Ph.D. and Career Guide

Applying to Ph.D. Programs

Helpful information on how to approach applications to doctoral programs and careers in the history profession can be found through the following resources:

• American Historical Association's Resources for Graduate Students
• The National Council on Public History's "Public History Navigator: How to Choose and Thrive in a Graduate Public History Program" (2015)
• John King and Andrew McMichael's "The Trials and Tribulations of Applying to Graduate School," Perspectives on History (September 1998)

Jobs Outside Academia

There are a number of links that can help graduates plan non-academic careers as a historian:

• Museums: American Association of Museums; Virginia Association of Museums
• Archives: Society of American Archivists; National Council on Public History; Society for History in the Federal Government
• Historical Societies: American Association for State and Local History
• Federal, State, and Local Government Employment: http://www.usajobs.gov, 50statejobs
• Non-profits: idealist.org 
• Resume samples by job title: Job Hero

More assistance can be found through VCU Career Services.