BA in Public History

Last Updated: January 26, 2022

Deptl. 2340
P.O. Box 6050

Fargo, ND 58108

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Director(s)

Mark Harvey
[email protected]
701-231-7605

Program Introduction

North Dakota State University began with a public history emphasis in our history major in 1982. In 2005 it became a full-fledged major in Public History. We have 15-25 majors in the program during any given year. The public history major provides students with a solid background in history and introduces them to such fields as archival and museum work, historical editing, historic preservation, costume conservation and design and archaeology.

Degrees Offered

  • B.A. in Public History
  • B.A. in History

Program Strengths

  • Archival Practices
  • Museum Studies

Credit Hour Requirements

39

How Many Students are Admitted Annually

BA18

Deadline To Apply

See program website for details.

Internship Requirements

Required. Internshipsare arranged by the student in collaboration with the Public History Director.

Places Where Students Have Interned During the Past 3 Years

• Bonanzaville
• State History Society of North Dakota
• Minnesota History Center
• Fort Union National Historic Site
• Knife River Indiana Villages Historic Site
• Fort Abraham Lincoln, North Dakota

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

• State Historical Society of North Dakota
• Buffalo Bill Museum (Wyoming)
• National Park Service

MA in History with a public history emphasis

Last Updated: February 9, 2022

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Director(s)

Graduate Program Director: Marcela Perett, [email protected]

Public History Program Director: Angela Smith, [email protected]

Program Introduction

The M.A. program was established in the early 1980s and the Ph.D. program followed two decades later in 2004. In that time the History department at NDSU has graduated approximately 65 M.A. students and 12 Ph.D. students. In 2012 when Dr. Angela Smith arrived graduate students had the option of pursuing an M.A. or Ph.D. with an emphasis in Public History. In that time, she has been the advisor to four MA students who have graduated with Public History-based research theses and one Ph.D. student. She has 7 M.A. and 3 Ph.D. students in the thesis writing stage of the program. There is a strong interdisciplinary focus with adjacent faculty in anthropology, historic archeology, publishing, and architecture contributing to the curriculum.

Degrees Offered

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

Program Strengths

  • Digital Media
  • Film/Video
  • Historical Archaeology
  • Local/Community History
  • Museum Studies
  • Oral History
  • Publishing

Credit Hour Requirements

30

How Many Students are Admitted Annually

MA5

PhD1

Financial Aid Available

There are 4 Graduate Assistantships in local museums which require 20 hours of work in the venue per week and up to three years of funding. For that, the student earns $9,000 per academic year and a tuition waiver.

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

  • Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, NY
  • Legacy of the Lakes, Alexandria, MN
  • Minnesota State University Moorhead, Moorhead, MN
  • Frontier Village, Jamestown, ND
  • New York City Municipal Archives, NY, NY
  • North Dakota State University