Program Introduction

The Public History program at Abilene Christian University offers students top quality classroom instruction and hands-on experience with partner organizations in the local community and across the state of Texas. Students learn from faculty with deep connections to the field, including experience at institutions accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, and each student participates in an internship to better prepare for employment or graduate school.

Degrees Offered

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

Program Strengths

  • Archival Practices
  • Historic Preservation
  • Local/Community History
  • Material Culture
  • Museum Studies

Financial Aid Available

Scholarships, internships, student worker positions.

Deadline To Apply

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis

Internship Requirements

The Department of History and Global Studies maintains and supervises several paid Public History internships with institutions in the Abilene community. Students can apply to one of these positions or seek out their own internship opportunity. Alongside the internship, students enroll in a 3 credit hour internship course which provides opportunities for education and reflection throughout the experience.

Places Where Students Have Interned During the Past 3 Years

  • The Grace Museum
  • National WASP WWII Museum
  • 12th Armored Division Memorial Museum
  • Center for Contemporary Arts
  • Frontier Texas
  • Taylor County History Center
  • National Park Service Penatuhkuh Comanche Trails Partnership
  • Amon Carter Museum
  • C. R. Smith Museum
  • Smithsonian Institution American Art Museum and Portrait Gallery Library 
  • Curtis House Cultural Center

Job Placement Assistance

The department works closely with students to help them identify and apply for positions in the field. Faculty offer public history resume assistance to all students enrolled in the program, and each Public History major receives complimentary membership in the Texas Association of Museums.

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

  • National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame
  • Dr. Pepper Museum & Free Enterprise Institute
  • Texas State Preservation Board 
  • Pioneer Farms
  • The Grace Museum

Community & Institutional Connections

  • ACU Library & Special Collections
  • The Grace Museum
  • The Center for Contemporary Arts
  • National WASP WWII Museum