Rutgers University New Brunswick Department of History Public History Program
Last Updated: February 4, 2021
Department of History
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 16 Seminary Place
New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1108
Director(s)
Kristin O’Brassill-Kulfan, Ph.D.
Coordinator and Instructor of Public History
History Department
Van Dyck Hall
Rutgers University
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
[email protected]
848-932-8226
Program Introduction
The Public History Program within the Rutgers University New Brunswick History Department offers students, faculty, and staff opportunities to participate in public historical engagement through coursework, experiential learning, events, and collaborative projects. The program offers an undergraduate Certificate in Public History, established in 2016, with interdisciplinary course offerings, and a long-standing experiential learning Public History Internship program, which connects students with opportunities to work and learn hands-on in the field of public history. All majors and minors are eligible to complete the Certificate or undertake an Internship.
Degrees Offered
- B.A. in History
- B.A. in History with a Certificate or Concentration in Public History
- Ph.D. in History
Program Strengths
- Archival Practices
- Local/Community History
- Museum Studies
- Oral History
Credit Hour Requirements
15
Financial Aid Available
Students pursuing the Certificate in Public History are eligible for the same financial aid as all students in the Department of History.
Deadline To Apply
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis
Internship Requirements
Internship placements are made with the assistance of the program coordinator at dozens of partner historic sites and agencies across the state of New Jersey. Internships are incorporated into regular coursework, and interns receive public history instruction throughout their placement. Students complete 112-120 in their placements, receive 3 History credit hours, and are eligible to receive other compensation for their labor.
Places Where Students Have Interned During the Past 3 Years
- Acorn Hall
- Alice Paul Institute
- American Labor Museum
- Cornelius Low House Museum
- East Jersey Old Town Village
- Edison Papers
- Ellis Island Immigration Museum
- Elmwood Cemetery
- Historical Society of Princeton
- IEEE History Center
- Jewish Heritage Monmouth County
- Liberty Hall Museum
- Madison Historical Society
- Morven Museum
- New Brunswick Free Public Library Archives
- New Jersey Hispanic Research and Information Center, Newark Public Library
- New Jersey State Museum
- Old Barracks Museum
- Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park
- Puerto Rican Community Archives, Newark Public Library
- Raices Cultural Center
- Red Mill Museum
- Rockingham Historic Site
- Rutgers Geology Museum
- Rutgers Oral History Archives
- Rutgers Raritan River Consortium
- Rutgers University Special Collections & Archives
- Scarlet & Black Project
- Thomas Edison National Historical Park
- Thomas Warne Museum
- Ukrainian Heritage Education Center
- YIVO Center for Jewish Research Archives
Job Placement Assistance
The program provides academic and career advising from faculty, program directors, and networking with practitioners.