The fourteen doctoral programs in the Division of the Humanities are global in their scope and comprehensive in their disciplinary coverage of the humanities. From 1926, when the world's first free-standing linguistics department was established at the University of Chicago, to 1995, when the Committee on Comparative Studies in Literature reorganized itself into the Department of Comparative Literature, the Division has endeavored to reflect important and enduring critical, methodological, and creative movements in its disciplinary structure and curricula. Each department maintains close relationships with a number of the interdisciplinary centers and committees affiliated with the Division, where their faculty engage in collaborative research and teaching.

Please note that PhD-granting programs in the Division of Humanities do NOT administer stand-alone master of arts programs. Students seeking a master's degree apply directly to one of the Division's three master of arts programs. Application procedures, information regarding financial aid, and the online application are available in the Admissions section.