Guided Pathways: Public History

Simply put, public history is history put to work. Public historians work in both historical resource management and applied research. They collaborate with community partners or clients to interpret the past in useful and accessible ways. Public historians disseminate their research to broad public audiences through a wide variety of methods such as museum exhibits, documentary films, historic preservation projects, the collection of oral histories, and digital media. Students on this track will examine the theories behind and gain practical experience in various aspects of public history, laying the groundwork for potential careers in museums, archives, historical consulting, cultural resource management, and government agencies.