Program Introduction

Bowling Green State University's public history MA program, established in the late 2000s, has grown and changed in response to the needs of the industry. We offer a full MA with a focus on public history, as well as a Certificate in Public History that can be earned as part of the full MA or on a stand-alone basis. With its outstanding record of job placement, ours is an ideal program for those seeking high-level public history training. Approximately 15 students are enrolled in our public history program each year, with approximately 10 graduating with the full MA.

Degrees Offered

  • M.A. in Public History
  • M.A. in History
  • M.A. in History with a Certificate or Concentration in Public History

Program Strengths

  • Local/Community History
  • Museum Studies
  • Oral History

Credit Hour Requirements

30 credit hour MA requirement. The Certificate in Public History is 14 hours and is often earned along with the MA.

How Many Students are Admitted Annually

MA12-15

MAs produced last year

10

Full-time Program Staff/Faculty

The BGSU History Department has 13 full-time faculty of diverse cultural backgrounds. Areas of specialization include public history, early and modern US, African-American history, Asian Studies, environmental history, European history, history of technology and digital history.

Financial Aid Available

Bowling Green State University's History MA program offers full scholarships and teaching assistantships to 9 - 10 students per year who qualify.

Internship Requirements

Internships are required for the public history degree program (2-3 credits). Our internship coordinator works individually with students to match them with positions of interest in the area. Internships can be paid or unpaid, and some can be done remotely if students prefer.

Places Where Students Have Interned During the Past 3 Years

  • Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library and Museums, Fremont, Ohio
  • Fort Meigs Historic Site and War of 1812 Museum, Perrysburg, Ohio
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration, John C. Stennis Space Center (Remote)
  • Wood County Museum, Bowling Green, Ohio
  • Carter Historic Farm, Wood County, Ohio
  • Allen County Historical Center, Lima, Ohio
  • Toledo Police Museum, Toledo, Ohio

Job Placement Assistance

Our program includes a course on the historical profession, an internship program, and job search coaching. The university and department offer funding for research projects and conference travel.

Job Placement Percentage Within One Year

Placement is currently at approximately 80%

Employers Who Have Hired Graduates from this Program within the Past Five Years

  • First Ladies National Historic Site, Akron, Ohio
  • Armstrong Air and Space Museum, Wapakoneta, Ohio
  • Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, Ohio
  • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio
  • Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library and Museums, Fremont, Ohio
  • Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
  • River Raisin National Battlefield Park, Monroe, Michigan
  • Fort Meigs Historic Site, Perrysburg, Ohio
  • Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage, Nashville, Tennessee
  • Allen County Historical Center, Lima, Ohio

Community & Institutional Connections

Our Public History Certificate Program is jointly administered with BGSU’s American Culture Studies Program. Professors from that program offer courses on American Memory and Digital Humanities. We also offer courses and paid internships through the university’s Center for Archival Collections. We partner closely with area museums and non-profits such as Fort Meigs, Wood County Museum, Toledo Midstory, and Wood County Parks Service.