Public History, Certificate


At a Glance: program details

Have you ever visited the Grand Canyon or Gettysburg or been to a historical site and thought: How could I do make this my career? You can become a public historian and gain the skills and hands-on experience to put history to work in the world.

Program Description

Certificate Awarded: Public History (Certificate)

The graduate certificate in public history offers students the opportunity to explore local and community history, digital humanities, historic preservation, oral history, cultural resources management, historical administration, museum studies, archival training and scholarly publishing. Students work with faculty conducting research in a variety of historical and applied fields, all of which emphasize the intersection of theory and practice in public history.

By its nature, public history training must move beyond the classroom, and with a professional experience built in conjunction with community partners, students can develop their professional networks and be introduced to the process and settings in which they will build careers.

GI Bill® benefits

This new program is not yet approved for use with GI Bill® benefits.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/.


Degree Requirements

Curriculum Plan Options

  • 15 credit hours

Required Core (6 credit hours)
HST 502 Public History Methodology (3)
HST/WWS 585 Professional Experience (3)

Other Requirements (3 credit hours)
HST 580 Practicum (3) or
HST/WWS 585 Professional Experience (3) or
WWS 563 The Lived Experience of World War II (3)

Electives (6 credit hours)

Additional Curriculum Information
HST 585 Professional Experience is crosslisted with WWS 585 Professional Experience, and students can take either section to fulfill certificate requirements. For Other Requirements coursework, students complete either an additional 3 credit hours of HST/WWS 585, WWS 563 The Lived Experience in World War II or take an HST 580 course from an approved list. Students should see the unit for an approved list of other requirements and elective topics.


Admission Requirements

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in any field from a regionally accredited institution.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.

Applicants are required to submit:

  1. graduate admissions application and application fee
  2. official transcripts
  3. personal statement
  4. professional resume
  5. written statement
  6. proof of English proficiency

Additional Admission Information
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of current residency. The history program requires a TOEFL iBT® score of at least 90, taken in a testing center.

The personal statement, about 500 words in length, should be addressed to the history admission committee and should explain the applicant's scholarly background and training, career goals, and why the applicant wants to pursue graduate study at ASU in public history.

The written statement should respond to the following prompt: Public history is most simply defined as history put to work in the world. In a brief statement (about 500 words), tell us your experiences in, or thoughts about, how you have, or would like to, put history to work in the world and how ASU's public history program might help you accomplish your career and/or intellectual goals as a historian.

All applications are reviewed by multiple ASU faculty members and assessed holistically to determine if they demonstrate the capacity to succeed in a rigorous and writing-intensive graduate program. This decision is made on the basis of prior coursework (particularly in history and other social sciences), the quality of the written statement and the personal statement. Prior coursework in history is not a requirement, but in such cases, applicants will want to have a strong written statement.


Global Opportunities

Global Experience

Study abroad is possible for graduate students. There are more than 50 program opportunities, with programs on every continent. Faculty-directed programs tend to be the best fit for graduate students; taking courses with ASU professors over the summer or during academic breaks offers students close mentorship and professional network growth in many fields of study while they earn ASU credit. Exchange program participation is also possible with careful planning.

Within the public history certificate program, students also have the option to organize a professional experience opportunity that can take place abroad. Students need to consult with the academic unit directly for more information about these professional experience options.

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Application Deadlines

Fall

Session
Modality
Deadline
Type

Session A/C
In Person
April 15th
Final
Session A/C
Online
July 25th
Priority
Session B
Online
September 18th
Priority

Spring

Session
Modality
Deadline
Type

Session A/C
Online
December 10th
Priority
Session B
Online
February 12th
Priority

Summer

Session
Modality
Deadline
Type

Session A/C
Online
April 18th
Priority


Career Opportunities

Graduates possess the theoretical knowledge and practical, hands-on training experience needed for careers in research, teaching, government service, public history and a host of other positions in the public, private and nonprofit sectors.

Graduates serve as first-rate historians, researchers and consultants, foreign service officers, management professionals, community organizers and public servants.

Other career examples include:

  • archivist
  • collections manager
  • editor
  • museum director
  • national parks historian and park ranger
  • nonprofit director

Attend Online

ASU offers this program in an online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. Applicants may view the program description and request more information here.

Program Contact Information

If you have questions related to admission, please click here to request information and an admission specialist will reach out to you directly. For questions regarding faculty or courses, please use the contact information below.