You are here: Â鶹´«Ã½ College of Arts & Sciences History Public History MA Program Overview

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Curriculum Overview

The Public History concentration combines graduate-level training in historical research and analysis with applied courses in public history theory and methods. Students work with their academic advisor to build a specialized curriculum that reflects scholarly and professional goals.

The Public HistoryÌýconcentration is a 33-credit program designed to be completed over the course of two academic years. The program is flexible: students may take two or three courses in a semester, and can take classes during the summer. Students pursue two sets of requirements: the History Core courses taken by all graduate students, as well as dedicated courses in the Public History Core. Students also take elective courses in the Department, elsewhere on campus (such as in the Arts Management program or in the Game Lab), or through the Consortium.

Public History Core

A two-course seminar-practicum series is taken in the first year of study (6 hours). The Public History Seminar gives students a historical and theoretical context for their work and covers leading paradigms in the field of public history. The Practicum is a project-based course that pairs students with local organizations and builds professional knowledge and skills in collaborative work, project management, interpretation, and outreach. Skills learned in the Seminar and Practicum are then put to use in the Internship.

History Core

All graduate students in the department take The Historian’s Craft in their first semester of the program. Students then take two Colloqia courses designed to familiarize them with the field of study. Finally, students complete original research projects in Graduate Research Seminar.

HIST 744: The Historian's Craft, required, offered every fall.

Two colloquia from these four offerings:

  • HIST 727: Colloquium in United States History I: to 1865
  • HIST 728: Colloquium in United States History II: since 1865
  • HIST 720: Colloquium in Modern European History, 1789-1900
  • HIST 721: Colloquium in Modern European History since 1900
  • Ìý

  • Graduate Research Seminar:

  • HIST 751: Graduate Research Seminar, offered most semesters

Electives Overview

In addition to required courses, students take four elective courses, including one that fulfils the Tool of Research requirement (see next section below). Elective courses are chosen in consultation with advisors and are an opportunity to explore and expand both scholarly and professional interests. They are taught by core faculty in their areas of expertise, as well as by Public Historians in Residence. Elective courses may be taken within the History Department, with programs like AU’s Game Lab or Arts Management, or through the Consortium.Ìý

Tool of Research Electives

Tool of Research

The following courses fulfill the requirement.

HIST 467/667: Oral HistoryOffered in fall semesters

This course presents the theory, practice, legal and ethical issues, and uses of oral history. Through field work, students gain interviewing, transcription, and analysis skills and study the advantages and limitations of oral history as source material. Readings and case histories are drawn from modern U.S. history.

HIST 477/677: History and New Media Offered in spring semesters

This course explores the impact of new information technologies on historical practices, focusing on research, teaching, presentations of historical materials, and changes in professional organization and discourse.Ìý

HIST 470/670: Visual and Material CultureOffered in spring semesters

This course combines two interdisciplinary and often overlapping areas of study for examination by students of history: material and visual cultural studies. The course introduces students to historiography and cultural theory in both fields and examines methodologies for using visual and material sources to study Â鶹´«Ã½ cultural and social history.