Holocaust and Genocide Studies PhD

An interdisciplinary institute, the Strassler Center offers several doctoral degree tracks. The History program offers students a range of courses covering a spectrum of topics pertaining to the history of the Holocaust, the Armenian Genocide, and comparative genocide. Doctoral candidates in this program earn a Ph.D in history. The intersection of social psychology and history shapes an innovative program in the psychology of genocide. Training in this area opens new perspectives on the antecedent causes for genocide around the globe, the experiences of different victim groups, the effects of group trauma on society, and the possibilities for political prevention and humanitarian intervention. Doctoral candidates in this track earn a Ph.D. in social psychology. A partnership between the Graduate School of Geography and the Strassler Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies will pilot an innovative doctoral track leading to a Ph.D. in geography. Students working at the intersection of Geography and Genocide will consider the landscapes and spatial dynamics of genocide and mass violence, including the visualization of space and place, population analyses, and resource distribution.