Application Deadline

January 15

The program has an application deadline of January 15 for fall enrollment.

It is important to note that you will be notified about funding decisions on average four weeks after you have been accepted into the program.

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Fall Admission Only

There is no spring admission. The January 15 deadline is for admission to the HSPH program beginning the following fall semester. You will be notified via email about funding decisions on average four weeks after you have been accepted into the program.

Minimum Requirements

Related background
Prospective students with a background in anthropology, archaeology, history, historic preservation, landscape architecture, or related fields are encouraged to apply. Likewise, students with public interpretation, museum-based, or field and/or laboratory experience are invited to submit an application.

All are welcome to apply
All applicants to the program will be considered and students with little or no background in heritage studies or public history are encouraged to explain how their interest and training prepare them for graduate study. This program especially welcomes students from a diversity of backgrounds and perspectives.

Application Materials

All materials must be received by the program's deadline. The program’s review process takes between four and six weeks once the application is complete. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. 

Materials required for all applicants

  • Complete University of Minnesota Graduate School Application
  • Unofficial transcripts of all college or university coursework
  • Personal statement of your academic and professional goals for the degree desired (1–2 pages)
  • Diversity statement: Please write a statement of no more than 500 words that identifies the distinctive qualities, characteristics, and life experiences you would contribute to your graduate program and to the education of fellow students. You may wish to include examples that address your contribution to the diversity of the student body and illustrate your motivation to succeed by setting high standards for accomplishing intellectual and other goals, overcoming obstacles to achievement, and/or helping others to gain access to the resources necessary for success.
  • Two or three letters of recommendation: Applicants are encouraged to submit at least one letter from a faculty member who is familiar with their aptitude for academic work
  • Writing sample in English from a recent, related course or project (professional reports, published articles, or exhibition texts are also accepted)
  • Application fee of $75, international students pay $95

For applicants who are non-native English speakers

  • TOEFL or IELTS scores submitted in PDF file format to the University of Minnesota (school code: 6874)
  • Minimum accepted TOEFL scores are:
    • Total Score: 79
    • Writing Subscore: 21
    • Reading Subscore: 19
  • Minimum accepted IELTS scores are:
    • Total Score: 6.5
    • Writing Subscore: 6.5
    • Reading Subscore: 6.5

NOTE: If you will earn or have earned an undergraduate degree in the United States you do not need to submit English language test scores.

GRE scores

Graduate Record Examination (GRE scores) are not required for the M.HSPH program, but many scholarships require GRE scores (school code is 6874).

Funding

The goal of HSPH is to provide master’s students with full tuition support. Every master’s student also receives two paid in-semester internships and a paid summer fellowship, which is made possible through HSPH’s partnership with the Minnesota Historical Society.

When positions are available, students in the program work as teaching and research assistants, which provides additional financial support in the form of stipends and health insurance benefits. Your eligibility for our fellowships is considered automatically; no additional application is required.

Questions?

Learn more about HSPH by contacting Greg Donofrio, the Director of the Heritage Studies & Public History program.