Admissions

Criteria

Generally, the Department seeks students who have successfully earned a BA or MA degree in history.  We will also consider students who have a degree in a related field such as anthropology, political science, or sociology, with the understanding that they might be asked to complete leveling work.

Applicants must have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0. If applying for admission before Spring 2023, candidates may choose to waive the GRE. During this period, we will accept GRE scores on an optional basis, for those wishing to have Educational Testing Services send official scores to the Office of Graduate Admissions. 

To review official admissions criteria, please visit the current UTA Graduate Catalog.

Part-Time and Full-Time Doctoral Students

The Department will consider applications from students wishing to participate in the doctoral program on a part-time basis, meaning less than 9 credit hours per semester. Graduate courses are usually, but not always, offered in the evenings. Doctoral students admitted for full-time study (9 credit hours per semester) will be considered for a multi-year Enhanced Graduate Teaching Assistantship (EGTA) package. These highly competitive awards carry an annual stipend and cover 100% of tuition and fees for up to nine (9) hours of coursework per semester. They are renewable for up to six years, conditional on good performance in academic work and teaching duties. In addition to completing coursework and fulfilling assigned duties as teaching assistants, EGTA recipients are required to attend Departmental seminars and other functions throughout the academic year.

Application Process

To apply, you must complete the following steps:

1) Complete the online application form on ApplyUTA, and under “Select Major” choose “HISTORY BA to PHD” if you have an undergraduate degree, or “History PHD” if you already have completed an MA degree.

2) Have official transcripts from your undergraduate institution(s) (and, if applicable, MA program) mailed to UTA’s Admissions Office. Do not send transcripts to the PhD Advisor or to the History Department.

3) Have your GRE scores sent to UTA’s Office of Graduate Studies (institutional code 6013). Information about how, when, and where you may take the GRE is available via the Educational Testing Service (ETS) website.
NOTE: DUE TO COVID-19, UTA HAS SUSPENDED ALL GRE APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS THROUGH SPRING 2023.

4) Have three letters of recommendation sent to the PhD Advisor at HistoryPhD@uta.edu or to the mailing address below.

5) Send a letter of intent (approximately two pages) and a writing sample to the PhD Advisor at HistoryPhD@uta.edu or to the mailing address below. In the letter of intent, please explain your past background in history, future goals, and indicate your research interests—including current vision for a potential dissertation topic. We encourage you to also indicate a professor or professors in the department you are particularly interested in working with. For your writing sample, the Department prefers that applicants send a primary source-based research paper not to exceed twenty-five pages. This essay should demonstrate the applicant's research, writing, and analytical skills. However, other writing samples are acceptable.

PhD Advisor
Department of History, Box 19529
University of Texas at Arlington
Arlington, TX 76019-0529

The priority deadline for admissions consideration is February 15. The PhD admissions committee will continue to consider applications on a rolling basis through June 15.

Applicants are encouraged to contact the PhD Advisor at HistoryPhD@uta.edu if they have questions about the program or the admission process.