Graduate programs

Wayne State offers graduate coursework in United States, European and world history. Our faculty's wide-ranging topical expertise includes labor history, women's and gender history, the history of violence, legal history, urban history, environmental history, the history of science and technology and the history of capitalism.

We offer training in public history and archival administration, access to Detroit's world-class archives and cultural institutions, and a variety of internship opportunities. At Wayne State, you will find engaged faculty mentors, a department committed to student success and a vibrant community of graduate students with an active graduate student organization.

The purpose of historical research and writing is to advance our understanding of the past, place the problems of the contemporary world in historical perspective and offer insight into the future. Graduate education in history prepares students for diverse careers such as teaching positions at the secondary, community college, or university levels; government research positions, management of archival resources or historical agencies and museums and other public history careers.

Our graduate programs also provide sufficient flexibility to serve the needs of students with career goals where an understanding of history is crucial (such as law or journalism) or useful (such as banking, criminal justice, social work, research, public policy or publishing) or those who simply have an avocational interest in acquiring advanced knowledge of history. Our curriculum incorporates professional development and career exploration opportunities for all master's and doctoral students.

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Graduate programs

Degree programs

Career outcomes