Graduate Student Resources
The largest of Stanford's seven schools, the School of Humanities and Sciences is home to graduate students in the humanities who engage with a broad community of scholars through a variety of programs. Scholars collaborate across disciplines to thoughtfully and imaginatively pursue challenges that transcend department walls. At Stanford, students have an intellectual home in their departmnets and build bridges to a broad, multi- and inter-disciplinary network.
Prospective applicants and candidates for the degree of Master of Arts, Master of Fine Arts, Master of Public Policy, Master of Science, Doctor of Musical Arts, or Doctor of Philosophy should consult the relevant department or program for detailed information about application procedures and degree requirements.
From workshops on establishing expectations with advisors offered by the Vice Provost for Graduate Education (VPGE) to the Dissertation Boot Camp offered by the Hume Center for Writing and Speaking, there are opportunities for students from the first day on campus to the last.
Students can explore their interests using the collected resources below.
The Humanities PhD Journalist Project is intended to serve two purposes: to heighten the visibility of attention-worthy work and events in the humanities at Stanford, and to give Stanford PhD students in humanities fields experience and training in writing for non-specialist audiences.
Pathways for Humanities PhDs explores the many different career possibilities open to doctoral students in the humanities and arts. Workshops connect students with PhDs employed in areas such as education, government, business, and the nonprofit sector and examine how their humanistic training informs their current work. The series also considers how humanists can more effectively communicate the value of humanistic expertise to employers and the public.
The Dissertation Writing Group program fosters intensive and supportive exchange across humanistic fields for those in the final stages of dissertation writing. Graduate students from a variety of humanities departments present and discuss their work in a multidisciplinary context, with participation in workshop meetings from Stanford Humanities Center internal and external faculty fellows as mentors in their areas of expertise.
Center for Teaching and Learning
The Center for Teaching and Learning offers an annual Teaching Assistant (TA) Orientation and quarterly workshops to prepare TAs. It also offers peer tutoring, academic skills coaching, and consultations with faculty on course design and teaching strategies.
H-STEP Fellowship
The 12-month, full-time Humanities in the Stanford Teacher Education Program (H-STEP) provides Stanford PhD graduates in humanities and arts fully funded opportunities to launch a career in secondary school teaching.
CCNY Humanities Exchange
The initiative provides exciting research opportunities for CCNY undergraduates, which will help them to develop their scholarly interests and prepare for future graduate training. And it offers teaching opportunities for Stanford humanities graduate students that will broaden their pedagogical training.
Arcade
This digital salon publishes a broad range of research in the humanities.
Center for East Asian Studies
The Center for East Asian Studies (CEAS) is an interdisciplinary program that works with the various Stanford schools, departments, research centers, and student groups to facilitate East Asia-related research, teaching, outreach, and exchange. CEAS offers an MA degree program, public lectures, student grants, and K-16 outreach programs.
Center for Medieval and Early Modern Studies
The Center for Medieval and Early Modern Studies (CMEMS) is a multidisciplinary community working together to produce new perspectives on medieval and early modern studies.
Center for Spatial and Textual Analysis
The Center for Spatial and Textual Analysis (CESTA) is comprised of the Spatial History Project, Humanities + Design, and the Literary Lab. This interdisciplinary collective of labs pursues research that utilizes data and informational visualization that spans discplines and departments.
Center for the Study of the Novel
The Center for the Study of the Novel hosts lecture series and conferences that focus on the study of the novel.
Creative Writing Program
The Creative Writing Program is the home of Stanford's Stegner Fellowship, which brings working writers to Stanford and gives them the opportunity to write and teach.
Digital Humanities
The Digital Humanities are a collection of practices and approaches combining computational methods with humanistic inquiry.
Research in the Division of Literatures, Cultures, and Languages (DLCL)
The DLCL offers focal and research groups that bring together faculty and graduate students who share academic interests.
Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI)
Scholars at FSI's research centers conduct research and teach on issues ranging from nuclear proliferation to democracy and the rule of law.
McCoy Family Center for Ethics in Society
The Center for Ethics engages graduate students through courses, reading groups, and yearly retreats, all meant to bring ethical reflection on important social problems.
Hume Center for Writing and Speaking
The Hume Center for Writing and Speaking offers extensive support for graduate students writing theses, dissertations, conference papers, job talks, articles, research and fellowship applications, and more. Experienced lecturers and graduate students with writing expertise can help you with all stages of the writing process, from brainstorming to revising.
Stanford University Libraries
The Stanford University Libraries include Green Library (the main campus library), Meyer Library (technology services and study spaces), 14 specialized branch and department libraries, and three auxiliary libraries.
H-STEP Fellowship
The H-STEP Fellowship (Humanities in the Stanford Teacher Education Program) has been created by the School of Humanities and Sciences and Graduate School of Education, with assistance from the Office of the President, to provide Stanford PhD graduates in humanities and arts with an unprecedented and fully funded opportunity to launch a career in secondary school teaching.
Graduate Certificate in Digital Humanities (GCDH)
Offered by the Center for Spatial and Textual Analysis (CESTA), the Graduate Certificate in Digital Humanities (GCDH) program allows graduate students to acquire and deepen their technical and conceptual skills, and strengthen their position in the competitive job market within and beyond the academy. Completion of the program will result in both a Certificate, signed by the CESTA Director and the Chair of the doctoral student’s home department, and, through the program, the student will also develop a digital portfolio suitable for the job market.
Vice Provost for Graduate Education
The Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education (VPGE) promotes and creates innovative pilot programs to advance diversity and to encourage interdisciplinarity. VPGE also offers leadership and professional development opportunities for students.
Career Development Center
The Stanford Career Development Center connects students and alumni to career opportunities. The CDC can offer guidance for PhDs and Postdocs exploring a range of careers both within and beyond academia.
Haas Center for Public Service
The Haas Center for Public Service is Stanford's most visible commitment to public and community service. For graduate students preparing for faculty positions, community engagement can enrich and enhance their teaching, research, and professional service. Individuals pursuing nonacademic jobs can include public interest projects in their professional repertoire. The Haas Center directs the Graduate Public Service Fellowship for graduate students who want to explore and prepare for professorial or other careers in which they will engage in public scholarship and service.
Alumni career mentoring
Are you a humanities PhD student looking for a mentor? Are you a Stanford humanities PhD alum who would like to share your post-graduate experiences? Stanford Alumni Mentoring (SAM) connects students and alumni for one-on-one mentoring and group sessions.
There is always something happening at Stanford, from lectures and conferences to performing arts, exhibitions, and cultural activities.
Stanford Humanities Center events and workshops
Arts Institute calendar
Cantor Arts Center Calendar
DLCL events
History events
Linguistics events
Music events
Philosophy colloquia and events
Religious Studies events
Stanford Live season calendar
Theater and Performance Studies events