Admissions

The department accepts applications for fall admissions only. The department does not accept applications for spring admissions.

The application due date is January 15.

All applications received by January 15 will be considered for funding in the form of teaching assistantships. Although the department will consider applications submitted after January 15, it is in the applicant’s best interest to meet this deadline. Admissions decisions are made in early February.   

Admission Requirements

Applicants are considered on an individual basis. Decisions are made only after receipt of all materials. Incomplete applications will not be considered for admission.

Applicants must meet the following program requirements:

1. A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent from an accredited institution, as evidenced by an official transcript. For admission or advancement to the Ph.D. program, a Master’s degree in history is required.
2. A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0.
3. Demonstration of sufficient writing and analytic skills.

In addition to the minimum application requirements of the Graduate School, to apply to any graduate program in history, students must submit:

1. A personal statement. The personal statement should narrate the applicant’s research interests, major field, potential dissertation topic, and the professors who the applicant would be interested in working with at LSU. Applicants must identify a potential advisor as well as other faculty who could support the applicant’s research interests. See our Graduate Fields of Study page for a listing of all faculty and their specializations.
2. A writing sample. The writing sample should be approx. 15-20 pages, and should be a piece of original research using primary sources which demonstrates the applicant’s ability to analyze sources and create an evidence-based argument. Typically those applying to the PhD program who have earned an MA include a portion of their MA thesis as their writing sample.  
3. Three letters of recommendation. These letters should demonstrate the applicant’s talent and suitability for PhD work. It is recommended that at least two of the three letters be written by historians.  

The entire application, including all supporting materials, must be submitted to the LSU Graduate School’s online application portal.

GRE Scores

In the LSU Department of History, the GRE is no longer required for students applying for admission to any graduate program. Applicants do not need to include GRE scores, as the Department of History will no longer take them into consideration for admission.

Application Fee

Unfortunately, the department does not offer an application fee waiver. All applicants must pay the application fee as is determined by the Graduate School.