UNDERGRADUATE
B.A. in History, Public History Concentration
The Public History Concentration prepares students for careers and graduate study in public history or museum studies (historic sites, history museums, community organizations, nonprofit work, and more). This is an exciting and growing new field. Students will explore the presence and power of the past in new ways. Through a sequence of courses, student in the Public History concentration will examine how popular conceptions of the past get shaped, how public memory shapes individual and collective action, where history can be found in the contemporary landscape, how historic sites are preserved and documented, and how professional public historians work to interpret and share the past with audiences. Students will also learn the skills of public historians, such as oral history, exhibit design, and digital history methods. The concentration will provide a new way to look at the power and relevance of history, including its connections to civic engagement and social change, and a new way to see history as relevant.
We are building and drawing on our expertise in public history that includes our award-winning M.A. with a Concentration in Museum Studies program and our public history minor at the Ph.D. level. The B.A. Public History Concentration requirements are identical to our existing B.A. track with the addition of at least three courses (9 credit hours) in public history courses.
Please see the University Catalog for requirements.
Contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies with any inquiries!
Current Student Learning Outcomes
- Describe and analyze key theories and practice of public history (historic preservation, community-engaged history, oral history, public memory, historical archaeology and preservation).
- Describe and evaluate possible careers for public historians and how to translate a public history degree into a professional career.
- Develop professional skills acquired through service learning, group work, internships, and/or experiential learning.
