Public History Minor

The Interdisciplinary Minor in Public History allows students to examine the ways the historic method is applied outside of the classroom. For students seeking a career in public history, the minor will better prepare them for advanced study in specialized programs. In addition to history courses, the student can explore related disciplines such as marketing, management, or advertising. Students in this minor should see the public history advisor in the Department of History.

To see the types of positions public historians fill and current job listings, click here to connect to the National Council on Public History’s jobs list.

Prerequisites

As students select courses to meet the requirements for the university Core of Common Studies (UCCS), they should pay close attention to the list of recommended for this minor. Prerequisites for enrolling in the minor are HIST 1101; or HIST 2101 and 2102. Recommended courses that satisfy the UCCS requirements include ANTH 1001; COMM 1100 or ENGL 1002; ECON 2003; and a statistics course (MANA 2028; MATH 1700; PSYC 2001; SOCI 2060)

Course Work

The minor in public history consists of six courses (18 total credit hours), including three required courses in history (9 credit hours); and three *elective courses (9 credit hours).

Required History Courses

HIST4100 Public History 3
HIST4101 Applied History 3
HIST4986 Internship in Public and Applied History 3

*Electives: If not pursuing a focus area, choose any three courses listed below. If pursuing a focus area, choose three courses from one of the focus areas.

Museum Curatorship Focus:

ANTH 2401 Archaeology and Prehistoric Cultures 3
ANTH 2501 Science, Myth and Fraud 3
ANTH 3250 North American Archaeology 3
ANTH 3350 Native Peoples of North America 3
ANTH 3543 Archaeology of Ancient Egypt 3
ANTH 3546 Archaeology in Action: Ethnographic and Experimental Approaches 3
ANTH 4247 Bioarchaeology: Linking Bones and Behavior  3
ENGL 3220 Writing for Workplaces 3
ENGL 4765 Material Cultures 3
HIST 4251 Art and Power in 18th Century Britain 3
HOPR 2956H Honors Engaging Social Systems and Values 1: Engaging the City 3
PHIL 3370 Philosophy of Art 3
THAR 4220 History of Clothing 1: From Ancient Greece to the Reign of Terror 3
THAR 4230 History of Clothing 2: From Jane Austin to Austin Powers 3

Museum Management Focus:

ACCO 1030 Principles of Financial Accounting 3
ACCO 1031 Principles of Managerial Accounting 3
ADVE 1400 Advertising Principles 3
CMST 4400 Cross-Cultural Communication 3
CMST 4410 Intercultural Communication 3
ENTP 3001 Understanding Entrepreneurship 3
HURE 3001 Management of Human Resources 3
HURE 4080 Talent Development 3
MANA 3001 Behavior and Organization 3
MARK 3001 Introduction to Marketing 3
MARK 4020 Integrated Marketing Communications 3

Note:

  • History majors pursuing the interdisciplinary minor in public history should note that only two courses may overlap between a major and a minor in the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences.
  • Elective Courses: Only two business administration courses may be included among the three electives.
  • All courses should be selected with the approval of the public history adviser.