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  Mar 17, 2025
 
2009-2010 Graduate Studies Bulletin (Archived Copy) 
  
2009-2010 Graduate Studies Bulletin (Archived Copy) [Archived Catalog]

Public History, M.A.


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Degree Requirements College of Arts and Sciences 
Department of History   

Degree Requirements

The M.A. in Public History integrates traditional graduate study in history with professional training in the skills used in the public and private sectors. The curriculum offers a choice of three areas of concentration for the major field: historic preservation, museums, and archives. In addition, students complete course work in a minor field within the general graduate history curriculum, usually but not exclusively U.S. to 1877 or U.S. since 1789.

A reading knowledge of one foreign language or competence in an appropriate methodology is required. Choice of the latter must be approved by the Graduate Committee.

Candidates for the M.A. in Public History choose a major and a minor field, take written comprehensive examinations in both fields, and write a thesis. A minimum of 33 semester hours, of which 18 hours will be in public history courses
and 15 hours will be in the history core, are required. Credit hours will be distributed between the major and minor fields as follows:

Major Field (18 Hours)


Students take 9 hours of course work chosen from one of three concentrations, and 6 additional hours of courses with Public History content (and so designated by the Department’s Graduate Committee), some of which might be in the three concentrations, some of which might not.

Internship and Thesis Preparation (6 Hours)


Students must complete an internship approved by their advisor and the graduate committee and 3 hours of thesis preparation  (HIST 799 ).

Minor Field (15 Hours)


For the minor field, students will complete

 , as well as 12 hours in the minor field of study, 6 of which must be an overview of the field (HIST 701- 712), and 3 of which must be an 800-level
research seminar.

Additional Information:


The M.A. thesis will be an expanded version of the student’s 800-level research seminar paper, revised to the standard of a potentially publishable article-length essay. Normally, students will submit the thesis in the semester after completion of the 800-level research seminar paper, but students who complete their 800-level seminar in their first year may petition the Graduate Committee to submit their thesis during their final semester in the M.A. program. The thesis must be submitted in accordance with the regulations of The Graduate School.

Following successful completion of an 800-level research seminar, an oral comprehensive examination on the student’s thesis will be taken. In this examination, the student will be asked to place his/her thesis in historiographic perspective. Normally, students will take the comprehensive examination in the semester after they complete an 800-level seminar. However, students who complete their 800-level seminar in their first year may petition the Graduate Committee to take their M.A. examination during their final semester in the program.

In addition to the thesis, students will compile a portfolio of their public history work in accordance with departmental policy.

Finally, the student will complete a thesis that is submitted according to the regulations of The Graduate School.

Candidates for the M.A. in Public History shall file a Program of Study during their first semester, and in no case later than 12 months after entering the program. A student in the M.A./M.L.I.S. joint program should prepare and file separate forms for each degree but should submit them together to The Graduate School.

All students enrolled in public history may also enter the Museum Certificate Program coordinated by the University’s McKissick Museum. Students in the archives track may also enter the M.A./M.L.I.S., offered in conjunction with the School of Library and Information Science.

Additional information is available at Graduate Dual Degree Programs .

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