Public History, B.A.

Public History refers to various forms of applied history that serve and support the public. This includes museums, archives, national parks, oral histories, memorials and monuments, documentaries, ancestry, government histories, public policy, living history, and so much more. The Public History program prepares students for careers in these varied fields by combining the skills and learning objectives of the history program—complex and creative inquiry, critical analysis, and communication—with professional training. The coursework is both specialized and flexible, providing opportunities for interdisciplinarity and project-based, hands-on learning. The learning outcomes for the public history program include the following goals: 

• Students will demonstrate an ability to analyze and apply interpretive methods to public-facing historical work, including documents and sources, material culture, monuments, museums, archives, digital media, and other collective representations of the past. 
• Students will develop an understanding of the methodology, theory and scholarship, ethics, and best practices of public history. 
• Students will be capable of communicating historical knowledge and interpretations to various and differing publics. 
• Students will understand the issues associated with public presentations of history. 

Degree Requirements

Institutional Degree Requirements  

Program-Specific Degree Requirements: To be eligible for graduation, students majoring in Public History must maintain a 2.0 grade point average in the course requirements of the major and receive a grade of 2.0 or better in all History courses.