South Carolina -- Modern US South

[coped]

In looking at history programs for students entering with master's, South Carolina's catalog indicates that only 18 hours of coursework are required before comps and dissertation. Is there anyone here who has experience at South Carolina? Can you really finish the coursework in one year, then move directly to the dissertation? Or is that just on paper. Also, how is their reputation in modern US South?

[Riotbeard]

I would say they have a good reputation overall for Southern studies, but are strongest in 19th century South. They also seemed to be successful at placing people at tenured jobs. I can't comment on the time question of the Ph D, but on their accepted student info day, I did not get that impression (but I don't have an MA, so I wasn't listening for that stuff...). I thought pretty hard about going to South Carolina (but am not going there... Part of me wishes I could have gone to both schools!), they have great faculty for U.S. South and a really nice department and students. For Southern Studies in general, I would also look at Georgia, UNC, WashU, Florida, Tulane (Where I am going!), Rice, Vandy, Emory, Duke, Mississippi, and there are also really prominent U.S. South faculty spread throughout the top schools, but few of those programs are really geared toward the South like those listed so..., but they are worth looking at if there are any scholars you are obsessed with, and their school names certainly won't hurt you. Also most of the regional have some pretty solid scholars (alabama, kentucky, tennessee, mississippi state, Auburn, etc.), so they are all solid fallback.