Overview
Chartered in the city of Hampton, Elizabeth City County, Virginia, Hampton University was founded by Gen. Samuel Chapman Armstrong in April 1868, in the first days of Reconstruction, in order to assist recently freed slaves in obtaining an "education for life." In line with its broadening educational program, the University inaugurated graduate courses in 1928 and awarded its first master's degree in 1932. The graduate offerings have continued to expand with the addition of a Ph.D. in physics and in nursing as well as the D.P.T. in physical therapy.

The total University enrollment is more than 5,740 students, 362 of whom are enrolled in the Graduate College. The student body is drawn from sixty-one states, territories, and countries. Approximately 50 percent of the graduate students are enrolled full-time. About 95 percent of the Graduate College alumni are employed in their chosen fields.

The Location and Community
Hampton University is located in Hampton, Virginia, 27 miles north of Norfolk and 80 miles southeast of Richmond. The University was built on Virginia's peninsula, where the James and York rivers join. The region is richly steeped in early American history: a Kecoughtan native community once stood near the University grounds, and the historic communities of Jamestown, Yorktown, and Williamsburg are all within a 45-minute drive. The city of Hampton is the oldest community in the United States to be continuously occupied by English-speaking people. Hampton is accessible by car, bus, or train as well as direct airline service via Newport News/Williamsburg and Norfolk.

Programs of Study and Degree Requirements
The programs of the Graduate College are designed to prepare students for professional competence in a specific field and for prospective graduate study. Graduate programs leading to the Master in Teaching degree are offered for elementary, middle, and secondary education. The Graduate College also offers the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in communicative sciences and disorders, counseling, elementary education, and special education. In addition, students may pursue the Master of Science (M.S.) degree in applied mathematics, biology, chemistry, computer science, medical science, nursing, and physics; the Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.); the Ph.D. in nursing and physics; and the Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.).

Programs are planned in consultation with the student's faculty adviser. Specific requirements vary with the department, but in most instances candidates for the Master of Arts degree must complete a minimum of 30-32 semester hours and have the option of writing a thesis or taking a comprehensive examination.

Candidates for the Master of Science degree in applied mathematics, biology, chemistry, and physics are required to complete a minimum of 32 semester hours, including a thesis. Nursing majors, who must complete a minimum of 45 semester hours, have a choice of a thesis or a comprehensive examination. The Master of Business Administration degree requires 36 semester hours, and the Ph.D. in physics requires a minimum of 72 semester hours.

Facilities & Resources
The William R. and Norma B. Harvey Library, which opened in 1992, is a major focal point of the academic environment of Hampton University. Besides housing an extensive collection of books and periodicals, it serves as a partial depository of U.S. government documents. The distinctive George Foster Peabody Collection, which consists of more than 25,000 items by and about African Americans, is housed in a specially designed room in the Harvey Library.

Other research facilities include computer resources with state-of-the-art mainframes, parallel processors and numerous microcomputers connected via a fiber-optic local area network. The University's science facilities include an observatory with a 16-inch telescope, the Marine Science Center for Coastal and Environmental Studies, the Science and Technology Building, and the Olin Engineering Building. Selected research centers include the Center for Atmospheric Sciences, the Center for the Origin and Structure of Matter, the Center for Advanced Medical Instrumentation, the Nuclear/High Energy Physics Research of Excellence, the Research Center for Optical Physics, and the National Center for Minority Special Educational Research. The Hampton University Museum has an outstanding collection of art, including pieces from sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Oceania, and American Indians.

Expenses and Aid
Tuition is $13,940 for two academic semesters for students taking 10-17 semester hours and $325 per semester hour for those taking 1-9 hours. Nonrefundable fees and book costs amount to approximately $1000 per year.

Financial Aid:
Financial aid is available in the form of fellowships; traineeships; teaching, research, laboratory, and residence hall assistantships; loans; and part-time employment. Assistantship and fellowship stipends generally range from $3200 to $18,000 per academic year and may include varying levels of tuition support.

Housing/Living Expenses:
Most graduate students live off campus. The University Office of Off-Campus Housing provides assistance in locating housing. Limited on-campus accommodations are available in University-owned apartments. Off-campus housing expenses for single students are estimated at $5800 per year.

How to Apply / Application
Applications for admission should be mailed directly to the Graduate College at the address provided below. Students may be admitted to the Graduate College at the beginning of the fall or spring semester or at the beginning of the summer session.

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