Admissions FAQ

Only in exceptional circumstances do we do offer the M.A. as a terminal degree. As a rule, students are only admitted for the Ph.D.; they may choose to earn an M.A. along the way, but it is not required. For more information about our degree programs, see the Graduate Program Degrees page.

Yes. Your application will be considered holistically and various measures of experience will be taken into consideration. Your application materials need to show adequate preparation to conduct original research and produce academic writing in the field of history. They also need to show your familiarity with the subfields and geographic areas you propose to research.

There are a limited number of Teaching Assistantships available in the History Department. We can only guarantee TAships as part of funding packages made at the time of admission.

Depending on the area of study, it generally takes students between five and seven years to complete the Ph.D. degree.

Eighty percent of those who completed the Ph.D. program between 2004 and 2010 achieved tenure-track jobs. Our Alumni page provides lists of doctoral graduates and their placements over the decades.

All international applicants are required to submit a TOEFL or IELTS score. International applicants are exempted from this requirement if they are from this list of qualifying countries. International applicants who received a Bachelor's degree from a U.S. institution or an instituition on this list of qualifying countries are also exempted from the TOEFL/IELTS requirement. For more information, see the Graduate School's website for International Applicants.

***The Department of History has suspended the GRE requirement for applications for admission in Fall 2024.***

Students admitted to our program generally have high GPAs and high GRE scores, but we have no minimum requirements for either measurement. The writing score is not seen by the admissions committee.

Your materials should make it apparent that you are prepared for our program. Faculty evaluators consider letters of recommendation very seriously as statements from their peers regarding your readiness for graduate study. Your writing sample needs to show academic rigor and should address historical questions. Your statement of purpose should succinctly state your case for admission by describing your research interests, identifying potential academic advisers, and explaining why you want to study and The University of Texas at Austin.

Applicants are expected to be well on their way to proficiency in the languages necessary to undertake their proposed research. Study in American History requires that you pass one foreign language exam; all other programs require two languages. Details on language requirements can be found in the Graduate Program Handbook posted here.

No. Each applicant is automatically considered for all applicable funding available through the university, including fellowships and Teaching Assistantships. No additional applications or materials are required. Funding offers are made along with offers of admission.

Applicants will be notified of admission decisions by the end of March.

All applications are considered by our area committees and Graduate Admissions Committee. Admission is very competetive and space in our program is limited. Unfortunately, we cannot admit all qualified applicants. Admissions decisions are final; there is no appeal. Due to the volume of applications, we cannot provide feedback on denied applications.