Heritage Studies

Admission to the Ph.D. in Heritage Studies Degree Program

Applicants to the Ph.D. in Heritage Studies must hold a baccalaureate or master's degree from an accredited institution. Preferred applicants will have a master's degree in a related discipline such as archeology, anthropology, English literature (American regional/ethnic focus), folklore, geography, history, museum studies, political science, public administration, or sociology. Applicants admitted to the program will be required to complete a minimum of 18 hours of graduate work before they will be allowed to take 7000 level courses. Only in rare cases will applicants be admitted who have not completed an appropriate master's  degree before they begin their doctoral studies. Applicants will be admitted to the program based on the following criteria.

1. A letter explaining interest in Heritage Studies and personal career goals.
2. Undergraduate and graduate GPA
3. Three (3) letters of reference
4. Interview with Heritage Studies’ Admissions Committee (may be required).
5. Example of research and writing on a scholarly topic
6. Interview with the director or associate director of the Ph.D. program

Applying to the Graduate School

Applicants must submit the following to the Graduate School.

1. A completed application for admission to the Ph.D. in Heritage Studies program. Applicants are encouraged to submit the application no later than January 15. Review of applications will begin January 15 for the fall semester.
2. A $50 nonrefundable application fee. Checks must be made payable to Arkansas State University. If applications are received without payment, the Graduate School will hold all application materials and notify the applicants that no action will be taken until payment is received. International students may utilize a check or an International Postal Money Order to remit payment in U.S. currency.
3. One copy of official transcripts of all previous undergraduate and graduate course work attempted, to be sent directly from the institutions(s) previously attended. The Graduate School will compute the graduate GPA by counting all graduate courses completed, including any repeated courses. Transcripts should reflect a strong background in social sciences and humanities. Applicants who are lacking this background who are otherwise exemplary may be granted provisional admission and required to make up these deficiencies. Such course credits may not be applied toward fulfillment of doctoral requirements.
4. Letter explaining applicant’s career goals and knowledge of and interest in Heritage Studies.
5. Three (3) letters of reference from former professors or professional supervisors.
6. International student applicants must demonstrate a satisfactory level of proficiency in the English language if English is not their native language.

International student applicants must demonstrate a satisfactory level or proficiency in the English language if English is not their native language. To demonstrate English proficiency, international student applicants must submit a minimum score of 79 (internet based), 550 (paper based) on the TOEL, a minimum score of 6.0 on the IELTS, or must satisfactorily get 90% or above from A-State's English as a Second Language program (ESL).

View full description of requirements >>