1. Submit completed Admissions Application for Graduate Study to the SU Admissions Office (located in the History packet, in the Registration Bulletin or on the website).

2. Request that official transcript(s) be forwarded by the registrar of the undergraduate institution(s) directly to the SU Admissions Office.

3. Pay the $45 application fee to the Admissions Office.

The Admissions Office will then forward the application and the transcripts to the History Department.

Admission to Graduate Program in History (meet applicable deadlines)

1. Complete the History Department's Application Form for Admission to the Graduate Program in History (this form should be submitted to the History Department).

2. Request three letters of recommendation (SU forms available on the History Department website) from individuals qualified to judge the applicant’s ability to pursue graduate studies in history, to be sent directly to the History Department.

3. Submit a recent example of scholarly writing (waived for SU History graduates).

4. Submit Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores directly to the department at the time of application.

5. Complete the equivalent of an undergraduate major in history with at least 15 semester hours in history at the junior-senior level or above, including a course in research and writing, and achieve a grade-point-average of 3.0 or better in all history courses.

Students lacking this preparation must make up the deficiency and may only be admitted on a provisional basis by taking History 201, 202, 330 or 601 when appropriate. Provisionally-admitted students may take maximum of nine semester hours and maintain a cumulative grade-point-average of at least 3.0 with no grade less than “C”.

Acceptance letter is generated by the Graduate Director (History) after review by Graduate History Faculty and a preliminary program of study is planned with the Graduate Director.

Planning a Program of Study

Upon admission to the Graduate Program, each graduate student should meet with the Graduate Director to select tentatively the student's preferred major and minor (a second minor is optional) concentration areas. These areas will provide the basis for the written and oral examinations. The four broad concentration areas are: Chesapeake Studies; Colonial and Revolutionary America; 19th and 20th Century United States; and European/World (which includes Ancient). A graduate student may not receive credit for a 500-level course in history and/or anthropology at Salisbury University that corresponds to the 400-level course or topics course (same title) that was taken for undergraduate credit at Salisbury University. In addition, each graduate student must complete History 601, Methods of Historical Research. Students admitted on probation, after completing nine hours of course work (three hours of which must be at the 600-level), will have their performance reviewed by the Graduate Director to determine if the student will be allowed to continue in the Graduate Program. By the end of the semester in which twelve hours are completed, the student must review the preliminary program of study and present any changes to the Graduate Director for approval.

Program Description

Completion of the program requires a total of 30 semester hours of graduate course work and satisfactory performances on oral and written examinations. Each student must complete:

1) At least five seminar courses (15 semester hours) at the 600-level, including History 601, Methods of Historical Research. The aim of these classes is to develop skills in historical research, analysis, and writing. Furthermore, the aim of these classes is to master the historical scholarship extant in the student’s chosen areas of concentration.

2) The remainder of the credit hours may be earned in the following ways:

            -            Completion of a thesis (up to 6 non-seminar semester hours: History 630, 631);
                                        and/or
-           Completion of additional graduate seminars (3 semester hours each);
                                        and/or
-           Completion of 500-level courses at the graduate level (3 semester hours each;    students must discuss additional requirements with the instructor at the              beginning of the course);
                                        and/or
-           Up to six semester hours of graduate work in history may be transferred from other institutions.

Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0; earning two grades of “C” or one grade below “C” is grounds for dismissal from the program. During the Master’s Examinations, the student completes the written examination first; these responses are used as the basis for discussion in the oral examination. Any student who fails the written or oral examinations may retake the examination once, but must do so within one year of the date of the original examination.

Preparation for Exams

By the beginning of the semester in which the student plans to graduate, the student must meet with faculty members in the major and minor concentration areas to develop a reading list, receive a reading list, or receive any other guidance regarding preparation for the written or oral exams at the end of that semester. The graduate student also completes the application for diploma form through the Registrar's Office (in accordance with its stated deadlines), and contacts the University Bookstore concerning commencement regalia, in accordance with its ordering deadlines.