Ph.D. Comprehensive Exams

Ph.D. Comprehensive Exams

The comprehensive exam consists of written and oral examinations in one major and two minor fields, defined in consultation with the student’s advisor. Students choose three topics and cover each of these within a region and a period as indicated below.

(e.g. Early modern Ottoman cultural history; Medieval European economic history, etc.).

For the major and each of the minor fields the thesis advisor may further specify and qualify the particular topic/region/period (e.g. Early Modern Global History (Global 17th century crisis)).

At least one of the minor fields should be from other regions or periods than that of the major field.


Ottoman empire, Europe, Iran and Central Asia, Near/Middle East, Byzantium, Modern Turkey, Mediterranean, Aegean, Asia, Japan, China


Ancient / Medieval / Early modern / Modern


Archaeology and ancient history

Cultural history

Economic history

Environmental history

Gender history

General history

Global/Comparative history

Historiography, theory and methodology

History of art, architecture, and visual culture

Intellectual history

Oral history

Political history

Social and economic history

Social history

Urban history