The Master of Arts Degree in Appalachian Studies offers three interdisciplinary concentrations:

• The Appalachian Culture Area concentration focuses on scholarship and research in the social sciences, humanities, and fine and applied arts, seeking to deepen understanding of the Appalachian socio-cultural and historical experience.
• The Sustainable Development concentration is based on applied research and interdisciplinary course work spanning the social and natural sciences as well as the humanities. It provides a foundation for those students who seek to develop the means for meeting the legitimate needs of present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. For students interested in Appalachian and other highland and rural peoples, as well as other peoples threatened by the results of unsustainable practices and patterns, this course of study provides the background in the search for sustainable solutions.
• The Appalachian Music: Roots and Influences concentration provides instruction and opportunities for scholarship on the varieties of traditional music traditions that intersect in the southern Appalachian region.

Prerequisites for all concentrations:

Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university. Additional courses (up to 15 hours maximum) may be required if so indicated by the student's deficiencies.

Basic Criteria for Consideration:

• Cumulative GPA: 3.0
• GRE Verbal Score: 500 or higher
• GRE Writing Score: 3.5 or higher
• Other Criteria for All Applicants
• 3 letters of reference addressing applicant's academic potential
• 2-page statement of intent explaining applicant's academic and professional goals in chosen concentration (Appalachian Culture Area, Sustainable Development, Appalachian Music or all) and the value of regional studies to the contemporary world.

Deadline

• 1 July for Fall/ 1 November for Spring/ 1 April for Summer 1/ 1 May for Summer 2