Public History

Last Updated: July 3, 2024

P.O. Box 43605

Lafayette, LA 70504

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Director(s)

Dr. Ian Beamish
[email protected]

Program Introduction

The Public History Program at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette began in 1997. The program offers an MA in history with a concentration in Public History. Students typically focus on museums, historic preservation, digital history, and audio-visual projects. All students admitted to the program are eligible to receive funds to cover internship expenses, workshops, conferences, research expenses, study-travel, and more. In addition, students can access the department’s Guilbeau Center for Public History, which provides collaborative meeting space and resources for exhibit construction, software and digital tools, and podcast and video production equipment to foster community engagement and innovative instruction.

Degrees Offered

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

Program Strengths

  • Archival Practices
  • Digital Media
  • Film/Video
  • Historic Preservation
  • Local/Community History
  • Museum Studies
  • Oral History

Credit Hour Requirements

36

How Many Students are Admitted Annually

MA10-12

Financial Aid Available

Teaching and research assistantships available
Internship funding available
Conference travel funding available
Research travel funding available
Study-travel funding available
Scholarships
Awards

Deadline To Apply

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis

Internship Requirements

Students arrange internships (6 credit hours) in consultation with the Director of Public History. The department offers generous funding to cover costs associated with travel to and living expenses at the internship location. International internships encouraged.

Places Where Students Have Interned During the Past 3 Years

Job Placement Assistance

Job placement assistance includes direction from faculty members and opportunities for professional development. Regular workshops (CV, cover letter, mock interviews).

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

  • Louisiana State Division of Historic Preservation
  • Center for Louisiana Studies
  • Vermilionville Living History Museum
  • Bayou Teche Museum
  • Hilliard Art Museum
  • Acadian Cultural Center
  • Evangeline Historical Park
  • Tabasco Corporate Archives
  • Fort Nisqually Historical Park
  • Southern Forest Heritage Museum & Research Center
  • Arkansas State Archives
  • Iberville Museum
  • Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana Archives
  • Louisiana Division of Archaeology
  • The Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
  • Archdiocese of New Orleans
  • National Trust for Historic Preservation
  • National Records Center – USCIS
  • Central Arkansas Library System
  • Ernest J. Gaines Center

Community & Institutional Connections

The department has relationships with numerous community partners in Louisiana and the surrounding states.