Graduate students in the Public History Program at the University of South Carolina are supported through assistantships. There are a small number of teaching assistantships offered to incoming Public History students by the Department of History, but most Public History students are supported by professional assistantships in public history agencies. Both kinds of graduate assistantship pay a salary and offer a substantial reduction in tuition.  Generally, assistantships require 15-20 hours of work per week.

We recognize that access to financial aid often makes the difference in the decision to attend graduate school. While we cannot make promises, students who are accepted by and choose to enroll in the Public History Program almost always receive financial assistance. Of the 30-35 students actively on campus in some stage of completing degree requirements, all who want a graduate assistantship currently have one. Incoming students looking for an assistantship need to stay in contact with their faculty advisor. Inform us that you want an assistantship and keep us current on your e-mail address and telephone number in the summer as you prepare to move to Columbia.

Professional assistantships offer on-the-job experience that supplements internships and coursework.  Public History students have held assistantships recently at:

City of Columbia Historic Preservation Office

Columbia Development Corporation

Columbia Museum of Art

Historic Columbia Foundation

South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum

South Carolina Department of Archives and History

South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism

South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology

State Historic Preservation Office


In addition, there are a number of units on the University of South Carolina campus that contact us requesting names of graduate students who might want to have a graduate assistantship.  These include, among others:

McKissick Museum
South Caroliniana Library
Thomas Cooper Library

A limited number of teaching assistantships may also be offered to incoming Public History students by the Department of History.  However, the majority of students are supported by the professional assistantships.