<p>Does anyone know which schools are generally considered excellent for graduate study in history? I've seen the US News lists, but I was wondering if I could get some personal perspectives.
Thanks!
Hannah</p>
<p>Excellency in Grad schools is dependent upon what you want to study. Some schools may be top ranked but may lack a coffee historian (or whatever your field is).</p>
<p>If we know your field, it would help a lot more-- however, I can not recommend professors enough-- it's their job to know this.</p>
<p>I hate to steal your thread, but I am wondering the same thing as the original poster. About these fields, are they supposed to be broad like European history since 1789 or specific like South American Revolutions between 1812 and 1834?</p>
<p>Field is super important -- University X might be super prestigious highly regarded and good to their graduate students, but if there is no one who can supervise your area of interest, then it is probably not the school for you. </p>
<p>I recommend looking at university department faculty webpages -- and look for professors who work in the area that interests you -- also contact the profs that you have an interest in beign supervised by to see if they are taking students and if they are interested in your proposed area of interest. That is what I did when I was looking for a Ph.D. program in History that would be good for me and I found it helpful. The faculty members I contacted didnt seem irritated at all and instead seemed very happy to talk about the program and give advice. </p>
<p>Finally you might want to visit schools you are particularly interested in -- I think it might help -- plus it gives you a feeling for a university department you will be a grad student in for 5+ (usually at LEAST 6) years. </p>
<p>As to how broad the field of interest should be -- I think you should have a specific interest but within a broad area of interest. The finished Ph.D. will be on a very specific topic: you wont be writing a dissertation which looks at the entire Civil War or the First World War -- but rather one small aspect or angle on it of it that you are investigating -- However, when you are looking for a job at a University, or a CC you will be expected to teach courses on the entire Civil War and WWI. Furthermore, your dissertation will have to be written in a way that fits within the greater context of the broad area that you are studying. </p>
<p>I hope this helps</p>