FAQ | Department of History

PhD applications must be submitted and all supplemental materials received by January 15 for Fall admission.

MA applications m ust be submitted and all supplemental materials received by April 15 for Fall admission.

Your application must be submitted online through the Graduate School.

Please click the help link on the login page. If you require further assistance, contact the Graduate School at GradAdmissions@stonybrook.edu . The History Department does not have access to the application system. We recommend that you apply in sufficient time to avoid any last-minute technical difficulties.

—Statement of Purpose should be uploaded with your application.

—Writing sample should be uploaded with your application.

—Letters of recommendation: When you submit your application, your recommenders will automatically be sent a link to submit their letters electronically to the Graduate School.

—Official Transcripts should be sent directly from the Registrar's Office of your school(s) to the History Department. We require 2 official copies of each transcript. Photocopies are not acceptable. We will need transcripts, in English, with the degree posted for every school you attended. If your school does not offer English transcripts, we will need an official (notarized) translation. Some overseas documents must be evaluated by World Educational Services.

—TOEFL or IELTS examination score. The Graduate School requires that students contact Educational Testing Services (ETS) and have them send official score reports directly to Stony Brook University. Our institution code is 2548. See Graduate School for language test requirements.

— Optional GRE scores. The Graduate School requires that students wishing to submit their GRE scores contact Educational Testing Services (ETS) and have them send official score reports directly to Stony Brook University. Our institution code is 2548.

Your Statement of Purpose (3-4 pages) should describe the intended field(s) of study, the insights or experiences motivating the decision to specialize in this area, and the kinds of questions which the applicant hopes to explore; this statement should be as specific as possible about intended research topics and subject area(s) and indicate relevant faculty with whom they envision working. Applicants are encouraged to contact these professors before submitting the application.

An appropriate writing sample would be an undergraduate seminar paper or an excerpt from a BA or MA thesis. It should demonstrate the student's capacity for research, analysis, creative thought, and excellent writing. A paper based on original research (using primary sources) with a strong historical argument is preferable. The writing sample should be approximately 12-20 pages, with proper citations and bibliography. If absolutely necessary, the sample can be up to 25 pages long, including footnotes, endnotes, and/or bibliography, but please do not exceed 25 pages.

If your native or primary language is not English, you must take either the TOEFL or the IELTS. No waivers are available for this requirement. "Native or primary speakers of English" are defined as those who have been raised or educated in an English-speaking environment. "Native or primary speakers" may speak a language other than English at home but speak English exclusively outside the home in social and/or educational contexts. Intentional misrepresentation of ones' native/primary language is academic dishonesty, and grounds for dismissal from the University. See Graduate School for minimum required scores on the TOEFL or IELTS.

All doctoral (PhD) students who are not native/primary speakers of English must also take a speak test upon arrival at the University. Depending on the result of this test, some students may be required to take ESL classes.

We need to have the results in our office no later than January 15. If your score is not received on time, it could jeopardize your admission to the program.

No applicants to our graduate programs have to take the GRE, since it is now optional. However, if you wish to be considered for the Graduate Council Fellowship, please be aware that it does still currently require GRE scores. To be eligible for this fellowship, one must be a US citizen or permanent resident of the US; successful GCF nominees typically have extremely high test scores, extremely strong GPAS, significant research experience, excellent letters, and a good fit to the strengths of the program. We usually only have 1 or 2 applicants each year who meet all these criteria.

If your application is incomplete, the History Department will not review your file. It is therefore crucial that all required supporting documents are received by the deadline.

Admissions decisions are based primarily upon assessment of the student's academic records, potential for scholarly achievement, and the ability of our faculty to support the student's intended field of study.

We send out admissions decision letters in March. Please refrain from calling for status updates. If you have not heard from us by April 15, please contact us.

GRADUATE Frequently ASKED QUESTIONS