A Message from Cathy:

        This is your site for posting information about jobs, creating a clearinghouse for requirements of the program or advice about getting through the program, conveying helpful messages that everyone will benefit from reading, and whatever else you wish to post here.  In addition, I will be putting important information here that will be better stored in this area which is open to everyone in the department, than it would be stored on the more public web site of the History Department.  For example, the graduate guidelines booklet, and the changes that made from time to time in the regulations governing graduate study in the department.  The only stipulation is that you will need to send the information to me first, so that I can access the editing and publishing portion of this site.
        My email address is:   cmatson@udel.edu.  

       

Graduate student guidelines and program matters:


November 15, 2004

At the most recent department meeting, the faculty approved the following two paragraphs for the graduate student guidelines.  Each paragraph affirms -- and does not seriously revise -- the policies that have been in effect in the History Department for a long time.   The boldface and underlined text is what has been added to clarify the policies about foreign language requirements, and minor field exam requirements.  The old language that is being deleted is in brackets.   The new wording in these two paragraphs will be incorporated into the printed copies of the graduate student guidelines that you all reaceived.  If you have any questions please feel free to ask Cathy.  

        1.  Foreign Language Exam:  

“Entering Ph.D. track students are encouraged to take a language examination as soon as possible and must have met their language requirement(s) before taking qualifying exams in November of their third year.  Students may retake a language examination until receiving a passing grade.  Foreign language competence [may] will be demonstrated either by passing a departmental reading examination, [attaining a P grade in the Language Department course “Readings for PhD Candidates, or by earning a grade of B or better in a History Department graduate course in which a significant portion of the assigned reading is in a foreign language.  The latter option requires the approval of the UD History Department course instructor.]  Although the departmental requirement includes only one foreign language, the faculties in American history, European history, the history of technology, and the history of American civilization may set additional language or skill requirements; students should check with their advisors about such additional requirements, which will be on file with the Graduate Studies Committee and available in the History Graduate Studies Office.  Students are encouraged to take any preparatory courses or instructin leading up to the departmental exam that may be helpful.    Language exams that are administered by faculty of a history department and passed at another institution at the graduate level within the last five years may satisfy this requirement. In exceptional cases, the Graduate Studies Committee will entertain petitions from students who wish to take the language exam in a foreign language not covered by the history department faculty.


        2.  The minor field exam:

    “The minor field exam lasts for four hours and [is tailor-made for each student.] will examine a student’s competency in a significant body of readings representing a specific field that is distinct from the major fields.  The exam is composed by a professor specializing in the specified field and is graded by that professor with the assistance of a second reader.  The minor field exam may be scheduled any time before the major exam but must be completed before the major exam is taken.”   
    [please note that the minor exam is administered to only U.S. Ph.D. students and Am Civ Ph.D. students, not to grads in the Hagley and European sections of the program]



Jobs and grants:

The jobs posted here are just a few of the ones that you might not be catching in AHA's "Perspectives," or the "Chronicle of Higher Education," or newsletters of history organizations, etc.  They have come across list-serves or through the mail, and might not be widely known about -- but are great opportunities nevertheless.


Date: Fri, 12 Nov 2004 08:19:09 -0500
> Subject: FUNDING: Princeton University Library Research Grants
> From: Meg Rich <msrich@Princeton.EDU    

> Princeton University Library Short-Term Research Grants for 2005-2006
> The Friends of the Princeton University Library anticipate awarding up
> to ten short term research grants to promote scholarly use of the
> research collections. The Program in Hellenic Studies will also support
> a limited number of library fellowships in Hellenic studies.
> And the Cotsen's Children's Library supports research in its collection
> on aspects of children's books. The Maxwell Fund is available for
> research on collections relating to Portuguese-language cultures
> world-wide. In addition, there is a special fund that may be available
> for original research in public policy collections held by the Seeley G.
> Mudd Manuscript Library. These research grants, which have a value of up
> to $2,500 each, are meant to help defray expenses in traveling to and
> residing in Princeton during the tenure of the grant. The length of the
> grant will depend on the applicant's research proposal, but is
> ordinarily one month. This round's grants are tenable from May 2005 to
> April 2006. The deadline is 15 January 2005.
>
> Applicants (graduate students, professors, independent researchers) are
> asked to submit a completed application form and budget form, a
> consultation form, a résumé, and a research proposal not exceeding three
> pages in length. Application forms are available from our website
> <http://www.princeton.edu/~rbsc/fellowships/> or by writing to the
> address given below. Applicants must also arrange for two confidential
> letters of recommendation (in English) to be sent directly to the
> Research Grants Committee at the Library address.
>
> The proposal should address specifically the relevance of the Princeton
> University Library collections to the proposed research.
>
> Prospective fellows are urged to consult the Library's home page (at
> http://libweb.princeton.edu) for detailed descriptions of the
> collections, especially those in the Rare Books and Special Collections
> Department, and for the names of curators and reference staff.
> Applicants should have specific Princeton resources in mind—not simply a
> desire to make use of a major research library—as they prepare their
> proposals.
> A committee consisting of members of the faculty, the library staff, and
> the Friends will award the grants on the basis of the relevance of the
> proposal to unique holdings of the library, the merits and significance
> of the project, and the applicant's scholarly qualifications. Awards
> will be made before 1 April 2005.
>
> Application materials and letters of recommendation are to be mailed to
> Research Grants Committee, Princeton University Library, One Washington
> Road, Princeton, NJ 08544. Materials mailed to the committee must be
> postmarked no later than 15 January 2005. Facsimile transmissions may be
> sent to (609) 258 2324. Electronic communications to the Committee may
> be sent to mailto:msrich@princeton.edu. Materials submitted by e mail or
> facsimile must be received no later than 15 January 2005.
> For further information, please write Research Grants Committee, Friends
> of the Library, Princeton University Library, 1 Washington Road,
> Princeton, NJ 08544. E-mail: mailto:msrich@princeton.edu, or check our
> website at http://www.princeton.edu/~rbsc/fellowships/