Public History, M.A. < West Virginia University

Degree Requirements

Credit Hours: Students are required to complete a minimum of 33 graduate credit hours in History. Up to 12 credits can be at the 400 or 500 level. Six of the 33 credits can be from outside history, with permission from adviser.
Grade Point Average: Students must earn a minimum overall GPA of 2.75, and a GPA of 3.00 in coursework applied to their graduate program.

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
Core Courses		12
HIST 613	Local History Research Methodology
HIST 750	Public History Methods
Select one set of courses:
HIST 701 & HIST 702	Readings in Medieval History and Seminar in Medieval History
HIST 705 & HIST 706	Readings in Early Modern History 3 Hr and Seminar in Early Modern History
HIST 717 & HIST 718	Readings In Modern European History and Seminar in Modern European History
HIST 725 & HIST 726	Readings in African History and Seminar in African History
HIST 731 & HIST 732	Readings In American History: 1585-1763 and Seminar in American History: 1585-1763
HIST 757 & HIST 758	Readings in United States History: 1787-1850 and Seminar in United States History: 1787-1850
HIST 759 & HIST 760	Readings in United States History: 1840-1898 and Seminar in United States History: 1850-1898
HIST 763 & HIST 764	Readings in United States History: 1898-Present and Seminar in United States History: 1898-Present
HIST 765 & HIST 766	Readings in United States Diplomatic History and Seminar in United States Diplomatic History
HIST 773 & HIST 774	Readings in Appalachian Regional History and Seminar in Appalachian Regional History
HIST 785 & HIST 786	Readings in Environmental History and Seminar in Environmental History
Professional Experience ^***		6
HIST 614	Internship in Public History
or HIST 796	Graduate Seminar
Reading Electives ^*		3
A minimum of one HIST Reading course at the 700 level or above is required
Electives ^**		12
Any HIST course at the 400 level or above
Total Hours		33

*: Excluding HIST 750, 796, and 797.
**: Courses at the 400 level or above in another subject, as approved by advisor;
***: Only one credit hour of HIST 796 may be counted towards the degree program.

Students earning a M.A. in Public History will be able to:

Demonstrate skills as expert researchers, writers, and interpreters of history.
Evaluate and apply methodological approaches to researching and interpreting the past that considers audience, stakeholders, ethical best practice, and project resources.
Interpret the unique nature of working as a professional historian in the public sector and explain how shared authority, community building, and collaboration are essential to successful public history practice.
Develop professional skills in museums, historic preservation, archives, administrative leadership, cultural resources management, grant writing, oral history, digital history, or contract work.