Loyola University Chicago* | National Council on Public History

Public History Program

Last Updated: March 2, 2022

1032 W. Loyola Ave.

Chicago, IL 60660

[email protected]

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Director(s)

Theodore J. Karamanski

[email protected]

773-508-8264

Program Introduction

Public History at Loyola University Chicago began in 1980 as one of the first programs in the Midwest to launch such a curriculum at the Master's level. At this time, public history was a very new field in the history discipline, and Loyola's inauguration of its MA program coincided with the founding of the National Council on Public History (NCPH) in 1980. Our own Professors Ted Karamanski and Patricia Mooney-Melvin were active leaders in the formation of NCPH, and both would later serve terms as NCPH Presidents. Dr. Karamanski spearheaded the first NCPH code of ethics.

The Masters in Public History is the core of the Loyola program. It is a 31 semester credit hours program. There is also a Joint Public History MA/MLIS Program we partner with Dominican University. Our doctoral program continues to be the only one of its kind in the Midwest (and only Jesuit institution in the country) that allows graduates to pursue public history work at the doctoral level, and the addition of this degree program indicated the growing need and influence of public history professionals working in the academy and in administrative roles in the public and private sectors.

The 2020-2021 academic year marked the 40th anniversary of Loyola University's Public History program.
187 Public History MAs
20 Public History MA/Master's in Library and Information Systems Dual Degrees
26 Joint Public History/American History PhDs

Degrees Offered

M.A. in Public History
M.A. in History
Ph.D. in History
Other

Program Strengths

Archival Practices
Digital Media
Historical Administration
Historic Preservation
Library Science Program
Local/Community History
Material Culture
Museum Studies
Oral History

Credit Hour Requirements

MA: 31 Hours

How Many Students are Admitted Annually

MA5-8

PhD2-3

MAs produced last year

Full-time Program Staff/Faculty

Theodore Karamanski

Elizabeth Fraterrigo

Patricia Mooney-Melvin

Brad Hunt

Financial Aid Available

Assistantships
Partial Tuition Waiver

Deadline To Apply

Fall Admissions Only

Internship Requirements

Securing a good internship position is the joint responsibility of the program and the student. The program director’s responsibility is to provide you with timely information on available internships locally and nationally as well as general direction, advice, and to provide where needed letters of recommendations. The student’s job is to explore possibilities and make applications. You should make a number of applications to give yourself an opportunity to make choices. Internships generally are 180 hours of work under the supervision of an accomplished professional. Students in the 31 hour MA or PhD in Public History earn 1 credit for the experience.

Places Where Students Have Interned During the Past 3 Years