With a passion for the past and a need to share history for the future, TU’s public history program goes far beyond the walls of a history classroom. Public history focuses on insight of historical events and the best ways to communicate history to the masses. Our classes focus on research, critique and various means of communication through written word, filmmaking and design, to ensure future generations will know historical value.
In TU’s public history program, students will develop primary and secondary research to interpret historical events, critique information about the diverse human condition and identify assumptions and evidence, to resolve problems in a diverse global environment. Public history places a focus on how to communicate this information, through written and visual design.
The public history program links historical knowledge to professional practice, as all students will be able to work in various applied history professions, including historical consultants, museum professionals, government historians, archivists, oral historians, cultural resource managers, curators, film and media producers, historical interpreters, historic preservationists, policy advisers, local historians and community historical activists.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, archivists, curators and museum workers have a median pay $47,360 per year (in 2017) or at $22.77 per hour.
In 2016, the number of jobs in public history field totalled at 31,000, but the job outlook in 2016-2026 is set to increase by 13%, or 4,200 jobs, which is faster than average.
With TU’s curriculum, a student also has the opportunity to apply to a graduate history program.
Humanities Core Curriculum 18 hours
Public History Major 39 hours
Attachments
Total BA 121 hours
This is a sample course sequence to illustrate course offerings for this major. Consult the official Academic Bulletin for detailed registration and advising information.
On Campus - Offered in a 15-week semester format with start dates of January and August
There are no related concentrations available.
Research and Writing for History (HIS122) - This class is designed to develop the research and communication skills common to the history profession. Each student will complete a variety of research projects using primary and secondary source material, scholarly journals, oral histories, artifacts and photographs. The advantages and shortcomings of online research will be presented. Students will also learn how to work successfully in groups to prepare and deliver an oral presentation of their joint research. This is a writing intensive course.
Communicating Across Cultures (COM324) - Introduction to the study of cultural and intercultural theory and behavior, discussion of various culturally specific patterns of communication. This is a writing intensive course
Historiography (HIS425) – This capstone course investigates how the study of history has evolved, with a special emphasis placed on competing historical theories. Using samples of historical writing from representative historians over time, students will seek to understand the role of objectivity and the temptations of manipulating the past to influence the future. In addition, they will learn how technology has influenced the profession. Material studied will include European as well as American historical thought and practice. This is a writing intensive course.
Dawn of Humankind: Civilizations Emerge and Develop (HIS303) - This course explores the birth and diffusion of world civilizations from the dawn of recorded history to 1350 CE. First, the course will begin by examining the development of early civilizations and then will follow their developments into the classical age by exploring the Mediterranean societies of Greece and Rome, the Indian subcontinent, China, and the Persian Empire. Finally, the course will conclude with the establishment of post-classical empires and the expansion of world religions. Over time, technology and human enterprise led to regular encounters between distant societies. This course highlights the ways these interactions came to shape the modern world. This is a writing intensive course.
This is a new program! Successful placements to come in the next few years …
I could not have asked for better faculty. I love how small the class sizes are because I really know the majority of my professors pretty well. More importantly, they know me really well and are aware of my future goals and aspirations. I know that I could seek help from any one of my mentors and they would give me the best advice that they had.
-Beata Krembuszewski '17
"TU wasn’t just the place I went to get my degree. It was the place I grew up and I am forever thankful for my Dragon family. It’s always a great day to be a Dragon.”
– Allison Marie Staunton, Class of 2016
– Jessica Paule, Class of 2015
- Omar Alfehri, Saudi Arabia
- Ygor Bortolato, Brazil
