Public History Concentration

Admission Requirements

Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university; complete application to the graduate school; cover letter stating reasons that the applicant wishes to enter the program in history; sample of written work such as a research paper.

Minimum Criteria for Unconditional Admission:

  • 3.0 GPA in the last earned degree, OR
  • 2.5 GPA in the last earned degree and official scores at the 25th percentile level from the appropriate admission test(s).

Meeting one of these criteria does NOT guarantee admission.

Program of Study for the Master of Arts in History with Concentration in Public History 

Semester Hours Required (minimum): 36

Required Courses

  • HIS 5000: Varieties and Methodologies of History (3)
  • HIS 5575: Introduction to Public History (3)
  • HIS 5900: Internship in History (6)
  • Choose at least 6 hours from the Readings Seminars:
    • HIS 5106: Readings Seminar in European History (3)
    • HIS 5206: Readings Seminar in American History (3)
    • HIS 5208: Readings Seminar in Appalachian History (3)
    • HIS 5306: Readings Seminar in Latin American History (3)
    • HIS 5406: Readings Seminar in African/Middle Eastern/Asian History (3)

Public History Concentration (Code: 255D)

  • 18 hours of graduate courses from the following Public History courses; OR students may select up to 6 hoursof other graduate courses upon approval by the coordinator of the Public History program and the Director of Graduate Studies in History.
    • HIS 5400: Grant Writing (3)
    • HIS 5576: Cultural Resource Management (3)
    • HIS 5577: Historical Documentation (3)
    • HIS 5578: Architectural History (3)
    • HIS 5579: Oral History (3)
    • HIS 5580: Studies in Material Culture (3)
    • HIS 5581: Records and Society (3)
    • HIS 5583: American Environmental History (3)
    • HIS 5584: America's National Parks (3)
    • HIS 5586: Introduction to Historic Preservation (3)
    • HIS 5587: Philosophy of Historic Preservation (3)
    • HIS 5591: Archives, History, and Collective Memory (3)
    • HIS 5595: Digital History (3)
    • HIS 5610: Management of Museums (3)
    • HIS 5640: Interpretation in Museums (3)
    • HIS 5650: Museum Education (3)
    • HIS 5660: Topics in Public and Applied History (3)
    • HIS 5998: Thesis Research (3)
    • HIS 5999: Thesis (3

Other Requirements 

  • Thesis: Optional
  • Proficiency: There is no proficiency requirement for Historic Preservation or Public History students.
  • Candidacy: Required for thesis students only; awarded upon approval of thesis committee and prospectus
  • Comprehensive: A written comprehensive examination is required by the end of the third semester of coursework for thesis students, and by the end of the fourth semester of coursework for non-thesis students.
  • Product of Learning: Not required

 Students of Dr. Burns listen to a presentation given by Dr. Tom Hanchett, Historian for the Levine Museum of the New South.

Dr. Hanchett talking at the Levine Museum of the New South