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History Department Graduate Funding

We provide 5 years of funding to all admitted PhD students (pending satisfactory progress in the program). The following outlines the primary funding opportunities available to our students, although all funding is contingent upon continued support from several sources, including the College of Liberal Arts, the Graduate School, and Purdue University.

 

Teaching Assistantship

Our PhD funding usually takes the form of a Teaching Assistantship (TA). TA duties typically include grade exams in one of our larger lecture courses (20 hours per week). In Academic year 2019-20, that TAship included the following benefits:
• A stipend of $19,000 per academic year
• Covers all tuition and fees (except about $300)
• Entitles you (and any spouse and dependents) to enroll in our subsidized University Graduate Student Staff Health Plan, which cost about $550 a year in 2019.
• We also try to ensure that every admitted PhD student gets 2 semesters of that 5 years of funding in the form of an RAship. This gives you the same benefits as a TAship with no teaching requirements. Students usually take one semester of that RAship to conduct research away from campus once they have completed their preliminary examinations, and one semester to focus on writing later in the process.

 

Competitive Recruitment Fellowships

The following competitive fellowships may also be offered to highly qualified applicants. Applicants do not apply directly for these fellowships:

 

Ross Fellowship

In Academic year 2019-20, the Ross Fellowship included the following benefits:
• A stipend of $22,500 per calendar year
• Covers all tuition and fees (except about $300)
• Entitles you (and any spouse and dependents) to enroll in our subsidized University Graduate Student Staff Health Plan, which cost about $550 a year in 2019.
• One year of Ross funding comes without any responsibilities, meaning students can conduct research or write without teaching obligations.

 

Andrews Fellowship

In Academic year 2019-20, the Andrews Fellowship included the following benefits:
• A stipend of $24,500 per calendar year
• Covers all tuition and fees (except about $300)
• Entitles you (and any spouse and dependents) to enroll in our subsidized University Graduate Student Staff Health Plan, which cost about $550 a year in 2019.
• Two years of Andrews funding comes without any responsibilities, meaning students can conduct research or write without teaching obligations.
Research and Writing Fellowships
Students in advanced stages of their degree may also apply for the following competitive College of Liberal Arts fellowships. Students interested in these fellowships submit applications to the department, which then makes recommendations to the College-wide competition:

 

Purdue Research Foundation Fellowship (PRF)

 Currently $20,000 per academic year plus 2 months summer funding
• No responsibilities on campus, meaning students can conduct research or write without teaching obligations
• Students must be post-preliminary examination to apply

 

Bilsland Dissertation Fellowship

Currently $20,000 per calendar year
• Tuition remission and covers most fees
• No responsibilities on campus, meaning students can conduct research or write without teaching obligations
• Students receiving this grant must graduate upon completion

 

Additional Travel and Research Funding Opportunities

In addition to these fellowships, students making satisfactory progress in the PhD program also have access to the following travel and fellowship funding opportunities:

 

The College of Liberal Arts PROMISE fund

• Tier 1 will provide up to $750 in approved funding for expenses related to scholarship/creative activity including research or domestic travel for graduate students to present original scholarship/creative works.
• Tier 2 will provide funding up to $1,500 for expenses related to scholarship/creative activity with an international focus including research or international travel to present original scholarship/creative works.
• Students may apply for this travel and research funding once a year. Priority will be given to students who are advanced in their programs, and especially to those presenting original research or creative works at major domestic or international conferences or exhibitions or conducting primary data collection.
• Further details are available here: https://cla.purdue.edu/students/graduate/promise/index.html

 

Departmental Travel Funding

The Department also has a number of competitive research awards for students researching and writing their dissertations:

 

Harold D. Woodman Graduate Research Award

Named in honor of Harold D. Woodman, a member of the Department of History faculty from 1971-1997 and former Louis Martin Sears Distinguished Professor of History at Purdue, the Harold D. Woodman Graduate Research Award provides grants for travel to libraries and archives to conduct research for doctoral dissertations and master's theses. Applications for grant funding are reviewed twice yearly by the Graduate Committee which recommends awards to the department head. 

 

M.L. Flaningam Graduate Award

Professor Miletus Lafayette Flaningam taught history at Purdue for more than thirty-three years, and he had a special interest in the graduate program from its inception. After his untimely death in 1979, his colleagues, friends, and students established a memorial fund, the M. L. Flaningam Graduate Award, in his name to reward excellence in graduate student achievement. The award of $500 is presented during the spring semester to the author of the best paper submitted. 

 

Paul and Reed Benhamou Graduate Scholarship in History 

The Paul and Reed Benhamou Graduate Scholarship in History grants one scholarship in the amount of $1000 for the academic year. The scholarship funds are not payable in cash but will be applied by the university to the students' tuition and fee balances. The scholarship may be renewed but you must reapply each year.

 

George Mayer Award for History 

The George Mayer Award for History is awarded annually to a graduate student who exhibits exceptional leadership in the classroom, the department, the College, the University, or the broader community.



James J. Shelvin Study Abroad Scholarship

The James J. Shelvin Study Abroad Scholarship has been made available for undergraduate history majors by the Shevlin Endowment established by Catherine Shevlin Pierce and Thomas J. Pierce to help defray costs of travel and expenses. The scholarship may be awarded to undergraduate history majors who will participate in the Study Abroad Program for either a full semester (includes summer sessions) or the entire academic year. Please note: history graduate students may also apply and will be taken under consideration following disbursements to undergraduates.

 

Departmental Funding

Modest funds may also be available from the Department for conference attendance and research trips.