The History Department at UNCW offers a Master’s degree in history with a concentration in public history, preparing students for professional positions in a wide range of settings, ranging from institutions such as museums, historic sites, archives, special libraries, and preservation foundations to organizations specializing in exhibition design, contract research, cultural resource management, and heritage tourism. The 30-hour program includes seminars, colloquia, and directed independent study, which integrate historical content, theory, professional standards and practical experience.
Students complete a semester-long internship and a thesis as the capstones of the program. Our students are supported by scholarships, paid internships, tuition waivers, and graduate assistantships see courses below to learn more about the curriculum.
Admission requirements: 3.0 GPA satisfactory scores of the Graduate Record examination, writing sample, three letters of recommendation.
Sample Course of Study: 30 hours required for graduation:
Core requirements [21 hours]
| HST 500 | Historiography & Methodology | 3 hrs. |
| HST 570 | Introduction to Public History | 3 hrs. |
| HST 573 | Seminar in Public History [changing topics] | 3 hrs. [may repeat/different topic] |
| HST 5xx | Graduate History Seminar [changing topics] | 3 hrs. [may repeat/different topic] |
| HST 577 | Historic Preservation in the US | 3 hrs |
| HST 578 | Interpreting US Material Culture | 3 hrs |
| HST 580 | Topics in Public History | 3 hrs. [may repeat/different topic] |
| HST 598 | Internship | 3 hrs. |
| HST 599 | Thesis | 3 hrs. [total hrs. vary by project] |
| Electives | 9 hours | |
| HST 507 | Advanced Field Training in Archaeology | 3 hrs. |
| HST 508 | Historical Archaeology | 3 hrs. |
| HST 591 | Directed Independent Study | 3-6 hrs. [repeat with diffrent faculty] |
| NON- HISTORY ELECTIVES | 3-6 hrs. [approved by Graduate Coordinator] |
Public History Thesis
Each student in the Public History concentration is required to complete a thesis project in a public history field specialty and to produce a final scholarly product acceptable to all members of the student’s departmental committee. The project, developed in consultation with the student’s advisor, may or may not relate directly to the student’s internship. As an original contribution to the field of public history, the thesis must integrate primary source research with public interpretation. The thesis must locate the public history project within the relevant historiography and professional literature and provide analytic perspective on pertinent interpretive issues. The student must satisfactorily defend the thesis in a public session including the department committee and a faculty member outside the discipline (appointed by the Graduate School). The thesis must conform to all Graduate School regulations for preparation and deadlines.
