Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Heritage Studies (Ph. D.)

Contact Information:	Arkansas State University Heritage Studies Office Phone: 870.972-3509 Office Fax: 870.972-3207 http://www.clt.astate.edu/heritagestudies/ Laura Surdyk Administrative Secretary/Office Manager Email: lsurdyk@astate.edu
Program Description:	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.
Admission Requirement:	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 such as archaeology, anthropology, English, folklore, geography, history, historic preservation, museum studies, political science, public administration, or sociology. 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 only in rare cases will applicants be admitted who have not completed an appropriate master’s degree before they begin their doctoral studies. 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. Up to eighteen hours in addition to the semester hours of credit required for the Ph.D. in Heritage Studies may be necessary in graduate classes that provide a suitable foundation for doctoral work in Heritage Studies. In some cases, documented work experience in the Heritage professions may be substituted for specific preparatory courses and, in exceptional cases, may be used as a criterion 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 as well as the applicant’s undergraduate and graduate transcripts. All applicants also are required to submit an example of research and writing on a scholarly topic and to have an interview with the director or associate director of the Ph.D. program.

This page is maintained by: The Graduate School
Last revised on: 23 October 2008
gradsch@astate.edu