Department of History

Application Instructions

The Department of History requires the following materials in an application for admission into the graduate program:

  • Your online application. All applications must be submitted on-line. 
  • A “Career Statement” of 2–4 double-spaced pages that describes the basis of your intellectual and professional interest in history, and the reasons for your application to our graduate program. What are the primary areas of your interest and competence within the field of history? Why does our program appeal to you, and how would it fit with your research interests? Who are the faculty members you would like to work with, and why? If applicable, please include information about your reading proficiency in languages relevant to your proposed research, any research experience, or any relevant work/life experience within or outside academia. The more specific your statement, and the closer the match between your intellectual interests and our areas of expertise, the higher the chances of being admitted into the program. We thus strongly encourage you to contact individual faculty members directly to explore feasibility of topics of interest.
  • Three letters of recommendation ffrom former teachers or others who can evaluate your past academic performance and qualifications for graduate study.
  • An official academic transcript from the college/university at which you completed your work for a BA degree; and if you have an MA, an official academic transcript covering your MA work.
  • A sample of your written work (approximately 10-20 double-spaced pages), preferably on a historical subject: this could be a term paper, senior thesis, MA thesis, or publication. Please choose a sample that showcases your writing skills as well as your ability to craft an argument and to work with secondary (and ideally primary) sources.
  • Current CV/Resume. Please list colleges and universities you have attended plus teaching and work experience, research, special programs, honors and awards, publications, and any other information you feel is applicable.
  • For admissions into the program a minimum GPA of 3.0 is required

All documents must be uploaded via the online application system. A copy of all academic transcripts must be uploaded as well. If you are admitted, you are then required to provide an official copy of the transcript(s) by no later than October 15th. Until you provide the official transcript, you will be admitted with a contingency.

International applicants must also provide the following additional materials:

  • The International Graduate Student Supplemental Information Packet. Please download this form.
  • \An evaluation of your proficiency in English, as measured by either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the Duolingo English Test. A minimum TOEFL score of 90 (with at least a score of 22 in each of the four sections of speaking, listening, reading and writing) will be required for all applicants. A minimum IELTS score of 7.0 (with at least 6.5 in each of its four sections) will be required for all applicants. A minimum Duolingo score of 100 will be required for all applicants. For more information please see: https://www.asgraduate.pitt.edu/admissions/international-students

Deadline for all applications is January 15th.

In an effort to reduce financial barriers to attending graduate school, the Kenneth P. Dietrich Graduate School of Arts and Sciences offers application fee waivers. Please note that fee waivers are approved on a case-by-case basis and not all fee waiver requests will be granted.  All requests received will be reviewed and responded to within 48 hours during normal business hours: Monday - Friday 8:30a.m. to 5:00p.m. EST.  To be considered for a fee waiver, Please complete the following fee waiver survey for review: https://pitt.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cD38CmmjcOT3Tvw

Please refrain from calling or emailing regarding the status of your application, which can be checked via the online application system. If you do need to contact the department regarding your application, please e-mail the Graduate Administrator, Paris Yamamoto

Decisions on both admission and financial aid will be announced around March 15th.

If you are having issues with any part of your on-line application for the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences please reach out to the GradCas Applicant Help center: https://help.liaisonedu.com/GradCAS_Applicant_Help_Center.  If you cannot find the answer to your question you can also contact them by phone 857-304-2086 or via email: gradcasinfo@liaisoncas.com.  For the quickest response it is best to contact them via chat on the Applicant Help center page.