Admission Requirements
- A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent from an accredited institution, as evidenced by an official transcript. For admission or advancement to the Ph.D. program, a Master’s degree in history is required.
- A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0.
- Demonstration of sufficient writing and analytic skills in a writing sample as well as a statement of purpose.
- Evidence of the applicant’s talent and suitability in three letters of recommendation from his/her instructors, at least two of which should be historians.
To be considered for fellowships and assistantships for the fall semester, completed applications must be received by Jan. 30. The History department will not accept any application submitted after April 15. The department does not accept applications for Spring admission.
To send us an e-mail requesting information on admission to the graduate program in history and accompanying fellowships, click: cjacquet@lsu.edu. Don’t forget to give us your “snail mail” (postal) address!
Students in the graduate program in history may pursue either the master’s or doctoral degree. Course work is primarily in research and reading seminars. Ordinarily, a master’s degree entails writing a thesis, although a non-thesis option is available. The doctoral degree requires, among other things, the writing of a dissertation.
Computer facilities within the department include a work area equipped with computers and printers for graduate students. Access to the Internet and on-line databases is available at numerous campus work stations, and over an extensive wi-fi network.
The University has extensive research facilities, including the holdings of newspapers on microform and government documents at LSU Library, and the services of its inter-library loan office. Hill Memorial Library’s holdings include an internationally recognized archival collection of antebellum southern plantation records, as well as other special collections in the history of Louisiana, the modern South, and Latin America. In addition, the Burden Rural Life Museum and the Louisiana State Archives, both located near the University, hold invaluable collections of artifacts and documents and are readily accessible to researchers.