An oral defense of the dissertation. Students are also responsible for familiarity with the requirements, procedures, and policies of the Graduate College, recorded in the Graduate Catalog, and for meeting all deadlines for forms and fee payments. The student is responsible for a general knowledge of the intellectual and cultural history in the major field. In European history, the major fields are defined by the national and temporal specializations of the European faculty. In addition the student chooses a topical field within the major field.
Courses prepare students for qualifying examinations.
Thus, students should take as many courses as possible with the members of the examination committee. Students are also strongly encouraged to take courses at the 700-level. Students may not earn seminar credit through independent study except in circumstances deemed extraordinary by the department chair. In consultation with their advisor, students may take six credits of work in one appropriate academic discipline other than history. In addition to specialized bibliographies provided by their committee, students are required to read the Department's core bibliography in theory and method.