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The history graduate program offers specialized professional education, preparing Ph.D. recipients primarily for academic careers in higher education. Our alumni have recently secured faculty positions at prestigious institutions including Brown, Cornell, Duke, Princeton, Rutgers, University of Texas, University of Utah, University of Wisconsin, Yale, and University of Michigan, as well as liberal arts colleges like Davidson, Reed, Kenyon, William & Mary, and Williams, plus regional universities such as University of Alabama, Florida State, UNC Greensboro, and Texas A&M. Others pursue careers beyond academia, with recent graduates working in financial institutions, corporate settings, university libraries, government offices, congressional teams, and diplomatic services. A dedicated Placement Officer assists Ph.D. candidates with academic job searches while collaborating with University Career Services for alternative career pathways.
Through the Corcoran Department of History, students can pursue both M.A. and Ph.D. degrees, with options for a terminal master's or an M.A. earned during doctoral studies. The department also provides a unique joint J.D./M.A. program in legal history with UVA's Law School. Each academic year, about forty graduate students study in Charlottesville, with ten to twelve typically beginning their graduate studies.