What are the most important elements
of the application?
The department considers grades, GRE scores, recommendation letters,
the statement of purpose, and the writing sample. Candidates
are successful with different mixes of relative strength in these
components. Unlike admissions in some types of graduate and professional
programs, the process is more qualitative than quantitative.
The department will carefully consider an applicant with spotty
grades or marginal test scores but a clear statement of purpose
and strong, well-informed letters of recommendation. Conversely,
the department is wary of applicants with an unclear purpose
even if their grades and scores are excellent.
What should my statement of purpose include?
The statement is an opportunity for you to explain your plans
for graduate study in history and show how thoughtfully you have
developed them. This task will involve a reasonably precise (if
necessarily tentative) description of exactly what you propose
to study. The essay should indicate particular advantages that
you will bring to your studies, and the department will be interested
in life circumstances and experiences that inform your career
goals. On the other hand, your general enthusiasm for the study
of history and the importance of your field of specialization
will require little elaboration. The statement should also indicate
why USC is an appropriate graduate program for your objectives.
This explanation should include identification of the faculty
members whom you would like the department to consider as advisers
for you.
What makes for a good writing sample?
A good writing sample will clearly frame a question of historical interpretation, explain the significance of the question, criticize the currently available answers to the question, and put forward a new answer that is supported by specific evidence. A sample will be more impressive if the applicant has generated that supporting evidence through ingenious original research, but many fine writing samples are based on secondary sources.
What should I use for my writing sample?
A history thesis or seminar paper would be a helpful writing
sample. Alternatively, the department would be interested in
a shorter research paper or an essay that analyzes a body of
scholarship. The writing sample might even be a paper prepared
for a course in a field other than history, such as literature
or anthropology. The sample should, however, be scholarly in
purpose.
What GRE scores are required for admission?
The department does not have mandatory minimum scores for any
section of the GRE exam, and it recognizes that low scores may
reflect many factors. In 2007, the median scores of applicants recommended for admission to the PhD program were 650 on the Verbal section and 650 on the Quantiative section. The median scores for applicants recommended for admission to the MA in Public History program were 590 on the Verbal section and 550 on the Quantitative section.
How many letters of recommendation should I submit?
The department requires a minimum of two letters of recommendation
but will gladly consider additional letters.
Whom should I ask to write a letter of recommendation on my behalf?
The most useful letters are from faculty members who have had
a good opportunity to evaluate you in classes or other settings
that involved a significant amount of substantive discussion,
such as research assistantships. Letters from supervisors of
relevant internships and other practical experiences can be valuable,
especially for applicants to the M.A. program in Public History.
Must I have majored in History as an undergraduate to be a successful
applicant?
Many students with undergraduate majors in other fields become
historians. Applicants should, however, have sufficient background
in history to satisfy the department that their interest has
been tested and their aptitude demonstrated. We admit few applicants
who have not had fifteen credit-hours of undergraduate history
courses. Potential applicants with limited academic work in history
might consider taking some courses on a non-degree basis to establish
a stronger record.
Must I have a
master’s degree to apply to the
Ph.D. program?
No. The department accepts directly into our
doctoral program applicants who hold only a bachelor’s degree. Those students
will earn a master’s degree on their way to completing
the requirements for a Ph.D. The department also accepts applicants
with a master’s degree from another institution.
Where should I send the application materials?
Send the application form, payment, transcripts,
GRE scores, and letters of recommendation to the Graduate School.
Send the
statement of purpose and sample of written work to Melissa Kupfer,
History Department Student Services Office, Gambrell Hall, University
of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208.
