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Military History Ph.D.
Doctoral Degree
Program type:
Major
Format:
On Campus
Est. time to complete:
3-5 years
Credit Hours:
30 (with master's) or 54 (with bachelor's)
Become an expert in the military conflicts that have shaped the world as we know it.
The brutal wars of the 20th and 21st centuries have made clear the centrality of military
history to modern politics and statecraft. As the renowned historian John Keegan wrote,
"[t]he written history of the world is largely a history of warfare."
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Request More InfoWhy Earn a Military History Ph.D.?
At the University of North Texas, students can earn a Ph.D. in Military History by studying, analyzing, and discussing the history of warfare in every era and culture – and on every point on the globe. UNT has a distinguished reputation as an international leader in the careful analysis of the causes, conduct and termination of conflict from the ancient to the present.
Understanding military history is crucial in analyzing world politics, and UNT is committed to the research, teaching, and public presentation of this fundamental aspect of human history. A UNT Ph.D. in Military History will prepare you to enhance the public's understanding of the interrelationship between war, society, technology, domestic politics and international relations.
Areas of study for doctoral students:
- Ancient Greece and Rome
- French Revolution and Napoleon
- Modern Germany
- World War I
- World War II
- Cold War
- American military culture
- American Revolution
- American Civil War
- Korea and Vietnam
- Revolution and insurgency
- Military theory and strategic thought
Marketable Skills
- Synthesize/interpret large amounts of data
- Pedagogical practices
- Mastery of the historical literature
- Expertise in the history of specific topics/regions
- Research/write studies based on primary sources
Military History Ph.D. Highlights
Our first-rate graduate students conduct cutting-edge research and gain valuable teaching
experience, both of which directly translate into job opportunities and major publications
in the field.
Graduate classes normally include eight to 12 students, allowing you to receive personal
attention from the instructor.
Our department houses the Kingsbury-Thomason Departmental Library, the Military History
Center and an extensive collection of books and films.
Our classes are taught by faculty who have published numerous books and articles,
been awarded many research grants, and earned national and international recognition
in their fields.
You'll also have access to several other major libraries and institutions in the Dallas-Fort
Worth region, including the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, the National Archives
at Fort Worth, the Dallas Public Library, the Dallas Historical Society, and libraries
of numerous area colleges and universities.
Our dynamic doctoral students study high-intensity conflicts as well as slow-rolling
insurgencies; the intersection of social and cultural history with conflict, war,
and warfare; the debates on the impact of revolutions in military affairs; and questions
of Western exceptionalism, all within the broad, deep context of military history.
What Can You Do With a Military History Ph.D.?
The knowledge and skills students gain while earning a history degree offer excellent
preparation for a seemingly endless variety of occupations. Students of history learn
to analyze and evaluate evidence with care, to communicate persuasively and clearly,
and to understand diverse perspectives and experiences.
Many history majors directly apply course content to fulfilling careers as historians,
museum professionals, historical interpreters, researchers, writers, filmmakers, and
educators. According to the American Historical Association, history graduates work
in almost every field imaginable, ranging from financial services to healthcare to
community and social services and beyond.
Particularly large numbers of history majors leverage their critical thinking and
communication skills for careers in business administration or management, sales,
and in the legal profession. Earning an undergraduate degree in history also offers
students excellent preparation for graduate school, launching them on pathways toward
careers in fields such as higher education, journalism, law, and public policy.
Military History Ph.D. Courses You Could Take
The Art of War: Theory and History (3 hrs)
Key theorists whose ideas shape the ways historians write about war. Emphasis given
to understanding the relationships between military history and military thought.
History of Military Revolution (3 hrs)
The historiography of “Military Revolution” in military history and associated scholarly
fields.
Warfare During the Age of Enlightenment and Revolution (3 hrs)
History of warfare during the periods of the Enlightenment and French Revolution,
from 1715-1800, emphasizing the interconnected development and evolution of military
thought and the art of waging war on operation, strategic, and tactical levels.
Nazi Germany at War (3 hrs)
History of Nazi Germany during the Second World War, emphasizing the study of the
German “way of war,” economic preparations for war, and military participation in
war crimes and other crimes against humanity.
Military History of Modern China (3 hrs)
Study of English-language scholarship on strategy, military force and war in China
from the 17th through the early 21st century.
The U.S. Army in the Nineteenth Century (3 hrs)
History of the development of the United States Army in the 19th century from an ineffective
national defense force to an effective agency for international expansion.
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