Graduate Overview
Advance your study of history with purpose and perspective
Graduate study in history at the University at Buffalo is rigorous, collaborative and intellectually ambitious. You will join a community of scholars committed to examining evidence carefully, asking bold questions and producing research that deepens our understanding of the past. Through close mentorship, small seminars and sustained independent work, you will refine your perspective and strengthen your scholarly voice.
At UB, graduate students work closely with faculty who are nationally and internationally recognized scholars. Our faculty have earned more than 25 major fellowships and prizes in recent years and are known for research that reshapes conversations across the discipline.
As a graduate student, you benefit from:
- Individual mentorship from your first semester through your thesis or dissertation
- Small, discussion-driven seminars
- A collaborative intellectual community grounded in open inquiry
- Professional development in research, writing, teaching and career preparation
- A department culture that values both scholarship and public engagement
This is a place where historical argument matters, evidence is taken seriously and ideas are refined through conversation.
Graduate students train in core fields of historical inquiry while engaging research that connects past societies to pressing questions in the present.
Examining political, intellectual and cultural change in the early modern world
Exploring health, embodiment and scientific knowledge across societies.
Investigating modern conflict, social change and global interconnection.
Expanding the field
Faculty and graduate students also pursue research in areas such as Atlantic world history, immigration history, public history, gender and sexuality studies and other emerging fields.
UB’s collaborative environment makes it possible to design comparative, interdisciplinary and thematically focused research pathways.
UB offers three graduate options designed to support different goals.
- MA in History: A two-year program focused on advanced research training, strong methodological foundations and preparation for doctoral study or professional careers.
- PhD in History: A research-intensive program that prepares students for careers in higher education, public scholarship and advanced professional roles.
- History Advanced Certificate: Graduate-level coursework for students seeking focused historical training without committing to a full degree.
Interested in taking graduate classes but not ready to pursue a degree? Contact the department about non-degree study options.
Graduate training in history develops advanced research, analytical and communication skills valued across sectors.
Our graduates pursue careers in:
- Colleges and universities
- Museums, archives and public history organizations
- Government, policy and public service
- Nonprofits and cultural institutions
- Media, publishing and communications
- Education and curriculum development
- Research roles in think tanks and scholarly organizations
UB history faculty are award-winning scholars supported by institutions such as the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Smithsonian Institution, the American Historical Association and the Institute for Advanced Study.
They bring this expertise into the classroom and mentor students closely at every stage of graduate study.
Graduate students participate in:
- Sustained primary-source research
- Advanced coursework in historiography and historical methods
- Public lectures and scholarly events featuring leading historians
- Peer networks such as the Graduate History Association
PhD students also receive structured training in college-level teaching through assistantships.
Graduate Lounge
All graduate students have access to the Graduate Lounge in 551 Park Hall, a shared space for study, collaboration and community.
Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., unless otherwise noted.
The Graduate Lounge
Life in Buffalo
A city with energy, culture and room to grow
Buffalo offers the culture and opportunity of a major city without the cost or congestion. You get professional sports, a nationally recognized orchestra, a vibrant theater district and one of the country’s leading art museums, all in a city that is easy to navigate. Restaurants, coffee shops and local markets make it easy to settle in and feel at home.
Love the outdoors? Lake Erie, the Niagara River and nearby state parks offer hiking, skiing, skating, camping and beaches throughout the year. Winter is part of life here and so is the energy that comes with it.
Buffalo is affordable, connected and growing. Toronto is just 90 minutes away, and the region’s expanding economy means new ideas and opportunities are always within reach.
Photographer: Douglas Levere
If you are ready to pursue advanced historical study in a supportive and ambitious academic community, UB is a place where you can thrive.
Director of Graduate Studies (DSG) Office Hours:
Mondays 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Wednesdays 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Or by appointment (email to schedule)