Graduate Program Admissions
Attention Ph.D. applicants: Please turn in all of your application materials by December 15th for fellowship consideration.
MA applicants: applications are due January 2nd.
Dear Prospective Applicants:
Thank you for your interest in the graduate history program at the University of California, Irvine. Although the University was only founded in 1965, the Department of History has achieved a high standard of excellence in teaching and historical research. It is particularly noted for its encouragement of interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary approaches to scholarship and for providing students with advanced training in both historical methods and theory. Students often combine work in American, European, Middle Eastern, or Asian history with a thematic emphasis such as Critical Theory or Feminist Studies. The relatively small size of the graduate program allows for close collaboration between students and faculty in developing programs of study tailored to individual interests and goals.
We are delighted that you are considering applying to UCI. Apply online using UCI’s electronic application form, available at the website of the Graduate Division.
Applicants are encouraged to contact faculty members in their area of interest to discuss their research objectives before completing the application process.
In evaluating applications for the program, the Admissions Committee carefully examines each individual's total dossier, including transcripts of college and university courses and grades, GRE scores, letters of recommendation, the application Statement of Purpose and samples of written work from previous courses. Weakness in any one of these areas can be offset by strength in others. Candidates with non-history undergraduate degrees may be admitted, but if their degrees are not in closely related fields, we would like to see completion of a substantial number of history courses.
All students admitted to our program are required to begin in the fall quarter. Applications must be submitted electronically by January 2nd (December 15th for fellowship eligibility). Applicants who believe they are qualified for fellowship nomination should ensure that ALL materials for completion of the application file are sent electronically or postmarked by December 15th. Files cannot be evaluated until all required transcripts, GRE scores, three letters of recommendation, and writing sample have been received.
Applicants desiring a terminal MA degree are considered for admission to our MA program, but they are not eligible for fellowship nomination.
Information about and applications for on-campus housing for graduate students are available here.
The link for UCI’s Financial Aid website (for U.S. citizens) is found here.
Please send GRE scores (as well as TOEFL scores for applicants whose native language is not English) as early as possible. Information on the GRE (as well as on the TOEFL) can be obtained by visiting the Educational Testing Service website. More details on the TOEFL, including criteria for students to waive the TOEFL and minimum scores, are available here.
If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Graduate Administrator, Kate Triglia, at ktriglia@uci.edu.
Note on Writing Sample
Your writing sample should be at least 10 pages long, but not longer than about 30 pages, double spaced. You should not feel compelled to submit the maximum number of pages. Applicants with a master’s thesis or substantial undergraduate research papers can submit a chapter or section of the longer work. In addition to demonstrating your writing ability, the selection should also show your ability to work with primary source materials, and/or deal with historiographical debates. Applicants can submit two papers, or sections thereof, in order to demonstrate specific skills or knowledge. In this case, one of the sections must be at least 10 pages long, and the total should not exceed 30 pages. You may submit your sample(s) of written work to the History Department either by email to Kate (ktriglia@uci.edu), who will send you an email confirmation of receipt, or by mail.
