunities in various field. Some of the important employment areas where the doctorates can settle their career are as follows:
- Archaeological Survey of India
- Art Galleries
- Historical Sites
- Publishing house
- Museums
- Educational Institutions
- National Parks
- Media and Press
Job Roles
- Professors/Teachers: Those who are interested in the teaching profession can work as Assistant Professors, Professors or teachers in educational institutions for delivering the notes and details to students.
- Historical Writer: The Historical Writer collects information from various literal works and architects for analysing and interpreting its significance and authenticity.
- Curator: The doctorates in History having a post-graduation in Museum Studies can work as a Curator who acts as a custodian or keeper of collections in museums.
- Researcher: They assist their project team on assigned projects for gathering information and also suggests strategies for preparing the tenders for research contacts.