Masters of Heritage Preservation

Last Updated: March 7, 2022

Department of History
25 Park Place, Suite 2020

Atlanta, GA 30303

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Director(s)

Chad Keller, Program Director

[email protected]

Program Introduction

The Heritage Preservation Program at Georgia State University was founded in 1983 and expanded to include public history in 2001. Located in the history department, the program offers an MA in Heritage Preservation, with individual tracks in public history or historic preservation. In addition to the MA in Heritage Preservation, the history department offers a PhD in Public History and public history as a minor field for the history MA or PhD. Approximately 12-15 students are admitted annually. Course requirements are interdisciplinary and include training in museum studies, US and world history, archives, education and interpretation, and cultural resource management.

Degrees Offered

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

Program Strengths

  • Archival Practices
  • Digital Media
  • Historical Administration
  • Historic Preservation
  • Local/Community History
  • Material Culture
  • Museum Studies
  • Oral History
  • Other

Credit Hour Requirements

45 for MA in Historic Preservation.

How Many Students are Admitted Annually

MA12

PhD1

MAs produced last year

5

Full-time Program Staff/Faculty

Chad Keller, Lecturer and Program Director

Kathryn Wilson, Associate Professor

Jeffrey Trask, Associate Professor

Glenn Eskew, Professor

Financial Aid Available

Graduate Assistantships
Tuition Waiver

Deadline To Apply

February 15 (Fall); October 15 (Spring)

Internship Requirements

Internships are required as part of the MA in heritage preservation. Students may choose their internship placement and earn 3 credit hours. Most internships are not paid.

Places Where Students Have Interned During the Past 3 Years

Atlanta History Center
National Archives Southeastern Branch
Bremen Museum
National Museum for Civil and Human Rights
National Park Service
Historic Oakland Cemetery
Georgia Power Archives
Wren’s Nest
Center for Puppetry Arts
Delta Flight Museum

Job Placement Assistance

No formal job placement is offered; faculty assists when possible.

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

• National Archives and Record Administration
• Atlanta History Center
• Kennesaw State University Museum of History and Holocaust Education
• Morehouse College Archives
• Heritage Werks
• Arabia Mountain Heritage Area
• General Services Administration
• National Park Service
• Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation
• City of Chattanooga
• New South Associates
• South Park Colorado National Heritage Area
• Arizona State Archives
• Matheson Museum

Community & Institutional Connections

Program and faculty pursue numerous connections and collaborative projects with communities in and around metro Atlanta. Program has formal partnership with Fallingwater for digital documentation. Program offers summer field school in Savannah.