Prospective Graduate Students
Why Study History at USM?
"The faculty is the best, they expect the best, and they cheer on their students through the difficult process of becoming historians." Kelly Cantrell, PhD Candidate. To learn more about why Kelly believes in a USM graduate education, click here.
"The atmosphere at the USM History Department is friendly, collegial, and small enough to provide a close relationship among faculty and students, while large enough to attract top faculty and upcoming scholars." Aaron Anderson, PhD Candidate. To learn more about why Aaron believes in a USM graduate education, click here.
"There it was. With one breath the man had just challenged me to embark on the most trying educational experience of my life and with another he had opened up his home to me. In a nutshell, those qualities are the history department here at Southern Miss . . ." Michael Doidge, PhD Candidate. To learn more about why Mike believes in a USM graduate education in War & Society, click here.
Why Study History?
Why Study History? from the AHA
What Can You Do With a Degree in History? from NCSU
Careers in History from the University of Michigan
Degree Programs
The Department of History offers a master’s degree and a Doctor of Philosophy degree.
Masters
Students may pursue a masters degree in the fields of United States, European, and Latin American history as well as international studies and war and society. Most students seek the Master of Arts degree, which requires the completion of a thesis.
In cooperation with the School of Library and Information Science and the Department of Anthropology, the Department of History offers two dual master’s degrees. The History/LIS program prepares students for careers in academic and public libraries as well as archives. The History/Anthropology program prepares students for careers in public history, museums, and cultural resource management.
Doctoral
Students may pursue a PhD in the fields of American and modern European history, as well as the History of the Americas. Students select two broadly-defined major fields (for example, pre-1877 America, post-1877 America) and two minor fields of study (for example, modern Latin America and medieval Europe).
For more detailed information about degree programs in history, consult the University’s Graduate Bulletin. Alternatively, prospective graduate students may contact Shelia Smith, the department administrator, for an information packet.
Please address specific questions about the program to the Director of Graduate Studies at usmgradstudies@gmail.com.
Instructions for Applying to the Department of History
For more information on applying to the graduate programs in history at USM, visit our application page.
Department of History
http://www.usm.edu/history
601.266.4333 • history@usm.edu