The Fields

Origins and History of the United States. Studies the origins and development of North American institutions, major social and ethnic groups, and events and people important in the United States, as well as beliefs, values and behaviors that have contributed to common or oppositional identities. The department offers particular strength in the early history of the Americas and 20th century history. Students in this field are expected to cover the breadth of American history from the pre-Columbian period through the present, but may elect to focus some part of their field in a chronological period (such as U.S. since 1945) or a thematic topic (such as U.S. political history).

Europe Since 1500. Studies the cultures of Europe during the rise of the modern nation states, the expansion and decline of their global empires, the Cold War, and the era of supranational organizations. The field challenges the traditional boundaries of Europe, both to the East and around the globe. The department offers particular strength in early modern Europe, and in 19th and 20th century Central and Eastern Europe, an area further supported by Miami's interdisciplinary Havighurst Center for Soviet and post-Soviet Studies. Students receive a thorough grounding in the broad scope of European history during the entire period. They may choose to focus their studies on a particular period (such as the World War I era), a national or regional culture (such as Poland or France), or a thematic issue (such as gender in early modern Europe).

Gender and Comparative Women's History. Explores the gendered nature of past (and present) experience and compares women's experiences across cultures and across time. It draws on the expertise of faculty in a variety of fields (including U.S., medieval and early modern Europe, and China). Miami offers the only graduate course in the country focusing on the United Nations and women's rights. Students in this field may also earn a graduate certificate in women's studies. This field may be chosen as a major field for the Master's degree, and as a minor field for the Ph.D. As a Ph.D. minor, it makes an excellent complement to the more traditional major fields.

World and Comparative History. This exciting field provides graduate training in one of the fastest-growing areas of historical study. You will compare historical experiences across regions, civilizations, and cultural areas; weigh models that propose various ways for considering the global connections of cultures and civilizations; and develop expertise in two different regional or cultural areas. Miami's graduate course in "Theories of World History" is one of the earliest developed in the country. The growing demand for teachers and researchers of world history make this an excellent choice of field, whether as a major field for the Master's degree or as a doctoral minor field.

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First Semester:Graduate Courses Only
Second Semester: Graduate Courses Only