Why Public History?
A career in public history allows you to apply your passion for history and historical research to the word outside of academics. Public historians work at a variety of institutions including historic sites, museums, archives, the National Park Service, and state agencies that promote cultural and heritage tourism.
Our Program:
Undergraduate students have the option of completing the Public History Certificate program. All majors are welcome. The certificate requires:
- Twelve hours of public history coursework
- 150-hour public history internship
Graduate students pursuing a Master of Arts in history may choose the Public History Track within the American history program. In addition to thirty hours of coursework, demonstration of reading competency in one foreign language, public presentation of student research, and successful completion of a comprehensive examination, students will complete:
- Nine hours of public history coursework
- 150-hour public history internship
Course Offerings:
- HIST 471/571 - Introduction to Public History
- HIST 473/573 - Introduction to Museum and Historic Site Interpretation
- HIST 474/574 - Introduction to Oral History
- HIST 493/593 - Introduction to Historic Preservation
- HIST 485/585 - Internship Project
The Internship Experience:
We ensure that our students leave the program with experience working in the field. We have relationships with a variety of public history institutions in the area, including the Cashiers Historical Society, the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Salisbury, the Montieth House in Dillsboro, the Thomas Wolfe Memorial in Asheville, and the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site in Flat Rock.
For more information, contact Dr. Jessie Swigger.