Public History
Last Updated: October 20, 2021
600 Forbes Avenue
Dept. of History
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15282
Director(s)
Dr. Philipp Stelzel
Graduate Director, History and Public History
412-396-2633
611 College Hall
Program Introduction
Established in 1979, Duquesne’s Public History program admits ten to fourteen students each year. It offers a master’s degree in public history, with approximately half of the students’ credits in public history courses and internships. The number of graduates of the program over its thirty years is approaching 200.
Degrees Offered
- B.A. in History
- B.A. in History with a Certificate or Concentration in Public History
- M.A. in Public History
- M.A. in History
- M.A. in History with a Certificate or Concentration in Public History
Program Strengths
- Archival Practices
- Editing
- Historic Preservation
- Local/Community History
- Museum Studies
- Oral History
Credit Hour Requirements
30 for M.A. in History; 36 for M.A. in Public History
How Many Students are Admitted Annually
MA10-14
MAs produced last year
7 M.A. in History; 9 M.A. in Public History
Financial Aid Available
Assistantships (research, administrative)
Tuition scholarships
Internships
Deadline To Apply
Fall Admissions - Feb. 1; Spring Admissions - Nov. 1
Internship Requirements
All Public History graduate students complete two internships and earn six hours of credit during their course of study. Each internship requires a minimum of 125 hours of professional experience under the guidance of working professionals in various public history fields. They are available every semester (including summer) and require at least six weeks of work.
In conjunction with your internship director, you complete an Internship Contract, which outlines the project or area of work to be covered by the internship, prior to starting work. You also submit a formal internship report after finishing your work.
Places Where Students Have Interned During the Past 3 Years
- Frick Art & Historical Center
- Heinz History Center
- Andy Warhol Museum
- Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History
- Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation
- Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area
- Fort Pitt Block House Museum
Employers Who Have Hired Graduates from this Program within the Past Five Years
- Heinz History Center
- National Archives
- Frick Art and Historical Center
- Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area
- Jewish Museum of Baltimore
- National History Day
- United States Navy
- St. Vincent College Coverlet Museum
- The Oglebay Institute
Public History Certificate-Undergraduate
Last Updated: January 17, 2024
Program Introduction
The undergraduate certificate in public history allows you to expand on your liberal arts education and develop hands-on skills in fields such as museum studies, archival methods, historic preservation, grant writing, oral history and the digital humanities.
You’ll learn from Duquesne's public history faculty—leading practitioners in the field, work in our Digital Lab and Oral History Studio, and enroll in internships with community partners like the Heinz History Center, the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation and the city of Pittsburgh.
With a public history certificate, you’ll find job opportunities in government as well as for-profit and not-for-profit entities, including museums, archives, libraries, state and national parks, historic homes and corporations. You’ll also be well qualified for entering a graduate M.A. or Ph.D. public history program upon graduation.
Degrees Offered
- B.A. in History
- B.A. in History with a Certificate or Concentration in Public History
- M.A. in Public History
- M.A. in History
Credit Hour Requirements
15
How Many Students are Admitted Annually
BA50
MA18
Full-time Program Staff/Faculty
9 full time faculty members
Internship Requirements
This is a special elective for a history major interested in and qualified to apprentice with a history organization (archive, museum, or historical society). The student has to meet both College (2.5 GPA) and departmental (at least 2.7 in a minimum of 5 history courses) requirements to take the internship. To earn 3 credits the student must have 120 contact hours with the history institution. Two credits require 80 contact hours, and 1 credit requires 50 contact hours. The student will also have a writing assignment. There is also the Liberal Arts internship, CLPRG 401, but it will not count for the major. For College procedures, see http://www.duq.edu/liberalarts/undergraduate/internships/index.cfm.
Places Where Students Have Interned During the Past 3 Years
Heinz History Center, the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation, and the city of Pittsburgh
Public History Certificate
Last Updated: October 20, 2021
Director(s)
Kelly Kovalsky
[email protected]
Program Strengths
- Archival Practices
- Historic Preservation
- Local/Community History
- Museum Studies
- Oral History
Credit Hour Requirements
15