Program Introduction

St. John’s University established its graduate Public History program in 2012. The program accepts four to six students annually. Students earn a Master of Arts in Public History. They can combine a Masters of Arts in Public History with a Master of Science in Library and Information Science. Nineteen students have graduated from the Public History program, with approximately three students graduating annually. Students in the Public History and Dual Degree programs may apply courses in the Department of Art’s Museum Administration program to their program. St. John’s University and the National Park Service established an internship program in 2017.

Degrees Offered

  • B.A. in History
  • M.A. in Public History
  • M.A. in History
  • Ph.D. in History

Program Strengths

  • Archival Practices
  • Library Science Program
  • Local/Community History
  • Material Culture
  • Oral History

Credit Hour Requirements

33

Financial Aid Available

Graduate fellowships are available for full-time students.

Internship Requirements

Internships are jointly arranged by the student and program director: six credit hours are required; part of regular coursework.

Places Where Students Have Interned During the Past 3 Years

  • Amtrak Trails and Rails (U.S. National Park Service)
  • Ellis Island National Historic Site
  • Newark Museum
  • New York Historical Society
  • South Street Seaport Museum
  • Old Sturbridge Village
  • Statue of Liberty National Monument
  • Queens County Clerks Office
  • Queens County Library: Special Collections and Archives
  • Museum of Chinese in America
  • Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens

Job Placement Assistance

Director and career center work with students from the time of their arrival to teach them how to locate, prepare for, and apply for jobs. Students also get an opportunity to meet with alumni working in the field and local practitioners at career-focused events and discussions.

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

  • U.S. National Park Service
  • National Jazz Museum
  • Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum
  • New York Public Library

Program Introduction

"Established in 2015, the MA Museum Administration program at St. John's University admits five-seven students each year. The 36-credit program permits students to take up to five elective courses (15 credits) in our partner programs, M.A. Public History & M.L.S. Library & Information Science/Archive studies. Approximately 25 students have graduated from the program and attained internships/jobs in over thirty prestigious museums and other cultural institutions. (Our website does not present a comprehensive account of student success). We offer both face-to-face and online courses--and have a fully accredited online degree as an option. The program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art & Design (NASAD).

Degrees Offered

  • Museum Studies Degree, Certificate, or Minor

Program Strengths

  • Archival Practices
  • Business
  • Digital Media
  • Historic Preservation
  • Library Science Program
  • Material Culture
  • Museum Studies
  • Oral History
  • Other

Credit Hour Requirements

36 credits

How Many Students are Admitted Annually

MA5-8

Full-time Program Staff/Faculty

Dr. Susan Rosenberg, Founding Director, MA Museum Administration program/Professor of Ar History

Dr. Owen Duffy, Director Yeh Gallery, St. John’s University

Financial Aid Available

Most applicants receive a scholarship offer, ($1500-$6000,). Partial/full scholarship (with stipend) is available to student who apply for a graduate or non-academic graduate assistantship: https://www.stjohns.edu/admission/graduate-admission/graduate-assistantships-and-fellowships

Internship Requirements

A one-semester internship is required. Students can opt to undertake two internships, if this is advantageous to their career path. A typical internship requires one day of work per week. Students/Internship supervisors sign a contract as to intern's duties/goals and mentoring.

Places Where Students Have Interned During the Past 3 Years

Albright Knox Museum, Buffalo, NY

Hudson Valley Museum of Contemporary Art, Peekskill, NY

Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space, New York, NY

National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution, New York, NY

National September 11 Memorial and Museum, New York, NY

National Parks of New York Harbor, New York, NY

Rubin Museum, New York, NY

Walt Whitman Birthplace Association Museum, Huntington Station, New York

Job Placement Percentage Within One Year

100%

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

Barnebys.com

Guild Hall Center for the Visual and Performing Arts, Easthampton, NY

Hofstra University Art Museum

The Jewish Museum, New York, NY

Manhattan Theater Club, New York, NY

Museum of Art, Hofstra University, Town of Hempstead, New York

The National Air and Space Museum, Washington, DC

Norfolk Botanical Garden, Norfok, VA

Community & Institutional Connections

U.S.  National Parks Service