Admission to the Doctoral Program

For students who pass the M.A. examination and wish to be considered for admission into the doctoral program (immediately or at a later date), the advisor convenes a meeting with two other faculty who have worked closely with the student. These faculty are chosen jointly by the student and the advisor. This committee need not be the same as the M.A. committee, but it is understood that its members will likely serve on the student's doctoral committee. (If a student is planning a change in specialty between the M.A. and the doctorate, he or she must have the strong support of the faculty in the new specialty, even if they do not constitute the post‑M.A. review committee.) In certain fields with only a few faculty members, it may be necessary to draw the third individual from outside of the Department or from Duke. In such cases a student should be encouraged to go on for the doctorate only if both faculty from this Department express clear and strong support.

This committee evaluates the student's abilities as a research historian and teacher and makes an estimation of his or her ability to do well in preparing for doctoral examinations, competing for dissertation funding, completing the dissertation in a timely manner, and securing professional employment. The advisor will then prepare a one‑page report, which all three faculty members must endorse, based on this meeting. This procedure assures that any student who goes on to the doctorate enjoys the strong support of at least three faculty members who know the candidate's work well and will support that student in future endeavors (such as applying for grants and seeking employment). This report goes into the student's department file, and it accompanies the recommendation to the DGS that a student advance to the doctoral program. A copy is provided to the student. The DGS reviews these reports before forwarding recommendations for admission to the doctoral program to the Graduate School. The reports themselves are not sent on to the Graduate School.