asu phd in history

History and Philosophy of Science, PHD

On this page:, at a glance: program details.

• Location: Tempe campus
• Second Language Requirement: No

Program Description

Degree Awarded: PHD History and Philosophy of Science

The history and philosophy of science is an interdisciplinary field that traces its origin to foundational works such as Thomas Kuhn's "Structure of Scientific Revolutions." The field is based on the idea that the best way to understand science is to study how it changes over time, along with careful analysis of its concepts and fundamental principles.

The PhD program in history and philosophy of science combines training in the core areas of history and philosophy of science with an emphasis on interdisciplinary studies of the sciences, including:

• computational history and philosophy of science
• foundations of evolutionary theory
• general philosophy of science and epistemology
• history and philosophy of applied ethics and science policy
• history of 19th and 20th century biology

The program is especially appropriate for students with an undergraduate or master's degree in philosophy, history, or the sciences and for those who seek to broaden their disciplinary studies. Science students who have not taken relevant undergraduate humanistic core courses can make up these courses during their first years in the program.

Program Faculty PhD Students

Courses and electives

Some options for elective study, listed by focus, history of science (6 credit hours).

• BIO 591 Embryo Project
• BIO 591 Embryo Project Editing
• BIO 598 Big Data in Context: Ethics, Policy, History and Philosophy
• HPS 598 Advanced History of Science

Philosophy of science (6 credit hours)

• BIO 598 Advanced Philosophy of Science
• BIO/HPS/PHI 598 Philosophy of Biology and Medicine Advanced

History of philosophy (3 credit hours)

• HPS 591 Carnap and Quine
• PHI 581 Studies in Ancient Greek Philosophy

Value theory (3 credit hours)

• BIO 516 Foundations of Bioethics
• BIO 527 Environmental Ethics and Policy Goals
• BIO 598 Advanced Bioethics
• BIO 598 Big Data in Context: Ethics, Policy, History and Philosophy 
• BIO 610 Introduction to Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) in Life Sciences
• BIO 611 Current Topics in Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) in Life Sciences
• PHI 521 Bioethics
• PHI 591 Human Well-Being and Sustainability
• POP 633 Population Health Ethics

Advanced logic or other advanced methods (3 credit hours)

• BIO 532 Recent Papers in Discipline-Based Education Research
• BIO 591 ESSA Reading and Reflection
• BIO 591 Innovations of Conservation Lab
• BIO 591 Papers in Inclusive Teaching in College
• BIO 598 Biology Education Research
• BIO 598 STS Reading Group
• BIO 791 Science Education Research Seminar
• HSD 601 HSD I: Human Dimensions of Science and Technology
• PHI 570 Higher Order Modal Logic

Approved courses in philosophy, history or life sciences (9 credit hours)

These courses provide expertise in your individual research area. Any courses offered under one of the prefixes BIO, ELS, EVO, HPS, MCB, MIC, and PLB, or any courses taught by biology and society graduate faculty members fulfill the requirement.

Application and admission information

How to apply.

Applications open September 1 for admission in Fall of the following year. The application deadline is December 1. We accept applications for Fall semesters only. We cannot guarantee that applications received after the December 1 deadline will be considered for admission.

All applicants must apply by filling out ASU's Graduate Admissions application. All application materials must be submitted through the application or to Graduate Admissions directly. Please do not mail or email any documents to the School of Life Sciences. 

Required materials and information include the following:

• 1-2 page personal statement
• An up to date CV or resume
• Writing sample
• The names of relevant SOLS faculty you have been in touch with who you might be interested in being supervised by
• Unofficial transcripts and English proficiency test scores (if applicable)
• The names and emails of at least 3 recommenders to write you letters of recommendation

Application review process and timeline

Following the December 1 deadline, faculty will begin reviewing applications. Applicants should monitor their My ASU priority tasks to ensure there are no missing materials in their application.

Faculty will decide which applicants they would like to invite to our Graduate Recruitment Weekends (GRWs), typically held in February. Applicants will hear from the School of Life Sciences in January if they are invited to participate in the GRWs.

Admission decisions will begin after the GRWs, and applicants typically receive final decisions by April 1.

Requirements

Minimum requirements for admission include the following:

• Cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• There are other ways to demonstrate English proficiency beyond the tests, so please refer to ASU's English proficiency webpage to review how you might satisfy requirements.

Desired qualifications typically seen in competitive candidates:

• Research experience and a letter of recommendation from a faculty research supervisor
• English proficiency scores that meet these teaching assistant language proficiency requirements

Please note that the GRE is not required.

Students offered admission to a PhD program in the School of Life Sciences will typically receive a funding offer as well. While individual funding offers may differ to some degree, they typically include teaching assistant and/or research assistant positions each semester (summer optional) for 5 years. These positions provide financial coverage through the following:

• A standard salary stipend paid biweekly
• Tuition remission covering enrollment in 6-18 credit hours for fall and spring semesters and 1-14 credit hours for summer semesters
• Health insurance coverage

To discover more, check out the ASU Graduate College's funding opportunities !

Degree Requirements

Curriculum plan options.

• 84 credit hours, a written comprehensive exam, an oral comprehensive exam, a prospectus and a dissertation

Required Core (6 credit hours) HPS 615 Biology and Society Lab (3) HPS 620 Research Prospectus Writing (3)

Restricted Program Electives (30 credit hours)

Program Electives (24 credit hours)

Research (12 credit hours) HPS 792 Research (12)

Dissertation (12 credit hours) HPS 799 Dissertation (12)

Additional Curriculum Information An individual student program is developed in consultation with the student's advisor and committee.

HPS 615 Biology and Society Lab is a one-credit-hour course focused on student presentations of works in progress. Students must register for it three times during their graduate study.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution of recognized standing in a related field such as history, philosophy, or history and philosophy of science, as well as a demonstrated background and interest in one or more sciences.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.

All applicants must submit:

• graduate admission application and application fee
• official transcripts
• academic record form
• personal statement
• curriculum vitae or resume
• writing sample
• three letters of recommendation
• proof of English proficiency

Additional Application Information An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.

Next Steps to attend ASU

Learn about our programs, apply to a program, visit our campus, learning outcomes.

• Able to articulate an understanding of current literature on scientific developments and their relevance to society in scholarly writing.
• Able to communicate history and philosophy of science research results in presentations.
• Able to contribute to original history and philosophy of science research in scholarly writing.

Career Opportunities

A doctorate in history and philosophy of science provides strong preparation for academic careers at every level from community colleges to research universities, including research, teaching and administration, and science communication. The skills and knowledge obtained in this program are also valuable for government careers in federal and state agencies responsible for management and conservation, and for careers in industry and nongovernmental organizations.

Career examples include:

• food, agriculture and health care scientists in academic, private and industrial labs
• principal investigators and policymakers in government labs and nonprofit organizations
• professors or instructors in universities and colleges
• science teachers in elementary and high schools
• wildlife, animal and conservation scientists

Program Contact Information

If you have questions related to admission, please click here to request information and an admission specialist will reach out to you directly. For questions regarding faculty or courses, please use the contact information below.

• [email protected]
• 480/965-1768

Spark Igniting conversations

A Day in the Life: Marc Vance, History PhD student

Blog post by Marc Vance

Most mornings begin at 5:45 AM with two of my three dogs letting me know that it is time to get going. The third, Maisy, is a bit older and enjoys her sleep. The other two, Sam and Bailey, go on their quick morning walk to smell the same rocks and bushes they smelled the day before. After they are taken care of, I typically will go for a 30-minute run or hour gym session depending on what I have to take care of that day.

A quick breakfast of three fried eggs, just so there is enough yoke to dip my bread in, I typically spend the next hour catching up on emails from professors, students and other organizations that I am a part of. Currently, I am helping as a docent for the Holocaust by Bullets exhibit being featured at the Hayden Library from February 27 to April 17. Some of those emails consist of reaching out to organizers or volunteers, preparing for this exhibit we have waited so long for. What the rest of the day looks like can range from several different responsibilities.

Going into my third year as a History PhD student, I am preparing for my comprehensive exams. My area of research focuses on the Holocaust and Jewish experience in Vichy France, with concepts of resistance, survival, and persecution. I have the pleasure to be working with three of SHPRS fantastic faculty, Dr. Volker Benkert, Dr. Anna Cichopek-Gajraj and Dr. Victoria Thompson who have set up three courses to make sure I am as prepared as I can be for my exams. These classes consist of weekly meetings, where I meet with one of the three each week and discuss the books I have read from my comps list. The idea is to read three books from each list per week and prepare to discuss and field questions from the professors as a kind of mock oral exams. To give an example, I am writing this just before meeting with Dr. Thompson to discuss three books on Vichy France. In our meetings, she and I will discuss areas like their main arguments, how it will relate to my research, and what sources are being used. It may not sound exciting but tackling three books a week takes up a large chunk of my free time and has been a wonderful experience so far.

If I am not preparing for these meetings, I am focusing on my other responsibilities. I have the pleasure of being a teaching assistant for our online program with Dr. Karin Enloe as well as our World War II online graduate program with Dr. Yan Mann and Dr. Jacob Flaws. Following my meeting with Dr. Thompson today, I will have online office hours with our graduate students in the program to help them prepare for their research and final papers. Being a teaching assistant for the World War II program has been a humbling and great experience. The ability to work closely with those who helped put the program together, as well as teach such an interesting subject matter in history, just furthers my understanding of what the future holds.

While it may seem that I spend all of my time indoors, I have an amazing wife to thank to get me to breathe in the fresh air. Herself an alum of Arizona State, my wife make sure that we get out and spend time together exploring Arizona while it is still possible before summer rolls around. Our weekends are usually packed with different events or trips. Recently we have gone to an Arizona Coyotes hockey game, where they played my home state team the Colorado Avalanche (Go Avs), an ASU hockey game (probably seeing a theme here), the Arizona State Renaissance Fair, a concert in Mesa, and our first successful hike of The Lost Dutchman trail. It is these small few moments away from my studies and responsibilities that allow me to reset and continue to focus on this amazing journey as a PhD student. These days usually consist of early mornings, like I stated earlier 5:45 comes quick, and very late nights, sometimes I won’t shut off until midnight or 1 AM. However, I would not trade any of it for anything.

Published February 17, 2022

• A Day in the Life
• PhD student

Recent Projects

Hst 515: studies in historiography, history in the wild.

A Journal of The Plague Year

Anthropology, PHD

On this page:, at a glance: program details.

• Location: Tempe campus
• Second Language Requirement: No

Program Description

Degree Awarded: PHD Anthropology

The School of Human Evolution and Social Change is an excellent choice for students interested in pursuing a PhD in the classic fields of anthropology:

• archaeology
• bioarchaeology
• evolutionary anthropology
• sociocultural anthropology

It is also an ideal environment for students who want to combine these approaches and other disciplines to explore specific issues or research questions within a transdisciplinary context. The flexible graduate curricula are designed to encourage students to design innovative plans of study in order to pursue their interests while receiving broad training in key areas. The anthropology faculty actively engage with faculty in other disciplines, including:

• applied mathematics
• environmental economics
• epidemiology
• formal modeling
• sustainability
• technology and society
• urban planning

The training students receive in this program prepares them to become expert scholars who are able to contribute not only to their chosen field but also to finding solutions to humankind's greatest challenges. This program provides training in data analysis and research design within the context of human evolution, archaeology and the wider field of anthropology. Through anthropological coursework, students learn how to ask important questions about the human species and employ statistics to analyze and extract meaning from data. Students will learn to appreciate humanity's place in nature and the long history of human societal change.

Degree Requirements

Curriculum plan options.

• 84 credit hours, a written comprehensive exam, a prospectus and a dissertation

Students entering with a master's degree in a related field may be granted up to 30 credit hours toward the 84 credit hours required for the doctorate. This leaves 30 credit hours of coursework, 12 credit hours of research and 12 credit hours of dissertation (54 credit hours total) to be earned post-admission.

Students entering without a master's degree must earn an additional 30 hours of graduate credit, produce a research portfolio which is formally evaluated by a faculty committee, and present that research in a public forum before continuing on in the later stage of the doctorate.

All students must maintain a GPA of 3.20 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in their courses and complete degree requirements per the program's satisfactory progress policy.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or they must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.

All applicants must submit:

• graduate admission application and application fee
• official transcripts
• personal statement outlining educational and professional goals
• current curriculum vitae or resume
• three letters of recommendation
• proof of English proficiency

Additional Application Information An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.

Undergraduate coursework in anthropology is not a prerequisite for admission but is generally advisable. Students may be admitted without such a background and may be required to acquire knowledge of general anthropology in a manner to be specified at the time of admission.

Applicants also may submit with their application materials an optional scholarly writing sample not to exceed 30 double-spaced pages.

Next Steps to attend ASU

Learn about our programs, apply to a program, visit our campus, application deadlines, career opportunities.

The demand in the job market for people with an anthropology background is stimulated by a growing need for researchers and analysts with keen thinking skills who can manage, evaluate and interpret large amounts of data. As the many spheres of human interaction expand globally, people trained in anthropology are increasingly sought-after for their broad, holistic knowledge and perspectives, which are the hallmarks of anthropology. Some career opportunities include:

• acting as legal advocates in international cases
• analyzing and proposing policies
• conducting postgraduate academic research
• consulting for private and public organizations
• curating cultural resources
• directing nonprofit organizations
• directing programs in the private or public sector
• managing culture or heritage resources in private or public sectors
• modeling infectious diseases
• planning communities

Global Opportunities

Global experience.

With over 250 programs in more than 65 countries (ranging from one week to one year), study abroad is possible for all ASU students wishing to gain global skills and knowledge in preparation for a 21st-century career. Students earn ASU credit for completed courses, while staying on track for graduation, and may apply financial aid and scholarships toward program costs. https://mystudyabroad.asu.edu

Program Contact Information

If you have questions related to admission, please click here to request information and an admission specialist will reach out to you directly. For questions regarding faculty or courses, please use the contact information below.

• [email protected]
• 480/965-6215

Who's new at the School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies?

The School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies, the largest transdisciplinary school in the humanities at Arizona State University, is welcoming new faculty members to their roster of impressive scholars.

The school is excited for the new research topics, courses and ideas they will all bring.

Nathan Ballantyne, associate professor, philosophy

Nathan Ballantyne

Nathan Ballantyne joins the philosophy faculty at ASU from Fordham University, where he was an associate professor of philosophy. He earned his PhD in philosophy from the University of Arizona.

His research includes questions about improving human judgment and inquiry, especially during times of conflict. During times of conflict and uncertainty in society, problems of knowledge and rational opinion bubble up to the surface: What do we know? Whom should we trust? How can we improve our beliefs? HIs research grapples with these questions and aims to give inquirers good cognitive advice by blending philosophical reflection with insights from the sciences. 

Maurice Crandall, associate professor, history

Maurice Crandall joins the history faculty from Dartmouth College, where he was an assistant professor of Native American studies. He earned his PhD from the University of New Mexico.

His research focuses on Indigenous peoples of the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. Currently, he is working on a book that explores the role played by Yavapai and Dilzhe’e Apache Scouts in building their communities after the “Indian Wars.”

Alan Shane Dillingham, assistant professor, history

Alan Shane Dillingham

Alan Shane Dillingham is joining the faculty at ASU from Albright College, where he was an assistant professor of Latin American history. He earned his PhD in Latin American history from the University of Maryland.

His research focuses on the historical experiences of Native peoples of the Americas. In particular, he focuses on 20th century Mexico, the intersection of anti-colonial politics and educational and development policy, and labor and youth-led social movements.

Estibalitz Ezkerra Vegas

Estibalitz Ezkerra Vegas, postdoctoral scholar, ACLS fellow

Estibalitz Ezkerra Vegas is joining the school from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she was the Etxepare lecturer in Basque studies. She earned her PhD in comparative literature from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Her research involves interdisciplinary, transnational and comparative approaches to the politics of memory, violence and the demand for justice in cultural production in post-conflict territories such as Ireland and the Basque Country in Spain. She is invested in illuminating the voices and narratives of minority and Indigenous communities that are generally rendered invisible in Western and U.S. accounts of the past, with particular attention toward literature and the arts.

Jimmy Licon, lecturer, philosophy

Jimmy Licon is joining the philosophy faculty from George Mason University, where he was an emergent ventures fellow at the Mercatus Center. He earned his PhD in philosophy from the University of Maryland, College Park.

His work centers on issues in ethics, epistemology philosophy, politics and economics. He also researches philosophy of religion and metaphysics.

Ashley Tickle Odebiyi, assistant professor, history

Ashley Tickle Odebiyi

Ashley Tickle Odebiyi recently earned her PhD in history from the University of Alabama and is joining the ASU history faculty as an assistant professor of history.

Her research includes women's religious movements in medieval and early modern Europe and Renaissance Rome. Currently, she is examining the networks that pious laywomen, called bizzoche, created in Rome during the 15th century. These networks include religious, economic and political networks among other pious laywomen, male clerics and the men and women in their local neighborhoods.

Nandita Punj, postdoctoral scholar, Jain studies

Nandita Punj is joining the ASU faculty from Rutgers University, where she earned her PhD in art history. She also holds a PhD in history from the University of Delhi.

Most recently, her research focuses on early modern Jain manuscript painting and examines the role of vernacular art in the visual culture of western India.

Mónica Espaillat Lizardo, assistant professor, history

Mónica Espaillat Lizardo earned her PhD in history and sexual diversity studies from the University of Toronto.

She researches gender, sex and sexualities, Latin American and Caribbean history, migration and diaspora studies, and state, politics and law. Her recent project examined the construction of Dominican citizenship from the Trujillo dictatorship (1930 – 1961) to 2012.

*Not all new faculty members submitted a photo at the original point of publication.

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Philosophy, PHD

On this page:, at a glance: program details.

• Location: Tempe campus
• Second Language Requirement: No

Program Description

Degree Awarded: PHD Philosophy

General areas of research include ethics, political philosophy, metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of law, philosophy of science, philosophy of language, philosophy of religion and the history of philosophy. The program features a focus on practical and applied philosophy and an interdisciplinary coursework component related to the student's research topic.

Practical philosophy includes the fields of ethics, philosophy of law, social and political philosophy, feminist ethics and political philosophy.

Applied philosophy includes the application of theories developed within any of the subdisciplines of philosophy to everyday problems or phenomena, such as the application of the philosophy of language in relation to hate speech, or the philosophy of mind in relation to computing and artificial intelligence. Applied philosophy also includes the application of research produced by methods used in other disciplines in order for the student to understand and address philosophical questions, like the application of data-gathering instruments used in psychology to answer questions in experimental philosophy.

Students may design dissertation projects in any of the major subfields of philosophy. For their interdisciplinary coursework supporting the dissertation project, students might, for example, pursue a certificate in social transformation, gender studies, responsible innovation in sciences, or engineering and society.

Members of the faculty are involved in interdisciplinary work in a variety of fields and enjoy close ties with the Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics, the College of Law and a number of other graduate programs at the university. The ASU philosophy faculty group sponsors an active colloquium series and regular philosophical conferences on diverse topics. The Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics also sponsors a wide range of activities, including large-scale conferences, distinguished visitors and support for graduate study.

Degree Requirements

Curriculum plan options.

• 84 credit hours, a written comprehensive exam, an oral comprehensive exam, a prospectus and a dissertation

Required Core Areas (15 credit hours) applied philosophy (3) epistemology (3) formal methods (3) metaphysics (3) value theory (3)

Electives (39 credit hours)

Research (18 credit hours) PHI 792 Research (12)

Culminating Experience (12 credit hours) PHI 799 Dissertation (12)

Additional Curriculum Information Students should see the academic unit for the list of courses approved for each required core area.

In completing the electives requirements, at least nine credit hours and no more than 18 credit hours must be from other disciplines supporting the student's proposed dissertation area; 30 credit hours from a previously awarded master's degree may apply toward this requirement with approval by the student's supervisory committee and the Graduate College.

To ensure breadth in the traditional areas of philosophy, students must pass with a grade of "B" or better (3.00 on a 4.00 scale).

Admission Requirements

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in any field from a regionally accredited institution.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.

All applicants must submit:

• graduate admission application and application fee
• official transcripts
• statement of purpose
• curriculum vitae
• writing sample
• three letters of recommendation
• proof of English proficiency

Additional Application Information An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency , a copy of an article or research paper in their native or principal research language, as well as the English writing sample required of all students regardless of their current residency. The philosophy program requires a TOEFL iBT score of at least 100, or a score of 7.0 on the IELTS.

The statement of purpose should explain the applicant's scholarly background and training, career goals, the primary field the applicant wishes to pursue and the proposed research specialization (no more than 600 words in length).

The writing sample must be a piece of philosophical writing, preferably a seminar paper or published article of no more than 20 pages.

Next Steps to attend ASU

Learn about our programs, apply to a program, visit our campus, application deadlines, learning outcomes.

• Achieve competence with philosophical literature and writing
• Achieve professional-level skills in mastering literature and philosophical writing
• Able to identify and articulate a philosophical problem or question in one of the core areas in philosophy --- that is, metaphysics, epistemology and value theory

Career Opportunities

Both the MA and doctoral programs in philosophy help students develop and hone skills that are highly marketable and easily transferable.

Philosophy teaches its students to think critically, creatively and imaginatively. Though routine jobs are increasingly being lost to advances in automation and artificial intelligence, the skills taught by philosophy are irreplaceable by technology, highly sought-after by employers and transferrable from one occupation to another. Graduates have the ability to read closely and with a critical eye; to analyze complex problems and identify all the possible solutions, including some creative solutions; to assess the merits of each possible solution; and to articulate and argue for or against various possible solutions in clear, precise and unambiguous language.

As philosophy focuses on honing certain skills rather than acquiring a particular body of knowledge, philosophy prepares its students for a wide variety of careers rather than for just one particular occupation. Indeed, philosophy prepares its students for any career requiring problem-solving; clear, critical and creative thinking; and excellent reading, writing and communication skills.

The program is designed to prepare students for careers as philosophers, as teachers of philosophy and in areas in which they may benefit from advanced training in philosophy, such as law, civil service and publishing.

Career examples include:

• businessperson
• computer programmer
• public policy analyst

Global Experience

With over 250 programs in more than 65 countries (ranging from one week to one year), study abroad is possible for all ASU students wishing to gain global skills and knowledge in preparation for a 21st-century career. Students earn ASU credit for completed courses, while staying on track for graduation, and may apply financial aid and scholarships toward program costs. https://mystudyabroad.asu.edu

Program Contact Information

If you have questions related to admission, please click here to request information and an admission specialist will reach out to you directly. For questions regarding faculty or courses, please use the contact information below.

• [email protected]
• 480/965-5778

ASU Dissertations and Theses

• Introduction
• How to Get a Copy
• Doctoral Dissertations

Dissertations: Introduction

Dissertations: fall 2011 to the present, dissertations: 1999 - spring 2011, dissertations: 1973-1998, dissertations: 1954-1972, dissertations: 1938-1953.

• Masters Theses
• Honors Theses

At ASU, doctoral-level programs require a dissertation. "Dissertation" is the preferred term at the doctoral level as "thesis" is generally used to describe the document produced in Undergraduate Honors and Masters programs. 

The availability, location, and format of dissertations depend on the time period in which the student completed the doctoral degree:

• 2011 to the present
• 1938-1953 

The Graduate College requires doctoral students to submit an electronic copy of their dissertations to ProQuest; ProQuest waits for approval from the Graduate College before the dissertations are released into the ProQuest databases. ProQuest sends a digital copy of the bibliographic information and full text of these documents to the ASU Library for inclusion in several different databases.    

Note: Not all dissertations are available soon after graduation. The ASU Graduate College currently allows students to request an embargo of up to 2 years before their dissertation is made public; students may choose this option to protect their intellectual property rights or to preserve commercial publication opportunities among other issues. The full text of an embargoed dissertation will not be available for viewing in the following databases until the embargo period has ended.   The dissertations from this time period are available as follows:

• ASU Digitial Repository: ASU Electronic Dissertations and Theses Collection Has the full text of the dissertations, except for cases where the dissertation is within a requested embargo period; the full text is in PDF and is available for all to view, print, and/or download.   
• ASU faculty, staff, and currently enrolled students may access these databases from both on- and off-campus
• ASU Alumni and community members who live in the Phoenix area may access these databases from within an ASU Library; ProQuest does not permit us to offer off-campus access to alumni and community members.
• Alumni and individuals outside of the Phoenix area should check with their local libraries, particularly libraries at publicly funded colleges and universities, for the availability of the "ProQuest Dissertations and Theses (PQDT) database.      
• ASU Library's Catalog Contains a bibliographic record for the dissertations and each record has a link to the full text in the ASU Digital Repository.    
• The ASU Library does not retain or accept print copies of dissertations available in the ASU Digital Repository.    

The Graduate College required doctoral students to submit two printed copies of their dissertation to the ASU Library, one printed copy to their academic unit, and an electronic copy to ProQuest.    

The dissertations from this time period are available as follows:

• ASU Digitial Repository: ASU Electronic Dissertations and Theses Collections Only the limited number of 2010/2011 dissertations selected for the electronic submission trial are available in full text (PDF); full text for 1999-2009 is not available.  
• Alumni and individuals outside of the Phoenix area should check with their local libraries, particularly libraries at publicly funded colleges and universities, for the availability of the "ProQuest Dissertations and Theses (PQDT) database.  
• The first copy, aka the archival copy, is kept in storage and the user must contact the Wurzburger Reading Room (480-965-4932 or [email protected] ) in advance to set an appointment to view a dissertation. The copy may only be viewed in the Reading Room in Hayden Library and is not available for checkout or interlibrary loan.   
• The second copy, aka the circulating copy, is kept in the Library's high-density storage and may be checked out or loaned to other libraries.  Note: not every dissertation has a second copy and some of these copies may be shelved in libraries other than Hayden; see the catalog record for availability.  ASU dissertations are given the call number: LD179.15 [year] d [cuttered by author]

The Graduate College required doctoral students to submit two printed copies of their dissertation to the ASU Library, one printed copy to their academic unit and an electronic copy to UMI (predecessor to ProQuest).

The dissertations from this time period are available as follows: 

• ASU Alumni and community members who live in the Phoenix area may access these databases from within an ASU Library; ProQuest does not permit us to offer off-campus access to alumni and community members
• ASU Alumni and individuals outside of the Phoenix area should check with their local libraries, particularly libraries at publicly funded colleges and universities, for the availability of the "ProQuest Dissertations and Theses (PQDT) database.  
• The first copy, aka the archival copy, is kept in storage and the user must contact the Wurzburger Reading Room (480-965-4932 or [email protected] ) in advance to set an appointment to view a dissertation. The copy may only be viewed in the Reading Room in Hayden Library and is not available for checkout or interlibrary loan.  
• The second copy, aka the circulating copy, is kept in the high-density collection and must be retrieved in advance of a visit. These copies may be checked out or used for interlibrary loan. Some dissertations during this time do not have a second copy. ASU dissertations are given call number:  LD179.15 [year] d [cuttered by author]
• The second copy, aka the circulating copy, is kept in the Library's high-density storage and must be retrieved in advance of a visit. These second copies may be checked out or used for interlibrary loan. Some dissertations during this time do not have a second copy.  ASU dissertations are given call number:  LD179.15 [year] d [cuttered by author]

The dissertations from this time period are only available in print: 

• The first copy, aka the archival copy, is kept in storage and the user must contact the Wurzburger Reading Room (480-965-4932 or [email protected] ) in advance to set an appointment to view a dissertation. The copy may only be viewed in the Reading Room in Hayden Library and cannot be checked out nor loaned to another library.   
• The second copy, aka the circulating copy, is kept in the Library's high-density storage and needs to be retrieved from the collection in advance of a visit. These copies may be checked out or used for interlibrary loan. Some dissertations during this time do not have a second copy.  ASU dissertations are given call number:  LD179.15 [year] d [cuttered by author]
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M.A./Ph.D. History

Master of Arts / Ph.D.

Hone your skills in analysis and research, while expanding your knowledge and developing scholarship in a concentrated area of history.

About the Program

We endeavor to challenge our graduate students, to inspire them to engage thoughtfully with the past, to help them develop critical skills in analysis and research, and to nurture facility with writing and public speaking that will enable them to share their own work with scholarly and popular audiences.

The Graduate Program stirs the intellectual life of the department, fueling a creative dynamic among students and faculty alike that enriches our community and our larger mission of creative scholarship and teaching.

See the M.A./Ph.D. Graduate Handbook

Our Students

Our students receive internal and external grants, awards, and fellowships for individual research, including a number of Fulbright and Fulbright-Hays fellowships. They have presented at professional conferences in the U.S., Canada, England, Spain, Germany, Mexico and the Netherlands.

Faculty Expertise

We have 25 ranked faculty members who teach and mentor around 40 graduate students.

Within our subfields, students engage in research in environmental history, the history of sexuality, social and cultural history, as well as political and economic history. The Division for Late Medieval and Reformation Studies provides interdisciplinary training in the European era from approximately 1400 to 1800.

See faculty by area.

We offer a Master of Arts and a Ph.D. program, for students who already have a master's degree. We also offer an accelerated master’s program, allowing students to obtain both an undergraduate degree and a master’s in a five-year time frame .

Our curriculum reflects the diversity and depth of history across the globe. It covers a variety of disciplines and topics ranging from environmental to civil, to even social, histories. Depending on your interests, you can concentrate your coursework in one of five different fields:

• Early European History
• Modern European History
• United States History
• Latin American History
• Asian History
• M.A. requirements
• Ph.D. requirements
• Accelerated M.A. requirements

Career Pathways

We will prepare you for both academic careers and professional opportunities in a variety of environments, including museums, archives, libraries, educational institutes, the corporate sector, and more. Possibilities include:

• Media Specialist
• Museum Curator
• Legal Advocate
• Archivist/Librarian
• Project Manager

Progress to the Ph.D Program

We encourage M.A. graduates with strong passion and interest to apply to our Ph.D program. 

Director of Graduate Studies: John Senseney

Please select one of the options below:

• Resident tuition
• Non-Resident tuition

The cost per credit hour for this program is:

How can we assist.

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• Colleges and Schools

Online Graduate Certificate in Public History

Are you passionate about engaging communities with the production, curation and interpretation of history? If so, you may be an ideal candidate to pursue this graduate certificate in public history online from Arizona State University. This program empowers you to apply advanced historical techniques and methods within national parks, film and media, museums and other areas of the heritage sector.

Quick facts

Next start date: 10/16/2024

Total classes: 5

Weeks per class: 7.5

Total credit hours: 15

Degree questions, answered

Have questions about the Public History (Graduate Certificate) ? Fill out this form and we’ll get in touch!

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Put history to work in the world

• Archival training.
• Cultural resources management.
• Digital humanities and methodologies.
• Historic preservation.
• Historical administration.
• Local and community history.
• Museum studies.
• Oral history.
• Scholarly publishing.

Who’s a good candidate for this program?

What can you do with a public history graduate certificate, will my certificate say "online".

No, Arizona State University’s certificates and diplomas don’t specify whether you earn them online or in person. All certificates, diplomas and transcripts simply say “Arizona State University.”

Public history courses

This certificate is designed for flexibility. In the program, you’ll complete two core courses, one of which is a professional field experience at a historical institution of your choosing. Your remaining courses will be electives in your interest areas, covering topics such as genealogy, archives, historic preservation and communicating history in the public sphere.

The careers in public history you’ll be prepared for

This public history graduate certificate will prepare you for a breadth of careers in the heritage industry and beyond. You can pursue roles as a historic preservation officer, researcher or writer. You’ll also be equipped for historian and curatorial roles in museums and government agencies at all levels. Additionally, you can seek interpretive roles in fields such as archaeological sites, film and media, community development and more. More potential career paths include, but aren’t limited to:

Learn from leading experts in public history

From Royal Society and American Academy Fellows to Marshall and Barry Goldwater Scholarship recipients, The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is home to prestigious students and faculty members who include:

• Fulbright American Scholars.
• Guggenheim Fellows.
• MacArthur Fellows.
• Nobel laureates.

How to apply

Applicants to the graduate certificate in public history must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Application requirements

It’s desired that applicants have a minimum of a 3.00 cumulative GPA in the last 60 hours of their bachelor's program. Alternatively, applicants should have a minimum of a 3.00 cumulative GPA in an applicable master's program.

Note: The committee reviews applications holistically. You may still apply with a GPA less than 3.00, but please address this in your personal statement.

All applicants must submit:

• Graduate admission application and application fee.
• Official transcripts.
• Personal statement.
• Additional questions.
• Up-to-date curriculum vitae or resume.

Your personal statement should explain your academic background and training, interest in studying public history and motivation for pursuing graduate study at ASU.

In addition to your personal statement, you’re required to submit a brief statement (about 500 words) that addresses the following:

• How you have already or would like to put history to work in the world.
• How ASU’s public history program might help you to accomplish your career and/or intellectual goals as a historian.

Additional admission information

An applicant whose native language is not English (regardless of current residency) must provide proof of English proficiency.

The largest and most diverse college at ASU

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences takes a transdisciplinary approach to education with a vast spectrum of degrees in the social sciences, natural sciences and humanities. We inspire students to become socially aware critical thinkers and global citizens.

currently enrolled students.

$170 million

in research expenditures in 2022.

interdisciplinary schools and departments.

undergraduate degrees.

Tuition calculator

Use our calculator to estimate your full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Keep in mind that most of our students receive financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs. Learn more.

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Art History, MA

• Program description
• At a glance
• Degree requirements
• Admission requirements
• Tuition information
• Application deadlines
• Program learning outcomes
• Global opportunities
• Career opportunities
• Contact information

drawing, medieval, museum, paintings

Cultivate your ideas, apply critical methods to the study of art, and critically engage with visuality in multiple ways in this dynamic program.

The MA program in art with a concentration in art history is a comprehensive degree program that fosters critical understanding of aesthetics, production, patronage and consumption of art and provides a foundation of expertise in the history of art. The curriculum stresses intersections between disciplines, borders, margins, points of mediation, and technological developments throughout history and offers focused study in the areas of images and digital technologies, art in social and political contexts, and the histories and theories of visual culture. Classes cover many cultures, time periods and geographies, using multiple approaches and methodologies. Faculty mentor students in the application of theoretical and methodological approaches to research, advise them on their comprehensive literature review, and guide them as they determine their unique contribution to the field.

The School of Art galleries , the Ceramics Research Center and Archive and the ASU Art Museum support a robust schedule of public exhibitions and visiting artist and scholar lectures. These events offer students the opportunity to develop their knowledge and appreciation of contemporary art and culture while building a professional network. The program is enriched by partnerships with museums throughout the Phoenix metropolitan area and beyond, including an affiliation with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and several other museums as part of the ASU-LACMA Fellowship program.

Students can learn more about the program and program faculty on the art history area study page.

• College/school: Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts
• Location: Tempe
• STEM-OPT extension eligible: No

30 credit hours, a thesis and a foreign language exam

Required Core (3 credit hours) ARS 501 Methodologies and Art History (3)

Focus Area Coursework (12 credit hours) seminars (12)

Electives (6 credit hours)

Research (3 credit hours) ARS 592 Research (3)

Culminating Experience (6 credit hours) ARS 599 Thesis (6)

Additional Curriculum Information This program requires a minimum of 24 credit hours in art history, with at least 12 of these earned in 500-level seminars.

Four courses in the areas shown below are required, and two of these courses must be outside the student's geographical area of specialization:

• contemporary
• Latin American
• pre-Columbian
• Renaissance

For elective coursework, students may choose to take either 500-level courses in art history or related areas, such as in anthropology, history, museum studies or religion, or up to six credit hours of the following omnibus courses:

ARS 584 Internship ARS 590 Reading and Conference ARS 592 Research

Students must have a reading knowledge of one research language in addition to English. The selected language needs to be appropriate to the area of research concentration and must be approved by the faculty mentor. This requirement can be met by taking a language for reading knowledge course in the School of International Letters and Cultures with a grade of "B" or better or by passing the Graduate Foreign Language Examination offered by SILC, which requires a fee.

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts.

Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution. In addition, applicants must have an undergraduate major or minor in art history or at least four upper-division art history courses in which a GPA of 3.00 or higher was maintained.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or they must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.

All applicants must submit:

• graduate admission application and application fee
• official transcripts
• three letters of recommendation.
• one formal research paper for review
• statement of intent
• proof of English proficiency

Additional Application Information An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.

The statement of intent should be one page and indicate the objectives for graduate study.

Program learning outcomes identify what a student will learn or be able to do upon completion of their program. This program has the following program outcomes:

• Students will propose original research within their focus area.
• Verbally communicate knowledge in the analysis of images and objects
• Will be able to write a thesis paper up to program capstone standards, which includes the development of a thorough bibliography and the extended examination of a single subject, conceptualized as a research question that engages with their field

More and more ASU graduate students are pursuing Global Education opportunities . Although participating in a Global Education program as a graduate student presents unique challenges, it has the potential to deepen the student's educational experience, connecting a meaningful international opportunity with their career aspirations.

Graduates are prepared to initiate creative careers as artists, scholars and educators in the public and private sphere. Career opportunities depend on focused concentrations within the area and additional education or training per industry standards.

A graduate degree is essential for many professional positions; a master's degree prepares individuals to teach at the community college level, to practice and publish as an art critic or writer, to enhance their own practice as an artist, or to gain entry into employment in museums, archives, historical societies, art libraries, auction houses, publishing companies and academic presses. A doctorate is a necessity for employment as a university or college instructor and for responsible administrative and curatorial positions in the museum and publishing world.

School of Art | ART 102 [email protected] 480-965-8521