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Program Description:
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The mission of the program is to produce heritage professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to support the identification, assessment, preservation, interpretation, management, and promotion of historic and cultural resources for non-specialist or "public" audiences. The program is interdisciplinary, using multiple academic perspectives to explore and understand the interrelationships of history and culture in a distinctive region, the Mississippi River Delta. While universal in scope and method, the Heritage Studies doctoral program uses the distinctive heritage, attributes, resources, and cultures of the Mississippi River Delta as its laboratory of study. Our students study regional history, anthropology, archeology, ethnography, folklore, regional and ethnic literature, geography, sociology, and public administration. They develop traditional doctoral-level research skills, but their educational experience is also applied and practical for the purpose of public dissemination of history and culture.
Employment opportunities include senior executive staff positions in cultural and historical agencies, parks and cultural tourist sites, historical societies, museums, archives, federal, state, and local public and nonprofit agencies, and private consulting firms. This degree is not primarily designed for college and university teaching, although students may be qualified to do so.
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Admission Requirement:
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Students seeking admission into the Doctor of Philosophy in Heritage Studies program must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate School and the specific program requirements.
Applicants to the Doctor of Philosophy in Heritage Studies program must hold a baccalaureate or master's degree (BA, BS, MA, or MS) from an accredited institution in a related field of study. Applicants admitted to the program without a master's degree will be required to complete a minimum of 18 hours of graduate work before they will be allowed to take 7000 level courses. Transcripts should reflect a strong background in social sciences and humanities. Applicants lacking this background who are otherwise exemplary may be granted provisional admission to the program, but will be required to make up these deficiencies. These course credits cannot be applied toward fulfillment of doctoral requirements. In some cases, the Heritage Studies Graduate Program Committee may agree to substitute equivalent, documented work experience in the heritage professions for specific courses and, in exceptional cases, other criteria for admission.
In addition to application materials required by the Graduate School, applicants to the Doctor of Philosophy in Heritage Studies program must submit a letter explaining their interests in Heritage Studies and personal career goals. The Heritage Studies Admissions Committee will carefully review this statement and three letters of reference from former professors or professionally based supervisors or peers. In some cases, an example of applicant's writing on a scholarly topic and an interview with the Admissions Committee may be required.
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