yale history phd students

Program in the History of Science and Medicine

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Yale Department of Classics

The combined program in classics and history at yale.

Historians at Yale have been at the forefront of research into the ancient world for more than a century, and the wealth of resources for the study of ancient history in the university’s libraries and museums reflects the richness of this tradition: a numismatic collection unparalleled among North American universities, an extensive collection of Greek, Demotic, Coptic and Arabic papyri housed in the world-renowned Beinecke Library, and diverse and extraordinary archaeological material from the excavations at the city of Dura Europos now on display in the Yale Art Gallery.

Students in the combined degree program are members of both the Classics and the History departments and receive advising and mentoring by the faculty of both. Students are exposed not only to a broad chronological and geographical vision of antiquity, but also to the full complement of methodologies in the ancient historian’s toolkit, including the textual — literature, historiography, papyrology, and epigraphy — and the material —archaeology and numismatics. Our approaches tackle problems in social, economic, political, and cultural history. Among the major points of emphasis in the program are interdisciplinarity, theory, and comparative thinking, all of which we consider vital to the study of ancient history and the furtherance of the discipline.

At Yale there is a vibrant and active community of historically minded scholars who frequently gather to exchange ideas through workshops, colloquia, conferences, and guest lectures, the most prominent of which is the annual Rostovtzeff lecture and colloquium held each November. Abroad, there are opportunities for students to gain archaeological field experience through participation in the Gabii Project near Rome, and the generous Rostovtzeff funds provide support to visit ancient sites in the Mediterranean and beyond. Students are strongly encouraged to present their work in a variety of venues at Yale and are supported with funds to help them share their research at national and international conferences.

Students are afforded the best in language training and given opportunities to teach Greek and Latin at the beginning and intermediate levels or to serve as teaching fellows for courses in, among other subjects, Classical Greek History, Hellenistic History, the Roman Republic, the Roman Empire, Late Antiquity, and Ancient Law.

In all the Combined Program provides a broad and firm foundation for the pursuit of an academic career in either Classics or History departments.

Medieval Studies

Graduate Program

The Program in Medieval Studies was founded to offer advanced training in interdisciplinary research methods to graduate students with an interest in the Middle Ages. With an emphasis on language skills and work with primary documents, Yale’s degrees in Medieval Studies provide students with a strong foundation for original research spanning many fields. The Program counts many distinguished medievalists  among its alumni . Currently, we have particular strengths in medieval interfaith relations in the greater Mediterranean world; the history and culture of medieval Iberia; cultural transit on the Silk Road; Gothic and late medieval art; aesthetic theory; reading practices; and polyphonic song. This list is by no means exhaustive, and prospective students are encouraged to explore the interests of our faculty  and current graduate students  for a sense of our Program’s range.

The Program offers two degrees: the PhD  and the MA . Application to both programs is through the Graduate School’s main portal . Each degree has separate application requirements.

The PhD in Medieval Studies  normally takes six years to complete. It requires two years of coursework, a qualifying exam, and dissertation prospectus, in addition to the dissertation itself, which is expected to be a monograph-length work of original scholarship. It is fully funded; students will teach for at least two years as part of their funding package.

The MA in Medieval Studies  is a freestanding one-year terminal degree. It requires students to successfully complete six or seven courses at the graduate level, with the option of a directed research project. It is not a prerequisite for the PhD, and students must provide their own funding.

The Program’s range and diversity is among its greatest strengths. Accordingly, we particularly invite applications from those whose personal backgrounds or research interests have historically been under-represented in the American academy or in the field of Medieval Studies.

• African American Studies

The Department of African American Studies offers a combined PhD in conjunction with several other departments and programs: currently, American studies; anthropology; English; film and media studies; French; history; history of art; music; political science; psychology; religious studies; sociology; Spanish and Portuguese; and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies. Within the field of study, the student will select an area of concentration in consultation with the directors of graduate studies (DGS) of African American studies and the joint department or program. An area of concentration in African American studies may take the form of a single area study or a comparative area study. Students may focus on the history or artistic productions of any region within the African diaspora. Students are encouraged to draw from multiple disciplines in their intellectual pursuits, both in preparation for their qualifying examinations and in their dissertation research and writing. An area of concentration may also follow the fields of study already established within a single discipline, for example, race/minority/ethnic studies in a combined degree with sociology; the study of Black political thought, or voting patterns, in a combined degree with political science; a study of racial bias in a combined degree with psychology; or an ethnography in a combined degree with either anthropology, or sociology. An area of concentration must either be a field of study offered by the joint department or fall within the rubric of such a field. Please refer to the description of fields of study of the prospective joint department or program.

• Programs of Study
• Combined PhD
• Department of African American Studies

Erica Edwards

Director of Graduate Studies

• [email protected]

Naomi McWilliams

Departmental Registrar

• [email protected]
• 203-432-1170

Admission Requirements

Standardized testing requirements.

GRE is not accepted.

Program-Specific Application Requirements

A writing sample is required by this program. 

English Language Requirement

TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic is required of most applicants whose native language is not English.

You may be exempt from this requirement if you have received (or will receive) an undergraduate degree from a college or university where English is the primary language of instruction, and if you have studied in residence at that institution for at least three years.

Combined Degree Program Application Deadline

*The deadline to submit an application to a combined program is always the earlier deadline of the two individual programs, or December 15, whichever comes first.

Academic Information

Combined phd information.

African American Studies offers a combined PhD in conjunction with several other departments and programs including: American Studies , Anthropology , English , Film and Media Studies , French , History , History of Art , Music ,  Political Science , Psychology , Religious Studies , Sociology , Spanish and Portuguese , and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies .

Program Advising Guidelines

GSAS Advising Guidelines

Academic Resources

Academic calendar.

The Graduate School's academic calendar lists important dates and deadlines related to coursework, registration, financial processes, and milestone events such as graduation.

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Registration Information and Dates

https://registration.yale.edu/

Students must register every term in which they are enrolled in the Graduate School. Registration for a given term takes place the semester prior, and so it's important to stay on top of your academic plan. The University Registrar's Office oversees the systems that students use to register. Instructions about how to use those systems and the dates during which registration occurs can be found on their registration website.

Financial Information

Phd stipend & funding.

PhD students at Yale are normally full-funded for a minimum of five years. During that time, our students receive a twelve-month stipend to cover living expenses and a fellowship that covers the full cost of tuition and student healthcare.

• PhD Student Funding Overview
• Graduate Financial Aid Office
• PhD Stipends
• Health Award
• Tuition and Fees

Alumni Insights

Below you will find alumni placement data for our departments and programs.

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Yale University

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Traditions & history.

Yale has grown and evolved for 300-plus years, passing many milestones and forging traditions along the way. 

The university traces its roots to the 1640s, when colonial clergymen led an effort to establish a local college in the tradition of European liberal education. In 1701 the Connecticut legislature adopted a charter “to erect a Collegiate School.” The school officially became Yale College in 1718, when it was renamed in honor of Welsh merchant Elihu Yale, who had donated the proceeds from the sale of nine bales of goods together with 417 books and a portrait of King George I.

Take a stroll through Yale’s three centuries of history, and learn about the traditions that have become part of the fabric of our university.

Department of the History of Art

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Ankush Arora

South asian art & architecture islamic art & architecture.

Barbora Bartunkova

Modern & contemporary art photography film.

Blair Betik

Ancient art & architecture.

Sarah Bochicchio

Genders & sexualities 15th to 17th century art british art material culture.

Nicole Boyd

Italian baroque art.

Justin M. Brown

Caribbean & african diaspora art.

Harry Burke

Modern & contemporary art southeast asian art.

David Cambronero Sánchez

Colonial latin america medieval & early modern iberia.

Contemporary Art

Chelsea Connelly

Medieval & byzantine art.

19th Century European Art & Visual Culture

Yagnaseni Datta

Islamic art & architecture.

Théo de Luca

17th century european art.

Michelle Donnelly

American art.

Angie Epifano

African and afro-atlantic art.

Alex Fialho

Joint studies: history of art and african american studies.

Caterina Franciosi

British art.

Isabella Galdone

19th century british art.

Anabelle Gambert-Jouan

Medieval european art & architecture.

Manon Gaudet

19th & 20th century north american art.

Soffia Gunnarsdottir

Gabriel Haberberg

Netherlandish, dutch & flemish art early modern art & architecture.

Michaela Haffner

Bennett Harrison

European & mediterranean art, 1300-1600.

Victoria Hepburn

Mitchell Herrmann

Joint studies: history of art and film & media studies.

Lily Higgins

American material & visual culture.

Josie Roland Hodson

Modern & Contemporary Art

Nomvuyo Horwitz

African art.

Asian American & Asian Diaspora Photography Race & Ethnicity 19th - 20th Century Art

Elizabeth Keto

Sophia Inman Kitlinski

Afro-atlantic visual & material culture.

Colton Klein

Ekaterina Koposova

Early modern european art.

Gavriella Levy Haskell

Angie Lopez

Contemporary art medieval european art & architecture.

Savannah Marquardt

Noah Michaud

African visual & material culture italian visual & material culture early modern.

Nathalie Miraval

Early modern afro-latin america.

Sharon Mizbani

Marina Molarsky-Beck

Modern & contemporary art photography.

Lucia Olubunmi R. Momoh

American art 19th century art african diaspora caribbean art art of the southern united states.

Renata Nagy

Joint studies: history of art and renaissance studies.

Hasan Nisar

Islamic art & architecture south asian art & architecture.

Faraz Olfat

Modern architecture, design & urbanism.

Christine Olson

Sara Petrilli-Jones

Modern architecture.

Kate Phillips

Madeline Porsella

Modern architecture 19th century art.

Kristina Potuckova

Medieval art.

Gregor Quack

Kathleen Quaintance

Decorative arts genders / sexualities / feminisms theory, historiography & methodologies 20th century art.

South Asia Art & Architecture South East Asia Art & Architecture

Sarah Rapoport

Isabella Robbins

Global contemporary indigenous art.

Sarah Seligman

Lillian Sellati

Ancient art.

Joint Studies: History of Art & Film and Media Studies

Judith Stapleton

Alexandra M. Thomas

Joint studies: african-american studies and history of art.

Stephen Urchick

19th century art.

Carlos Valladares

Pierre Von-Ow

Julia Qingye Wang

East asian art islamic art & architecture.

John Webley

Joint studies: history of art and slavic languages and literature.

Katherine Werwie

Stephanie Wisowaty

Medieval european art & visual culture.

21st Century Art

Colin Young

Joyce Yusi Zhou

Early modern dutch art chinese art southeast asian art.

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Four faculty members honored for commitment to graduate student mentorship.

Sreeganga Chandra, Jennifer Allen, Marynel Vázquez, and Grace Kao

Four Yale faculty members have been honored by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) with this year’s Graduate Mentor Awards for outstanding commitment to advising and student support.

The winners are Sreeganga Chandra, associate professor of neurology and neuroscience at Yale School of Medicine; Jennifer Allen, associate professor of history in Yale’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS); Marynel Vázquez, assistant professor of computer science at the Yale School of Engineering & Applied Science; and Grace Kao, the IBM Professor of Sociology and professor of ethnicity, race and migration at FAS.

“ The Graduate Mentor Awards recognize our faculty’s extraordinary commitment to fostering the intellectual and professional growth of Yale’s graduate students,” said GSAS Dean Lynn Cooley. “Each of the recipients embodies the highest ideals of our academic community, inspiring both excellence and innovation among the next generation of scholars.”

Originally developed in conjunction with the Graduate Student Assembly, the graduate school’s student government, the awards began in 2008 and are the university’s principal recognition for superb teaching, advising, and mentoring of graduate students.

Students are invited to nominate faculty members for the award every February. One award is given in each of four divisions: biological sciences, humanities, physical sciences and engineering, and social sciences.

Winners are chosen by a committee of students and faculty. This year’s awards will be presented during the GSAS convocation on May 19.

Sreeganga Chandra (Biological Sciences)

Sreeganga Chandra’s research focuses on synaptic biology and neurodegeneration. Student nominations highlighted her unflagging support of their work in the Chandra Lab. She pairs rigor, detailed and constructive feedback, and high expectations with generosity and approachability, they said, thereby modeling ideal mentorship by focusing on their development as whole humans, not just as researchers.

Jennifer Allen (Humanities)

Jennifer Allen’s work focuses on modern Germany, in particular late-20 th -century cultural practices. She was praised by students for her deep commitment to pedagogy and for her intellectual generosity. Keenly attentive to students’ development as scholars and future leaders in the field, she was credited with shaping them into stronger writers, thinkers, and mentors in their own right.

Marynel Vázquez (Physical Sciences and Engineering)

Marynel Vázquez’s research focuses on human-robot interaction. She leads the Yale Interactive Machines Group. Her students emphasized her infectious optimism and confidence-inspiring support of their research and teaching. They praised her dedication to their professional development, as well as her kindness, patience, and consideration of their academic and personal growth.

Grace Kao (Social Sciences)

Grace Kao is the director of the Center for Empirical Research on Stratification and Inequality. Her research focuses on racial, ethnic, and immigrant differences in education outcomes and transitions to adulthood; interracial friendships and romantic relationships; the sociology of music; and dating and marriage in South Korea. She was lauded by students for her dedication to their professional development — opening doors by encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration and mentoring them through the publication process — and for inspiring their excitement for the field and the profession.

Campus & Community

Yale’s Steinfeld hosts ‘Wellness Concerts’ at Carnegie Hall

Yale vows new actions to address past ties to slavery, issues apology, book

Why this history matters

Visit the new Yale and Slavery website

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Yale Economic Growth Center

Program in Economic History

The Program in Economic History exists within the Economic Growth Center to foster research in the field of economic history.

Economic history is the study of the long-term development of economies. The field uses empirical evidence, the tools of economics and econometrics, and appreciation of institutional context to understand how economies functioned in different times and places, and how present-day economic problems reflect earlier development.

The Program in Economic History exists within the Economic Growth Center to foster research in the field of economic history. The links at the top of this page will take you to information on weekly events, mini-conferences, and other program activities. 

The Director of the Program is Gerald Jaynes ([email protected]).

Yale does not offer graduate programs in economic history  per se . Students who participate in the activities of the Program in Economic History are working toward a PhD in economics, history, or another discipline. They fulfill the degree requirements for their respective department; there are no separate requirements for economic history. (For information on the economics PhD program, see  http://economics.yale.edu/graduate/requirements ; for the history PhD program,  http://history.yale.edu/academics/graduate-programs ; for other programs, consult the relevant departmental website, or the website for Yale Graduate school,  http://gsas.yale.edu ).

Admission to graduate programs at Yale is handled by the graduate school; interested prospective students should check the graduate school website for forms, deadlines, and other information.

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At a Yale Conference’s 20th Anniversary, a Glimpse of Healthcare’s Future

Shelley Xiaoli Wang ’25 reflects on her work as an organizer for the Yale Healthcare Conference, one of the nation's largest student-led healthcare conferences.

As I stepped into Evans Hall one Friday in April, I was thrilled to see a project which I and other students had worked on for more than seven months finally coming to fruition.

Just a week prior, Yale SOM celebrated the 10th anniversary of Evans Hall, our home on the Yale campus. We were here to mark another significant milestone: the 20th annual Yale Healthcare Conference, one of the nation’s largest student-led healthcare conferences.

For two decades, Yale’s vibrant cross-campus healthcare community has convened visionary leaders at the forefront of innovation to fearlessly think, share, and inspire the future of healthcare. It was a tremendous privilege to work on the executive committee that planned and organized this special conference, collaborating with extraordinary fellow students, faculty advisor Howard Forman, and our distinguished advisory board.

The 2024 conference theme, “Pushing Boundaries in Healthcare Innovation: Pioneering the Next 20 Years of Health,” could not have been more timely. We were fortunate to host over 40 renowned industry leaders, scholars, and innovators—many from Yale—to discuss critical topics in healthcare today, including the fight against obesity, accessibility to mental health services, preparedness for future pandemics, sustainable practices, and innovation that can drive positive change for a healthier population and planet.

To bring this immersive experience to a broader audience, we introduced a virtual option for the first time this year. Over 500 attendees joined in person or tuned in live from across the globe to imagine the future of healthcare. A new and permanent logo was unveiled at this year’s conference, symbolizing the rich legacy of the Yale Healthcare Conference and the endless possibilities it represents.

The conference featured two keynote speeches, an executive panel, and eight breakout sessions. Keynotes by Ingrid Nembhard and Garth Graham discussed the strategies for overcoming the challenges in driving healthcare innovation, as well as the use of technology to meet patients where they are in their health journey.

During the featured executive panel session led by Robert Galvin, three prominent leaders shared their thoughtful perspectives on the most important industry developments in the two decades since the conference started, and forecasted some of the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead in the next 20 years.

The breakout sessions gave audience members unique insights into shifting healthcare economics and the impact of alternative payment models on healthcare quality, cost, and accessibility. A diverse group of thought leaders, startup entrepreneurs, and venture capital founders shared their thoughts on integrating AI technology and human expertise to create a more equitable and effective healthcare system.

As an organizer I felt truly inspired by the diverse backgrounds of the attendees I met throughout the conference. Their academic and professional experience, deep healthcare expertise, and industry knowledge added tremendous depth and power to the discussions. It was particularly gratifying to see many first-time attendees and organizers from previous conferences coming together to celebrate this enriching forum that has become a beacon of excellence in the field.

Yale is synonymous with innovation, and the culture of collaboration drives ground-breaking discoveries to advance human health. Yale SOM offers unparalleled courses and hands-on experience in healthcare with a global perspective for students who are passionate about the field. By taking the class Sustainable Innovation in Healthcare (taught by Greg Licholai, who also served as an advisory board member for the conference), I had the opportunity to study healthcare leadership through different cases, themed presentations, and conversations with a diverse array of guest executive speakers, many of them are Yale alumni building extraordinary new ventures to develop transformative healthcare solutions.

At the conference, I was so excited to see many familiar faces—not just SOM classmates but also friends from School of Public Health, School of Medicine, School of Nursing, and Yale College. We discussed how excited we are to apply what we have learned in the classroom and the skills we developed to pursue our passion and fuel healthcare advancement and innovation.

Reflecting on the conference, I’m filled with unbelievable energy, enthusiasm, and passion for collaborating and pushing boundaries in healthcare. The connections forged at the conference will continue to influence our endeavors at Yale and beyond, pushing us to innovate across disciplinary boundaries, transform patient care, improve outcomes, and enhance healthcare accessibility.

We are embarking on that journey together, making impactful changes today and pioneering the next 20 years of health.

Yale staff members call for an end to pro-Palestinian protests continuing on campus

A group of about 60 faculty members at Yale University are calling on the president of the college to take action, amid pro-Palestinian protests on campus.

On Wednesday, those demonstrations entered day six, with students camping out on the lawn at Cross Campus.

Earlier in the week, the Jewish faculty members wrote a strongly-worded letter to Yale President Peter Salovey, expressing their concerns.

“Antisemitism at Yale can no longer be tolerated,” said Dr. Pnina Weiss, a Professor of Pediatrics for the Yale School of Medicine.

“Students have reported to me, they’ve reported to my colleagues that they’re afraid to come to class,” said Evan Morris, PhD, with the Yale School of Medicine.

RELATED: Student-led, pro-Palestinian protests continue on Yale campus

Morris and Pnina were one of dozens of other faculty members that decided on Monday they’d had enough, and needed to speak out. 

“We’re all here together as part of a community to teach and to learn from each other. And we can’t do either of those things if one group is so abusive of others,” Morris said. 

Morris said these problems have persisted for a while, but became worse at the start of the Israel Hamas war. Then, when he learned a Jewish student was allegedly assaulted during Saturday’s protests, he took action. He and the other educators are calling on the president to stop the demonstrations, call out and name acts of hate, and enforce school policies, among many other things.

“If the safety of the community cannot be guaranteed, then demonstrations need to be put on hold,” Dr. Weiss said.

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In a statement to the community on Monday , President Salovey said, “ Members of the Jewish, Muslim, Israeli, Arab, and Palestinian communities reported that the campus environment had become increasingly difficult. We then became aware of police reports identifying harmful acts and threatening language used against individuals at or near the protest sites. Some of the aggressors are believed to be members of the Yale community while others were outsiders. We will not tolerate such behavior nor any open violation of Yale policies that interrupts academic and campus operations. So, we acted consistently with the warnings we had given over several days and escorted the protesters from the plaza.”

At that point, the Yale Police Department arrested 48 students. However, the professors say that doesn’t go far enough.

“I considered it my professional home and it really breaks my heart to see how embroiled in hatred and antisemitism the university had become,” Dr. Weiss said.

RELATED: 48 arrested in pro-Palestinian protest involving hundreds of Yale students: Police

As for the protestors? They said their demonstrations are focused on peace.

“If members of the community are feeling unsafe that obviously is something that needs to be addressed. But also, I would like to point out that this is a wide coalition of folks. We have a lot of Jewish folks here, Jews for Ceasefire, JVP, have all been part of the organizing. Effort,” said Chisato Kimura, one of the organizers of the protest and a Yale Law School student.

“One moment of contrition, of playing nice in the sand box doesn’t wipe our six or seven months of intimidation,” Morris said. 

FOX61 reached out to the university for a new comment in response to the letter from the group, but never heard back. The professors are giving the president until Thursday evening to respond to their calls to action.

Julia LeBlanc is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at [email protected] Follow her on   Facebook ,  X  and   Instagram .

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