Public History, MA in History
Introduction
Please click here to see the History department's information.
The MA program in history offers graduate-level major and minor fields in public history. Public history is a field of study that applies historical methods to the public sphere. This graduate major requires a concentration, in either museum studies or historic preservation. Public history majors can minor in any subspecialty the department currently offers. Students majoring in U.S., European or Global history can also minor in public history.
These degree requirements are subject to periodic revision by the academic department, and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences reserves the right to make exceptions and substitutions as judged necessary in individual cases. Therefore, the College strongly urges students to consult regularly with their Public History faculty advisor to confirm the best plans of study before finalizing them.
Graduate Education Policies and Procedures apply to this program.
Program Requirements
- Students must complete a minimum of 36 credit hours from approved courses.
- Students must complete all courses at the graduate (5000-level and higher). A minimum of 18 credit hours must be completed at the 6000 level or higher.
- Students must earn a minimum grade of B- (2.7) in all courses taken at CU Denver and must achieve a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. All graded attempts in required and elective courses are calculated in the GPA. Courses taken using P+/P/F or S/U grading cannot apply to degree requirements.
- Students must complete all credits with CU Denver faculty.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete the following General History required courses: | 9 | |
| Introduction to the Professional Study of History | ||
| Readings: Special Subjects in History | ||
| Seminar: Special Subjects in History | ||
| Complete the following Public History required courses: | 9 | |
| History at Work: Public and Community History | ||
| Introduction to Digital Studies | ||
| Internship | ||
| Complete a minimum of six Public History elective credits from the following: 1 | 6 | |
| Management of Material Culture and Museum Collections | ||
| Colorado Historic Places | ||
| History in Museums | ||
| Historic Preservation | ||
| National Parks History | ||
| Interpretation of History in Museums: Exhibits and Education | ||
| Complete six additional graduate level HIST courses. Students may select additional courses from the list above or to explore secondary thematic or geographical fields that intersect with interests and their capstone project. | 6 | |
| Public History Capstone | 6 | |
| Students must complete either a thesis or project. 2 | ||
| Total Hours | 36 | |
- 1
Independent Studies and/or Internships
Candidates may register for up to six hours of internships or independent study by taking HIST 5840 Independent Study: History, HIST 6840 Independent Study: HIST, or HIST 6939 Internship, only one of which may be at the 6000-level. Students will not be allowed to satisfy the research seminar requirement via independent study. Any independent study or internship at the 6000-level needs the permission of the graduate advisor. Students interested in pursuing an independent study or internship must find a faculty member willing to oversee their work, and they should expect the workload to equal or exceed that required for other courses at the same level.- 2
Students who undertake their master's program when they are already teachers can choose to construct curriculum projects relevant to their teaching practice.
Students must complete HIST 6989 Seminar: Special Subjects in History before starting the Capstone. For the thesis, semester one consists of preliminary research: identifying historiographical trends and locating sources for your project. For the project, semester one consists of preliminary research: identifying historiographical trends, identifying a community partner, developing an action plan, and locating resources for your project. At the end of the semester students will prepare and present a Research Prospectus to their committee. In semester two, students complete and defend their thesis or project.
Thesis Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete six credits of the following: | 6 | |
| Master's Thesis | ||
| Total Hours | 6 | |
Students writing theses are expected to develop an original research agenda resulting in an extended paper. Students work with their faculty advisor, who will help guide them through the process of research and writing. Before registering for HIST 6950 Master's Thesis, students must have a thesis proposal and initial bibliography approved by their advisor.
A thesis is evaluated by a committee of three, including the major advisor and two other faculty members chosen by the student in consultation with the major advisor. Upon completion of the thesis, the student meets with the committee members, who ask questions about the research and conclusions which the student must defend. In many instances, the committee will require further revisions, sometimes major in scope, before the thesis is accepted and cleared for fulfillment of degree requirements.
Project Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete an additional three credit hour HIST elective course at the 6000 level. | 3 | |
| Complete a three credit hour project under the supervision of a faculty member and take one extra elective. “Projects” include experiential learning (i.e. internships), digital dissemination projects that do not require extensive primary source or historiographical research, or other project ideas as agreed to after consultation with a faculty member and the Graduate Advisor. | 3 | |
| Independent Study: History | ||
| Directed Research | ||
| Internship | ||
| Independent Study: HIST | ||
| Internship | ||
| Total Hours | 6 | |
To learn more about the Student Learning Outcomes for this program, please visit our website.