Ph.D. Program
in Agricultural
History and Rural Studies
The program is designed as a Ph.D. program, but students without
an M.A. in history will be expected to qualify for the departmental
M.A. in history while progressing toward the doctorate. In some cases,
the M.A. may be recommended as the terminal degree. Thirty semester
hours of graduate credit are required for the M.A. and 72 for the
Ph.D. Students who continue beyond the M.A. are expected to pass a
qualifying examination in their general field of study and preliminary
examinations in three areas of specialization, complete a dissertation,
and defend it orally in the Ph.D. final examination.
Quick Facts:
The Agricultural History and Rural Studies Program (AHRS) is the only
focused agricultural and rural history doctoral program in the United
States. The program, however, defines agricultural and rural history
broadly, to include a number of areas of faculty and student interest.
AHRS generally enrolls about a dozen students, at various stages of
their doctoral program.
Recent dissertations have included studies of the development of agricultural
communities in California, the creation of farm safety programs in
the mid-twentieth century, adoption of technological and scientific
innovation by mid-twentieth century midwestern farmers, and work,
family and community in communal societies.
Recent graduates are employed at a number of institutions, including Illinois College, Mount Royal College at Calgary, Southern Indiana University and Cal
Poly – San Luis Obispo.
