Established in 2001, the graduate program in Nineteenth-Century Studies developed from an effort by UNL faculty in eight humanities disciplines to create a curriculum building on longstanding strengths in the study of this fascinating and tumultuous period. Students trained in the program (either at the MA or PhD level) will emerge with a strong foundation in interdisciplinary inquiry that will enhance their teaching and research, and position them well for whatever career they choose.

The NCS curriculum is built around two core courses, both of which are open to all UNL graduate students, regardless of departmental affiliation.

919: Interdisciplinary Approaches to the Nineteenth Century is a team-taught class offered each fall that grounds students in the interdisciplinary study of the “long” nineteenth century (roughly 1789-1914) in Britain, North America, and continental Europe.

918: Interdisciplinary Seminar in Nineteenth-Century Studies probes a discrete theme in depth and is offered in the spring by a single faculty member. Recent versions of the course have focused on violence, manners and class, and on the Victorian family.

To earn a specialization which appears on the graduate transcript (available only to students in the three core departments: English, History, and Modern Languages), candidates must take 919 and 918 (though not necessarily in the same academic year) and three (for the MA) or six (for the PhD) additional hours of NCS-oriented coursework (which may include classes from the departments of music, art history, and theater). Moreover, the student's capstone project (thesis or dissertation) must have a Nineteenth-Century focus, subject to approval by the NCS steering committee.