History

The Department of History
East Hall
414 East Clark Street
Vermilion, SD 57069
Phone: (605) 677-5218
history@usd.edu
http://www.usd.edu/history

Degrees:

Master of Arts in History

Department Chairperson: Professor Judith L. Sebesta
Graduate Director: Professor Robert Hilderbrand

Graduate Faculty

Professors

Steven J. Bucklin, Ph.D., University of Iowa. Specialization: Diplomatic, American, Soviet Union, and Modern Britain.

Kurt H. Hackemer, Ph.D., Texas A & M University. Specialization: 19th-Century U.S., Military, and Civil War.

Robert Hilderbrand, Ph.D., University of Iowa. Specialization: Diplomatic and 20th-Century U.S., Peace Studies.

Clayton Lehmann, Ph.D., University of Chicago. Specialization: Ancient, Medieval and Early Modern Europe.

Judith L. Sebesta, Ph.D., Stanford University. Specialization: Classical Art and Archaeology, Women in Antiquity, and Ancient Studies.

Associate Professor

Scott Breuninger, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin. Specialization: European Intellectual, Early Modern, Modern British, Irish, and Atlantic.

Assistant Professor

David Burrow, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin. Specialization: Russia and Modern Europe.

Program Description

The Department of History is the only graduate program in History in the state of South Dakota. The department’s offerings are both broad and unique. Library holdings for graduate research are especially strong in regional, American Indian, and 20th-Century United States history. In recent years, the department has enrolled four Madison Scholars. Opportunities exist for Master’s students to present papers at the annual Student History Conference. Students already enrolled in the School of Law may pursue a joint M.A./J.D. degree, applying nine hours of law courses to the Master’s degree in History. The department also offers a cooperative M.A. with Morningside College in Sioux City, IA. For more information on these two programs, please contact the department at 605-677-5218.

Admission Requirements

An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better, based on 4.0 scale, from an accredited institution is required for full admission.
The GRE General test is required. There is no minimum score required; the score is considered along with the other application materials.
Applicants should have a minimum of 18 credit hours of undergraduate History course work (12 hours of which must be upper division).
Additional requirements exist for international students.
Subject to faculty approval, those who do not meet all of the criteria above may be admitted on a provisional basis.
Graduate transfer credits are limited to nine hours and must receive approval from the department prior to graduation.

Academic Standards

Any student who earns a grade of “C” or below in a graduate course may be placed on provisional status.
Any student on provisional status who earns a “C” or below in a graduate course may be dropped from the program.
Any student with two or more incompletes, except thesis, may not register for further work.

Scholarships

Raynor Greenleaf & Margaret Cogging Wellington Scholarship (preference for student of American History)
The Carl Christol History Award