Public history refers to the pursuit of historical understanding and interpretation
in the public realm. MTSU was in the first wave of American universities to embrace
the study of public history and now offers a master’s degree, doctorate, and advanced
certificates. Students pursuing the Master of Arts in History with a concentration
in Public History may choose from five tracks: historic preservation and cultural
resource management, museum management, archival management, oral history, and public
archaeology. Master’s candidates are exposed to the myriad career possibilities associated
with each specialty, helping them select the curriculum best suited to their interests
and aspirations. The program carefully balances academic historical methods and scholarship;
the intellectual foundations and nature of public history; and professional development in several areas. To prepare students for professional practice, the program partners
with a number of on-campus centers and initiatives, including the Center for Historic Preservation, Albert Gore Research Center, Center for Popular Music, and Walker Library digital collections.
Live outside of Tennessee? You could be eligible for in-state tuition and save thousands
of dollars.
Graduate says MTSU’s MA program in Public History ‘helped jumpstart career’
As a graduate of MTSU’s Master of Arts program in Public History, Keneisha Mosely now works as an Archives and Reference Technician at the John P. Holt Brentwood
Library and as a Special Collections Assistant at the Williamson County Public Library.
Mosely said during her time at MTSU she gained a lot of professional experience through
assistantships and internships that have been useful in her career. “Because of the
assistantships and internships, it truly helped jumpstart my career. I have experience
working in historic house museums, academic and government archives, and academic
and public libraries. I desire to continue my career in libraries as I get to enjoy
the best of both worlds of working in archives, but also gaining library experience/skills
in cataloging, collection development, user instruction, outreach and more,” she said.
Mosely said when you attend MTSU’s program you’re “really gaining a second family.”
She said, “The department heavily advocates for its students. They want you to succeed
and will do everything they can to ensure that. The support they give is unmatched.”
Zookeeper calls MTSU’s MA Public History program ‘fantastic'
As a zookeeper at the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere, Katherine Sproul decided to get
her Master of Arts in Public History after working at the Grassmere Historic Home
located on the zoo’s property. “I decided to attend MTSU because it’s close to Nashville
and has a fantastic public history program. When I first started working at the zoo,
I was working with the animals and the historic house, so I wanted to learn more about
public history,” she explained. During her coursework, Sproul said she learned a variety
of things ranging from how to do research to how to set up an exhibit. “I learned
to look for different perspectives in any book that we read as a class, and to consider
the background of the author and how that might bias his or her writing.” Sproul added
that it’s important as a student to be open to “new ideas and different perspectives
in the classroom. “Your classmates will have had different experiences than you have
had. Whether or not you agree with them, new perspectives are very valuable. They
can make you see things in a new way.”
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MTSU College of Graduate Studies
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MTSU | The University of Opportunities
Public historians work in a wide range of professional settings with public audiences
of all ages. Potential employers include archives, museums, historic organizations,
historical societies, historic sites, private consulting firms, and historical agencies
at all levels of government. Examples of career possibilities with an advanced degree
in public history include
- Architectural historian
- Archivist
- Author
- College professor/instructor
- Consultant
- Cultural heritage manager
- Cultural resources manager
- Digital librarian/cataloger
- Historic preservation planner
- Historian
- Museum/collections curator or administrator
- Oral historian
- Public archaeologist
American Association for State and Local History job postings
Employers of MTSU alumni include
- Alabama Department of Archives and History
- Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
- American Association for State and Local History
- Belle Meade Plantation
- Belmont Mansion
- East Tennessee Historical Society
- Historic Home of T.R.R. Cobb
- Historical Association of Catawba County, N.C.
- History Center, Diboll, Texas
- Huntsville (Ala.) Historic Preservation Commission
- Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve
- Land Trust for Tennessee
- Manzanar National Historic Site
- Maymont Foundation, Richmond, Va.
- Metro Nashville Arts Commission
- Mike Curb Archives
- New South Associates
- Ohio History Connection
- President James K. Polk Ancestral Home
- Rutherford County Archives
- Tennessee Agricultural Museum
- Tennessee Department of Transportation
- Tennessee State Library and Archives
- Thomason & Associates
- Vicksburg (Miss.) Foundation for Historic Preservation
- Williamson County Archives and Museum
- War in the Pacific National Historical, Guam
The History Department offers the Master of Arts (M.A.) in History with a concentration in Public History and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Public History, as well as a traditional Master of Arts (M.A.) in History.
The Public History master’s concentration offers specialized education in one of five tracks: historic preservation and cultural
resources management, museum management, archival management, oral history, and public
archaeology. More information on the five tracks can be found under the TRACKS tab.
Master’s applicants must have an acceptable grade point average in all college work;
18 semester hours of undergraduate history courses; and acceptable scores on the Graduate
Record Exam.
For complete curriculum details, click on the REQUIREMENTS tab above.
Other programs
A 12-credit hour Certificate of Advanced Study (CAS) in Museum Management is available
to students currently pursuing an M.A. in Public History at MTSU, to MTSU alumni who
hold an M.A. in Public History, and to applicants who hold an equivalent M.A. from
another university.
Students in the traditional Master of Arts in History program may choose a major field in United States or European History, but graduate classes
in global history can fulfill requirements for the minor field.
A graduate history minor also is offered.
Undergraduate
The undergraduate degree in history comes in four forms: the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in History, the B.A. in History
with Teacher Licensure, the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in History, and the B.S. in History with Teacher
Licensure.
An undergraduate minor in history is also offered. The department additionally coordinates
interdisciplinary minors in African American Studies; Media, History, and Culture;
Environment and Human Society; Medieval Studies; Southern Studies; Twentieth-Century
European Studies; American Culture; and War, Policy, and Security.
History, Public History Concentration, M.A.
Ashley Riley Sousa, Graduate Studies Director
(615) 898-5805
Ashley.RileySousa@mtsu.edu
Lisa Pruitt, Public History Program Director
(615) 898-2051
Lisa.Pruitt@mtsu.edu
The History Department offers the Master of Arts in History, Master of Arts in History with concentrations in History Education and Public History, and a Ph.D. in Public History. The Public History concentration offers specialized education in one of five tracks: historic preservation and cultural resource management, museum management, archival management, oral history, and public archeology.
For the most current information about the program, department policies, and admission standards, please visit the department website at www.mtsu.edu/history.
Please see undergraduate catalog for information regarding undergraduate programs.
Admission Requirements
Admission to the Master of Arts in History with a concentration in Public History program requires
- an earned bachelor's degree from an accredited university or college;
- an acceptable grade point average in all college work taken;
- completion of at least 18 semester hours of undergraduate history courses.
Modifications to the above requirements may be made with the permission of the department's director of graduate studies and the department's graduate admissions committee.
Application Procedures
All application materials are to be submitted to the College of Graduate Studies.
Application deadline for the M.A. program is March 1 for fall admission and October 1 for spring admission.
Applicant must
- submit application with the appropriate application fee (online at www.mtsu.edu/graduate/apply.php). Once this initial application has been accepted, the applicant will receive directions on how to enter the graduate portal to be able to submit other materials.
- submit official transcripts of all previous college work;
- submit letter of intent, explaining why applicant wishes to pursue graduate education in public history and why applicant wishes to pursue those studies at MTSU;
- submit writing sample (preferably a lengthy research paper that demonstrates writing and research skills);
- submit three letters of recommendation from professors or professionals that address the applicant's potential to successfully complete an M.A. program in public history.
Degree Requirements
The Master of Arts in History with a concentration in Public History requires completion of 33-45 semester hours (thesis) or 36 semester hours (non-thesis). All public history students must complete an internship off campus.
Thesis Option (33-45 hours)
Once admitted to the program, candidate must
- complete 33-45 hours of graduate-level history and public history courses, all at the 6000 level (see Curriculum section below for specifics);
- pass formal review of a portfolio demonstrating proficiency in three domains of professional skills in accordance with the standards and protocols issued by the department;
- maintain satisfactory progress toward completion of the degree each semester;
- submit an acceptable thesis.
Non-thesis Option (36 hours)
Once admitted to the program, candidate must
- complete 36 hours of graduate-level coursework, all at the 6000-level (see Curriculum section below for specifics);
- pass formal review of a portfolio demonstrating proficiency in three domains of professional skills in accordance with the standards and protocols issued by the department;
- maintain satisfactory progress toward completion of the degree each semester;
- complete comprehensive examinations in the field of public history and a second field of history.
Curriculum: History, Public History
Thesis Option (33-45 hours)
The following illustrates the coursework requirements (all at the 6000 level). In addition, a maximum of 15 hours of thesis research may be required to fulfill degree requirements.
Required Core Courses (9 hours)
HIST 6010 - Historiography
3credit hours
An introduction to history's major schools of thought. Through reading, class discussion, and essays, students explore critical interpretations in American, European, and non-Western history.
HIST 6020 - Historical Research Methods
3credit hours
Introduces historical research using primary sources. Students produce a work (or works) of original historical scholarship and engage with existing scholarship in the field.
HIST 6510 - Seminar: Public History
3credit hours
The professional nature of public history, the interpretation of history for diverse audiences, and the application of historical methods in the wider world. Combines reading and discussion, interaction with practicing professionals, and possible experiential learning component.
Public History Essentials (3 hours in appropriate track)
HIST 6225 - Oral History: Theory and Methodology
3credit hours
Examines theory and methodology of oral history, including in-depth examination of the relationship of history and memory; explores oral history in texts, films, websites, and museum exhibits. Students focus on how to conduct professional quality oral history interviews, how to process the materials, and how to organize a professional project.
HIST 6535 - Essentials of Museum Management
3credit hours
Examines history, theory, and methodologies of museums. Explores the roles of history museums in diverse communities and career options in museums, including administration, exhibit development, education, and collections.
HIST 6610 - Essentials of Historic Preservation and Cultural Resource Management
3credit hours
Regulatory policies and procedures employed by federal, state, and local agencies in the work of identifying, evaluating, recording, preserving, and managing the historical, architectural, and cultural resources of the United States. Emphasis on implementing the National Historic Preservation Act and the documentation requirements of the National Register of Historic Places.
HIST 6615 - Essentials of Archival Management
3credit hours
Examines major concepts, vocabulary, standards, professional ethics, and current issues in archival management. Includes readings, class discussions, and in-class exercises supplemented by guest lectures, field trips, and a field project.
HIST 6710 - Essentials of Public Archaeology
3credit hours
Explores the disciplinary history, professional ethics, key concepts and debates, and best practices of public archaeology in the U.S. with emphasis on historical archaeology's contributions to American historiography, its relationship to cultural resource management and heritage legislation, and current issues in shared authority with diverse public audiences.
Internship (3 hours)
HIST 6570 - Public History Internship
3credit hours
Full-time apprenticeship (300 hours) with a public or private historical agency or institution of regional or national significance. Internships offered during the summer months and may be paid. Enrollment limited to history students in the public history program. Pass/Fail.
Public History electives (6 hours)
- 6 hours selected in consultation with public history faculty
History electives (9 hours)
- 9 hours outside the public history field
Thesis Research (3-15 hours)
HIST 6640 - Thesis Research
1 to 6 credit hours
(3 credit hours required)(3 credit hours required)
dotslash:(3 credit hours required)
title:(3 credit hours required)
(3 credit hours required)
HIST 6640 - Thesis Research
1 to 6credit hours
Selection of a research problem, review of pertinent literature, collection and analysis of data, and composition of thesis. Once enrolled, student should register for at least one credit hour of master's research each semester until completion. S/U grading.
NOTE:
No more than three hours of HIST 6910, HIST 6920, HIST 6930, or HIST 6994 may be counted toward degree requirements.
Non-thesis Option (36 hours)
The following illustrates the coursework requirements (all at the 6000 level) for the non-thesis option.
Required Core Courses (9 hours)
HIST 6010 - Historiography
3credit hours
An introduction to history's major schools of thought. Through reading, class discussion, and essays, students explore critical interpretations in American, European, and non-Western history.
HIST 6020 - Historical Research Methods
3credit hours
Introduces historical research using primary sources. Students produce a work (or works) of original historical scholarship and engage with existing scholarship in the field.
HIST 6510 - Seminar: Public History
3credit hours
The professional nature of public history, the interpretation of history for diverse audiences, and the application of historical methods in the wider world. Combines reading and discussion, interaction with practicing professionals, and possible experiential learning component.
Public History Essentials (9 hours)
HIST 6225 - Oral History: Theory and Methodology
3credit hours
Examines theory and methodology of oral history, including in-depth examination of the relationship of history and memory; explores oral history in texts, films, websites, and museum exhibits. Students focus on how to conduct professional quality oral history interviews, how to process the materials, and how to organize a professional project.
HIST 6535 - Essentials of Museum Management
3credit hours
Examines history, theory, and methodologies of museums. Explores the roles of history museums in diverse communities and career options in museums, including administration, exhibit development, education, and collections.
HIST 6610 - Essentials of Historic Preservation and Cultural Resource Management
3credit hours
Regulatory policies and procedures employed by federal, state, and local agencies in the work of identifying, evaluating, recording, preserving, and managing the historical, architectural, and cultural resources of the United States. Emphasis on implementing the National Historic Preservation Act and the documentation requirements of the National Register of Historic Places.
HIST 6615 - Essentials of Archival Management
3credit hours
Examines major concepts, vocabulary, standards, professional ethics, and current issues in archival management. Includes readings, class discussions, and in-class exercises supplemented by guest lectures, field trips, and a field project.
HIST 6710 - Essentials of Public Archaeology
3credit hours
Explores the disciplinary history, professional ethics, key concepts and debates, and best practices of public archaeology in the U.S. with emphasis on historical archaeology's contributions to American historiography, its relationship to cultural resource management and heritage legislation, and current issues in shared authority with diverse public audiences.
Internship (3 hours)
HIST 6570 - Public History Internship
3credit hours
Full-time apprenticeship (300 hours) with a public or private historical agency or institution of regional or national significance. Internships offered during the summer months and may be paid. Enrollment limited to history students in the public history program. Pass/Fail.
Public History Electives (6 hours)
- 6 hours selected in consultation with public history faculty
History electives (9 hours)
- 9 hours outside the public history field, of which 3 must be in a graduate research seminar
NOTE:
No more than three hours of HIST 6910, HIST 6920, HIST 6930, or HIST 6994 may be counted toward the degree.
Our adjunct faculty bring outstanding professional experience to our programs. Many are industry leaders with decorated careers and honors. Importantly, they are innovative educators who offer hands-on learning to our students to prepare them to enter and thrive in a dynamic, and oftentimes emerging, industry and professional world. They inspire, instruct, and challenge our students toward academic and professional success.
Academic links
On-campus partners
For students
Public History news
Program history
The MTSU Department of History added an emphasis in historic preservation to its master’s
program in 1976 and to its former doctorate degree in 1981. Historic preservation
and the preservation of American popular music assumed a public dimension in 1984
when MTSU established the Center for Historic Preservation and the Center for Popular Music, with missions that combined research and public outreach. After adding courses in
museum studies, material culture, and archival methods, the master’s program concentration
changed its name to Public History in 1991. History faculty also developed the Albert Gore Research Center, which opened in 1993. In 2005, the department launched a new Ph.D. in Public History,
the first doctoral program nationally to declare public history as the major field
of study. Today, MTSU’s Public History program partners with all three campus centers
and collaborates with the Walker Library Media Studio to develop digital collections and other digital initiatives.
Financial aid links
Graduate Assistantships
To help support students pursuing graduate study, the Department of History offers
a number of graduate assistantships at both the M.A. and the Ph.D. levels. These assistantships
are awarded on a competitive basis and are renewable for up to two years for M.A.
assistantships and up to three years for Ph.D. assistantships. Graduate assistants
receive a tuition waiver plus a stipend to cover living expenses. In return, graduate
assistants work a maximum of 20 hours a week during the semester on an assignment
determined by the History Department. These assignments include work as teaching assistants,
research assistants, and other duties related to the ongoing work of the department
and our on-campus partners. To apply for a graduate assistantship with the History
Department, complete the College of Graduate Studies' Graduate Assistantship Application, and submit it to the Department of History along with the rest of your application.
Many M.A. and Ph.D students in the History Department also work as research fellows,
graduate assistants, and hourly employees for MTSU's Center for Historic Preservation. The Center has a separate application and review process for these positions. You
can read full descriptions of these opportunities on the Center's Academic Opportunities page and download the Center's Application for Student Academic Support. The department
urges students applying for a graduate assistantship with the History Department to
apply to the Center as well.
Tracks in Public History
Public history embraces a wide array of history-related fields. The MTSU Public History
program offers specialized education and professional training in historic preservation, cultural resource management, museum management, archival management, oral history, and public archaeology. The Program also collaborates with the Walker Library Media Studio to develop digital collections and other digital initiatives.
Historic Preservation
Historic preservation involves the identification, preservation, and interpretation
of historic resources determined to be "significant" in American history. Examples
of significant historic resources include properties such as: buildings, structures,
objects, districts, archaeological sites, cultural and religious sites, historic landscapes,
and examples of innovative architecture and engineering. Whether considered significant
for their historic associations or architectural aesthetics, preservationists approach
historic resources as "texts" that help reveal details about the past lives and values
of the people who created them. In addition to their utility as sources for research,
historic resources provide communities with a sense of character and identity. The
preservation of our historic built environment is vital to our understanding of history
at the national, state, and local levels.
Students trained at MTSU will be equipped to work with historic resources in a variety
of public and private settings, including such venues as downtown historic districts,
state historic preservation offices, military bases, national parks, federal agencies,
historic sites, preservation or cultural resources management consulting firms, architectural
and engineering companies, departments of transportation, and various non-profit organizations.
In recent decades, historic preservation has become increasingly focused on economic
development programs that adapt or recycle historic buildings for such new uses as
offices, stores, restaurants, museums, and housing. Historic preservation planning
is another field attracting increasing attention, particularly as communities struggle
to deal with the destructive effects of suburban "sprawl" on historic buildings and
rural resources. See Center for Historic Preservation.
Cultural Resource Management
Of the four area concentrations, students are least familiar with cultural resources
management or CRM. In fact, historic preservation is integral to cultural resources
management (identification, preservation, and interpretation of historic resources),
both are shaped strongly by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, which
created the National Register of Historic Places, and a variety of other laws and
regulations. For example, both fields require knowledge of historic architecture,
but CRM incorporates the study and analysis of cultural landscapes, archaeological
sites, natural resources, and Native-American burial grounds.
CRM typically involves the responsibilities of major federal land-management agencies
in the United States such as the National Park Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
the Bureau of Reclamation, and the Bureau of Land Management. With jurisdiction over
millions of acres of land and cultural resources (buildings, objects, sites, structures,
and districts), these agencies operate within a regulatory system that requires not
only careful stewardship of the national domain but also interpretive programs for
public education and entertainment.
The training and skills involved in historic preservation and CRM are closely intertwined,
both conceptually and organizationally. Separating the two areas of concentration
can be difficult, but they do have distinguishing characteristics. Moreover, MTSU's
other two areas, Museum Management and Archival Management, also deal with the identification,
preservation, and interpretation of "historic resources."
Museum Management
The museum concentration at MTSU is designed to give students the training they need
to succeed in a wide variety of museum careers, such as museum administrators, curators,
registrars, and educators. The goals of our museum studies courses are to provide
in-depth knowledge of the theoretical and methodological issues that effect today's
museums and to apply that knowledge with practical, hands-on experience. Our course
offerings emphasize applied training in museum administration, collections management,
exhibit development, fundraising, museum education, and other technical and communication
skills. As new technologies and ideas continue to transform traditional museum practices
and employment patterns, our concentration in museums has responded to these changes
by offering the skills, knowledge, and attitudes needed by current and future museum
professionals.
Archival Management
Governments, organizations, and individuals throughout history have recorded information
in a variety of textual, visual, aural, and electronic documents as they carried out
their daily activities. Those documents preserve personal, community and institutional
memory and extend that memory over time, space, and place. Individuals and societies
depend on these documents to establish their legal rights and to insure the accountability
of governments, businesses, and other institutions. Society charges archivists with
selecting and preserving those documents that have enduring legal or social value
and making them available to present and future users.
Students in the archival concentration acquire the skills they need to meet that responsibility.
Introductory and advanced courses cover the seven domains of archival practice recognized
by the Society of American Archivists and the Academy of Certified Archivists: appraisal,
arrangement and description, access, preservation, outreach, professional responsibilities,
and management. Students also have an opportunity to achieve proficiency in a single
domain through an archival practicum and to acquire broad professional experience
through an internship in one of a variety of cooperating repositories. See Albert Gore Research Center, Center for Popular Music, Rutherford County Archives.
Graduates can expect to find employment in national, state, and local government archives;
manuscripts repositories and special collections associated with historical societies,
educational institutions, and other cultural agencies; and a wide range of organizations
and businesses. They should also be able to pass the examination to become a Certified
Archivist.
Online or Hybrid Programs at a Glance
This program is available .
For More Information or Explore Your Options
Contact your department / program coordinator or advisor for more details about the program OR work one-on-one with your advisor to explore your options.
The Online Advantage
With over 25 years of experience in online teaching and learning, MTSU Online offers students access to innovative, high-quality programs. Designed with students in mind, our courses allow maximum flexibility for those unable to participate in person.
Resources and services for online students are available from MTSU Online or contact us at distance@mtsu.edu.
