Public History Graduate Program
The Public History program curriculum combines graduate-level topical and methods courses in history, core courses in public history, courses in the student’s area of specialization, and internships with public-history organizations in the Milwaukee region and beyond. Coursework and internships prepare students for careers in historical societies, museums, archives, libraries, nonprofit organizations, government, and other professional fields, or for entry into a public history PhD program.
The Public History Specialization enables students to earn a master’s degree in history while specializing in one of the following tracks:
- Museum Studies
- Nonprofit Administration
- Historic Preservation
- Archives
- Cross‐Disciplinary Studies with Thesis
For details on the curricular requirements of each track, click on the "Requirements" tab on this page and refer to the "Credits and Courses" section.
Although a majority of students in our program pursue the specialization in Public History at the master's level, it is also possible for PhD students in History to pursue a Public History minor. For more information about the PhD program, see the History, PhD page.
Admission Requirements
Application Deadlines
Application deadlines vary by program, please review the application deadline chart for specific programs. Other important dates and deadlines can be found by using the One Stop calendars.
Admission
To be considered for admission, an applicant must meet Graduate School requirements plus these departmental requirements:
- An undergraduate minor or 18 credits in history or equivalent preparation.
- Two letters of recommendation from persons familiar with the applicant’s scholastic achievement and potential.
- A sample of the applicant’s written work that demonstrates their ability to conduct historical research and/or the ability to analyze critically the work of others.
Please visit the History department’s website for information on the History Department Application.
Applicants may be admitted with course deficiencies provided that the deficiencies amount to no more than two courses. The student is expected to satisfy deficiency requirements within three enrolled semesters. The deficiencies are monitored by the Graduate School and the individual graduate program unit. No course credits earned in making up deficiencies may be counted toward the degree.
Advising
The Director of Graduate Studies provides initial advising for students in selecting courses and assists in selecting a Major Professor for long-term advising; the Director may assign a provisional graduate advisor before students select a Major Professor. Students are required to consult periodically with, and have their schedules approved by, the Director of Graduate Studies, the provisional advisor, or the Major Professor. The Major Professor normally serves as the chair of the student’s academic review and supervises either the writing of the student’s thesis or the student’s reading for the comprehensive exam.
Museum Studies Track
Space is limited in this specialization, and students interested to enroll in this track must first be admitted to the History Department as an MA student with a concentration in Public History. Then prospective students must apply separately for admission to the Museum Studies Certificate Program (MSCP).
Cross-Disciplinary Studies with Thesis Track
Prospective students interested to pursue this track must contact the Public History Director prior to applying for admission to the MA program in History.
Credits and Courses
Minimum degree requirement is 36 graduate credits, 12 of which must be taken in General History courses, 12 in Public History courses, and the remaining 12 in the chosen area of specialization. For students completing either the Museum Studies track or the Nonprofit Administration track, an additional 3 credits in the area of specialization is required for a total of 39 credits.
Before matriculation, students should select a specialization:
- Museum Studies
- Nonprofit Administration
- Historic Preservation
- Archives
- Cross-Disciplinary Studies with Thesis
Museum Studies Track
Space is limited in this specialization, and students interested to enroll in this track must first be admitted to the History Department as an MA student with a concentration in Public History. Then prospective students must apply separately for admission to the Museum Studies Certificate Program (MSCP).
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General History | ||
| Select 6 credits in colloquia 1 | 6 | |
| Select 6 credits in seminars 1 | 6 | |
| Public History | ||
| Students are advised to complete these two courses in the first year: | ||
| HIST 700 | Public History Seminar | 3 |
| HIST 715 | Research Methods in Local History | 3 |
| Students also complete the following, generally taken at any point after the second semester: | ||
| HIST 701 | Graduate Internship in Public History 2 | 6 |
| Specialization | ||
| ANTHRO 620G | Museum Fundamentals | 3 |
| ANTHRO 720 | History and Theory of Museums | 2 |
| ANTHRO 721 | Administration and Organization of Museums | 3 |
| ANTHRO 723 | Museum Collections Management and Curation | 3 |
| ANTHRO 722 | Visitor Experience Design in Museums | 3 |
| ANTHRO 725 | Professionalism Capstone in Museum Studies | 1 |
| Total Credits | 39 | |
- 1
As a substitute for one colloquium or seminar, students may take 3 credits of HIST 716, HIST 717 or another appropriate course, which must be approved in advance by the program director.
- 2
Students must take a total of 6 credits of HIST 701, and this requirement is generally completed as two 3-credit internships. However, an individual internship may be taken for 1 to 6 credits. Unless granted an exception by the program faculty, students complete their 701 internship(s) after having taken both HIST 700 and HIST 715.
Nonprofit Administration Track
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General History | ||
| Select 6 credits in colloquia 1 | 6 | |
| Select 6 credits in seminars 1 | 6 | |
| Public History | ||
| Students are advised to complete these two courses in the first year: | ||
| HIST 700 | Public History Seminar | 3 |
| HIST 715 | Research Methods in Local History | 3 |
| Students also complete the following, generally taken at any point after the second semester: | ||
| HIST 701 | Graduate Internship in Public History 2 | 6 |
| Specialization | ||
| The following are required courses for this track: | ||
| BUSMGMT 721 | Fundraising and Development for Nonprofit Organizations | 3 |
| BUSMGMT 724 | Accounting for Nonprofit Organizations | 3 |
| NONPROF 725 | Governance of Nonprofit Organizations | 3 |
| Students also select two of the following courses: | 6 | |
| Professionals and Volunteers in Nonprofit Organizations 3 | ||
| Executive Leadership of Nonprofit Organizations | ||
| Marketing for Nonprofit Organizations 3 | ||
| Nonprofit Advocacy and Public Policy | ||
| Introduction to Nonprofit Revenue Streams and Portfolios 3 | ||
| Total Credits | 39 | |
- 1
As a substitute for one colloquium or seminar, students may take 3 credits of HIST 716, HIST 717, or another appropriate course, which must be approved in advance by the program director.
- 2
Students must take a total of 6 credits of HIST 701, and this requirement is generally completed as two 3-credit internships. However, an individual internship may be taken for 1 to 6 credits. Unless granted an exception by the program faculty, students complete their 701 internship(s) after having taken both HIST 700 and HIST 715.
- 3
These electives are strongly recommended, but students with prior coursework or employment experience in nonprofit administration may opt for alternatives to one or more of these electives.
Historic Preservation Track
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General History | ||
| Select 6 credits in colloquia 1 | 6 | |
| Select 6 credits in seminars 1 | 6 | |
| Public History | ||
| Students are advised to complete these two courses in the first year: | ||
| HIST 700 | Public History Seminar | 3 |
| HIST 715 | Research Methods in Local History | 3 |
| Students also complete the following, generally taken at any point after the second semester: | ||
| HIST 701 | Graduate Internship in Public History 2 | 6 |
| Specialization | ||
| These two courses must be taken within the first two years: | ||
| ARCH 560G | Introduction to Historic Preservation (offered every other year) | 3 |
| ARCH 760 | History of Building Technology (offered every other year) | 3 |
| Students select two of the following electives: | 6 | |
| Seminar in Building Types and Settings | ||
| American Vernacular Architecture | ||
| Preservation Technology Laboratory | ||
| Emerging Digital Technology: | ||
| Special Topics: ("Practicum in Buildings-Landscapes-Cultures" and other approved subtitles) | ||
| American Architecture | ||
| Trends in Contemporary Architecture | ||
| Frank Lloyd Wright | ||
| Colloquium in American Art: | ||
| Colloquium in Modern Art/Architecture: | ||
| Total Credits | 36 | |
- 1
As a substitute for one colloquium or seminar, students may take 3 credits of HIST 716, HIST 717, or another appropriate course, which must be approved in advance by the program director.
- 2
Students must take a total of 6 credits of HIST 701, and this requirement is generally completed as two 3-credit internships. However, an individual internship may be taken for 1 to 6 credits. Unless granted an exception by the program faculty, students complete their 701 internship(s) after having taken both HIST 700 and HIST 715.
Archives Track
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General History | ||
| Select 6 credits in colloquia 1 | 6 | |
| Select 6 credits in seminars 1 | 6 | |
| Public History | ||
| Students are advised to complete these two courses in the first year: | ||
| HIST 700 | Public History Seminar | 3 |
| HIST 715 | Research Methods in Local History | 3 |
| Students also complete the following, generally taken at any point after the second semester: | ||
| HIST 701 | Graduate Internship in Public History 2 | 6 |
| Specialization | ||
| This course must be completed during the first semester of the first year: | ||
| INFOST 650G | An Introduction to Modern Archives Administration | 3 |
| Then select three of the following: | 9 | |
| Digital Libraries | ||
| Arrangement and Description in Archives 3 | ||
| Archival Outreach: Programs and Services | ||
| Preserving Information Media 3 | ||
| Topics in Library and Information Science: (with appropriate subtitle) | ||
| Advanced Appraisal 3 | ||
| Advanced Topics in Library and Information Science: (with appropriate subtitle) | ||
| Total Credits | 36 | |
- 1
As a substitute for one colloquium or seminar, students may take 3 credits of HIST 716, HIST 717, or another appropriate course, which must be approved in advance by the program director.
- 2
Students must take a total of 6 credits of HIST 701, and this requirement is generally completed as two 3-credit internships. However, an individual internship may be taken for 1 to 6 credits. Unless granted an exception by the program faculty, students complete their 701 internship(s) after having taken both HIST 700 and HIST 715.
- 3
These electives are strongly recommended, but students with prior coursework or employment experience in archives may opt for other electives.
Cross-Disciplinary Studies with Thesis Track
Students in the Cross-Disciplinary Studies track complete a thesis in public history, and they are required to take 6 Master's Capstone credits and 3 credits of public-history internship. Instead of the 12-15 credits in specialized courses, students in the thesis track must also take 9 credits in cross-disciplinary courses in the humanities and/or social sciences. Selected in consultation with the Public History Director and the student's major professor, cross-disciplinary courses may focus on culture and politics in public history, or they may include coursework in theory or methodology relevant to public history.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General History | ||
| Select 6 credits in colloquia 1 | 6 | |
| Select 6 credits in seminars 1 | 6 | |
| Public History | ||
| Students are advised to complete these two courses in the first year: | ||
| HIST 700 | Public History Seminar | 3 |
| HIST 715 | Research Methods in Local History | 3 |
| Students also complete the following, generally taken at any point after the second semester: | ||
| HIST 701 | Graduate Internship in Public History 2 | 3 |
| Thesis credits may be completed after the approval of the thesis prospectus (see below): | ||
| HIST 985 | Master's Capstone | 6 |
| Cross-Disciplinary Requirement | ||
| Select 9 credits in the humanities and/or social sciences that focus on culture and politics in public history (see below) | 9 | |
| Total Credits | 36 | |
- 1
As a substitute for one colloquium or seminar, students may take 3 credits of HIST 716, HIST 717, or another appropriate course, which must be approved in advance by the program director.
- 2
Students pursuing Cross-Disciplinary Studies with Thesis Track must take 3 credits of HIST 701. Unless granted an exception by the program faculty, students complete their 701 internship(s) after having taken both HIST 700 and HIST 715.
Thesis Prospectus
Within the first semester after completing 9 credits (including two of the following courses: HIST 700, HIST 715, a colloquium, and/or a seminar), public history students who choose to write a thesis are subject to an academic review. The review is a one- to two-hour meeting involving the student, the student’s major professor, and two other members of the History Graduate Faculty who will serve as secondary readers of the student’s thesis. With the assistance of their major professor, the student must prepare a thesis prospectus in advance of the review. The review involves an evaluation of the student’s academic progress in master’s coursework, two unrevised course papers, and the thesis prospectus.
Recommendations for Cross-Disciplinary Coursework
The following are recommended courses to fulfill the cross-disciplinary requirement (others may be chosen with the approval of the Public History Director):
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Elective courses to fulfill cross-disciplinary track requirements | ||
| ANTHRO 340 | Cultures of Online Games and Virtual Worlds | 3 |
| ANTHRO 380 | Anthropological Applications of GIS | 3 |
| ANTHRO 744 | Theories of Social Action: Theater, Ritual, Game | 3 |
| ARCH 583G | Emerging Digital Technology: | 3 |
| ARCH 742 | Professional Practice II | 3 |
| ARCH 771 | Representation I | 3 |
| ARCH 772 | Representation II | 3 |
| ART 312G | Intermediate Digital Studio: | 3 |
| ART 313G | Creative Coding: | 3 |
| ART 316G | Creative Interfaces: | 3 |
| ART 317G | 3D Environments and XR | 3 |
| ART 318 | Creative Electronics | 3 |
| ART 327 | Digital Media Workshop: | 3 |
| ART 412G | Advanced Creative Technologies | 3 |
| ART 418G | Advanced Electronics and Sculpture: | 3 |
| ART 426G | Motion Graphics | 3 |
| ART 433G | Digital Imaging for Fabric | 3 |
| ART 452G | Contemporary Issues in Photography | 3 |
| ART 456G | Advanced Photography & Imaging: | 3 |
| ART 526G | Research in Universal Design and Fabrication | 3 |
| ARTHIST 376G | History and Theory of New Media Art | 3 |
| COMMUN 813 | Seminar in Mediated Communication | 3 |
| COMMUN 873 | The Digital Mirror | 3 |
| COMMUN 893 | Rhetoric of/and the Internet | 3 |
| DAC 661G | Digital Engagement Seminar | 3 |
| ENGLISH 439 | Information Design | 3 |
| ENGLISH 709 | Rhetoric, Writing, and Information Technology | 3 |
| ENGLISH 711 | Topics in Public and Professional Writing: | 3 |
| ENGLISH 713 | Research Methods in Rhetorics, Literacies, and Community Engagement: | 3 |
| ENGLISH 742 | Media Studies | 3 |
| ENGLISH 887 | Seminar in Digital Studies: | 3 |
| FILM 420G | Intermediate Media Arts Module: | 3 |
| FILM 763 | Experimental Documentary | 3 |
| FILM 764 | Observational Documentary | 3 |
| FILM 782 | Visual Effects | 3 |
| HIST 450G | The History of Milwaukee | 3 |
| HIST 715 | Research Methods in Local History | 3 |
| HIST 717 | History and the New Media | 3 |
| INFOST 661G | Information Ethics | 3 |
| INFOST 670G | Instructional Technologies | 3 |
| INFOST 682G | Digital Libraries | 3 |
| INFOST 685G | Electronic Publishing and Web Design | 3 |
| URB STD 921 | Seminar: Research Methods in Urban Studies | 3 |
| URBPLAN 791 | Introduction to Urban Geographic Information Systems for Planning | 3 |
| URBPLAN 792 | Using Urban Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for Planning | 3 |
| WGS 500G | Advanced Social Science Seminar in Women's and Gender Studies: | 3 |
Approved Cross-Listed Courses
WGS 501G, with the topic "Women, Gender, & Global Revolutions," counts as a History course.
Additional Requirements
Internship
All internships must be approved by the Public History Director and are to be supervised and evaluated by the Public History Director and the host institution. All students must write a substantial paper as a part of their internship experience.
Thesis Option for Students in Non-Thesis Tracks
A thesis is not required for students in the Museum Studies, Nonprofit Administration, Historical Preservation, or Archives tracks, but with the approval of the Public History Coordinator these students may write a thesis in public history, which will add 6 credits to the 36-credit Public History specialization. Public History students who write a thesis are subject to the Academic Review and Thesis Prospectus requirements outlined for the General History: Thesis Option.
Comprehensive Examination
Not required.
Time Limit
The student must complete all degree requirements within seven years of initial enrollment.
History MA Learning Outcomes
Students graduating from the History MA program will:
- Demonstrate a knowledge of general historical problems and the complexity and diversity of human experience.
- Demonstrate a knowledge of specific historical areas and/or eras in human experience.
- Demonstrate a knowledge of major historical debates within the subject matter of their course work, and a familiarity with major methodological and interpretive constructs.
- Demonstrate an ability to make an evaluative presentation of historical material.
- Prepare a high-quality capstone project, such as a thesis, comprehensive exam, portfolio, or internship.