Welcome to the Hamilton School’s Graduate Program in the History of Ideas (HOI), where tomorrow’s scholars are trained in the core texts and great debates of Western civilization by world-class scholars of today. This multidisciplinary program, led by Hamilton School faculty, is distinctive in emphasizing breadth of study while also allowing students to focus on specific fields, such as political thought, moral philosophy, American constitutionalism, and other related fields.
The HOI Graduate Program takes as its core the Western intellectual tradition, broadly construed, but it also welcomes students to adopt comparative approaches that range more broadly.
The MA degree is a two-year, full-time, in-residence program of coursework with an option to conduct research and write an MA thesis.
The PhD program is designed to be completed within five years, including two years of coursework and three years devoted to research and writing the dissertation.
The Admissions Committee will begin reviewing applications on January 9, 2026.
The HOI program features a blend of required and elective coursework. Here are some of the courses we plan to offer beginning in Fall 2026:
You will have the opportunity to develop specialized expertise within four fields: 1) Ancient, 2) Medieval, 3) Early Modern, and 4) Modern. PhD students will complete comprehensive exams in two of these four fields. The dissertation is an opportunity for PhD students to deepen their expertise even further.
Graduates will be equipped to teach in public and private universities and in classical, public, and private secondary schools. Graduates may also pursue careers in law, business, government, and non-governmental organizations.
PhD graduates will be well positioned to seek academic jobs at the university level in history, political science, philosophy, literature, or other major disciplines in the humanities.
No. Test scores are not required to apply for admission.
Complete applications should include undergraduate transcripts, a CV/resume, a writing sample, a statement of purpose, and two letters of reference.
PhD students must demonstrate proficiency in a relevant foreign language no later than the start of their third year in the program. There is no language requirement for terminal MA students.
Yes. The Hamilton School has secured funds to support new graduate students. Because dedicated funds are limited, we encourage applicants to pursue external sources of funding as well.
Click here to apply.
Complete applications should include undergraduate transcripts, a CV/resume, a writing sample, a statement of purpose, and two letters of reference.
