Sample Ph.D. Timeline

Please note that HIST 950 is also offered in the summer semester.

It will benefit funded students to frontload HIST 999/Doctoral Dissertation credit hours, while they are covered within their funding package; this includes registering for HIST 999 in the summer semester following their first year in the program. Otherwise, all HIST 999 credits will have to be covered in the final two years of the program with 33 credit hours of HIST 999 enrollment over four semesters.

Students will meet with the Graduate Chair regarding allocation of Secondary, Focus, and Applied Field courses, as different classes will cover different requirements based on their areas of study.

Ph.D. Year 1

Semester 1 Courses

  • HIST 900
  • Primary Field Core Course #1 for European & American history students
    • Europe: HIST 931 or HIST 933 (931 in odd-numbered years; 933 in even-numbered years)
    • America: HIST 941
  • Options – HIST 970; HIST 983 (even-numbered years); any 800-level course
  • HIST 801A

Semester 2 Courses

  • HIST 901
  • Primary Field Core Course
    • Primary Field Core Course #1 for World history students – HIST 961 or HIST 963 (961 on odd-numbered years; 963 on even-numbered years)
    • Primary Field Core Course #2 for American history students, if even-numbered year – HIST 943
  • Focus Field / Secondary Field Course 1 – HIST/WMNS 951 / HIST 953, or HIST/GPSP 991 (odd-numbered years)
  • Optional – HIST 801B; any 800-level course

Semester 1 To-Dos

  • Meet with your adviser before registering for summer and/or fall courses.
  • Establish a plan for summer reading and/or research.
  • Submit your annual self-evaluation. Take the Ph.D. language fluency exam in a language endorsed by your adviser if needed.

Semester 2 To-Dos

  • Meet with the adviser assigned to you and establish a preliminary plan for your coursework and professional development. Ensure your adviser is best suited to your interests. If not, meet with other faculty to see if they would be willing to take you on as an advisee.
  • Consider your M.A. coursework to identify any possible credits that can be transferred in as electives. Submit any request for transfer credits to the Graduate Chair.
  • Take the Ph.D. language fluency exam during finals week in a language endorsed by your adviser.

Ph.D. Year 2

Semester 1 Courses

  • HIST 950 Research Seminar #1
  • Primary Field Core Course #2 for European history students – HIST 931 or HIST 933 (931 on odd-numbered years; 933 on even-numbered years)
  • Optional (if not taken in year 1) – HIST 970; HIST 983 (even-numbered years)
  • HIST 801C
  • Optional: any 800-level course

Semester 2 Courses

  • HIST 990, if even-numbered year
  • Primary Field Core Course
    • Primary Field Core Course #2 for American history students, if even-numbered year – HIST 943
    • Primary Field Core Course #2 for World history students – HIST 961 or HIST 963 (961 on odd-numbered years; 963 on even-numbered years)
  • Focus Field / Secondary Field Course #2 – HIST/WMNS 951 / HIST 953, or HIST/GPSP 991 (odd-numbered years)
  • HIST 801C
  • HIST 801B (if not taken 2nd semester of 1st year)
  • Optional: any 800-level course

Semester 1 To-Dos

  • Meet with your adviser to discuss potential faculty for your comprehensive exam and dissertation.
  • Make every effort to take focus, primary, and secondary field courses with faculty you hope to have on your committee.
  • Ensure that you are on-track and meeting departmental requirements. Take the Ph.D. language fluency exam during finals week if needed.

Semester 2 To-Dos

  • Assess your coursework to ensure you’ve met departmental requirements and can do so within the next year if you are also pursuing an interdisciplinary specialization.
  • Work with your adviser to establish a supervisory committee and submit the completed Appointment of Supervisory Committee for the Doctoral Degree form to the Office of Graduate Studies. You must submit a Change of Committee form if any changes are made to your committee after this point; students can consult with the Graduate Chair about this option.
  • In addition to the Appointment of Supervisory Committee form, you must also submit your completed Program of Study form to the Office of Graduate Studies. This form notes any courses you’ve transferred in and all University of Nebraska-Lincoln courses you plan to take to complete departmental requirements in addition to any specializations.
  • Submit your annual self-evaluation and take the fluency exam during finals week if needed.

Ph.D. Year 3

Semester 1 Courses

  • HIST 950 Research Seminar #2 (or summer before Year 3)
  • Options – any 800-level courses and potentially HIST 999 credit hours

Semester 2 Courses

  • HIST 990, if even-numbered year
  • Options – any 800-level courses and potentially HIST 999 credit hours

Semester 1 To-Dos

  • Depending on where you are in coursework, you may be preparing for comprehensive exams or finishing out a specialization. Be sure you’ve taken dissertation credits so that you meet the 36 required dissertation hours before you complete the program.

Semester 2 To-Dos

  • If you take and pass your comprehensive exams (outlined on p. 35 of the Graduate Student Handbook) this semester, you’ll need to submit a completed Application for Candidacy form through the Office of Graduate Studies. Once you are advanced to candidacy, you’ll need to register each semester with the Office of Graduate Studies to ensure you are appropriately enrolled.
  • Submit your annual self-evaluation.

Ph.D. Year 4

  • Many students will take their comprehensive exams in the 7th semester and submit their prospectus in the 8th semester. Some students might progress more quickly and could be ready to submit a prospectus in the 7th semester. The prospectus is outlined on p. 35 of the Graduate Student Handbook. Meet regularly with your exam committee to ensure your preparation. If you plan for your exam committee and your dissertation committee to include different members, you’ll need to submit a completed Change of Committee form to the Office of Graduate Studies, in addition to the Application for Candidacy after you pass your comprehensive exams.
  • Be sure to submit your annual self-evaluation in the 8th semester.

    • Ph.D. Year 5+

    • ABD students must register with the Office of Graduate Studies each semester and can consult with their adviser to determine how many dissertation credits they should take per semester.
    • Be sure to submit the annual self-evaluation each spring semester.
    • This stage of the program is largely self-directed and students should be in regular contact with their committee as they research and write their dissertation while also preparing for their post-graduation goals. Your adviser and committee members will determine a timeline for completion and arrange a system for review and feedback throughout your dissertation process.
  • Work with your adviser and committee to determine which semester you will defend your dissertation. The Office of Graduate Studies announces the deadline for the Application for a Degree form at the beginning of each semester and so you will need to be watchful for that announcement in the semester you plan to defend and graduate; you can also check the timeline at https://www.unl.edu/gradstudies/current/degrees/doctoral.
  • When your adviser and committee agree that your dissertation is complete, you will need to distribute a final draft to all members within an agreed-upon timeframe (usually a month or more before your scheduled defense), and submit the completed Application for Final Oral Examination to the Office of Graduate Studies two weeks prior to your scheduled defense. The Office of Graduate Studies will also require an abstract and full draft of your dissertation at that time.

    • Graduate Student Handbook   Graduate Courses Offered   Ph.D. Fields and Comprehensive Exams