Program Introduction

Established in 2010, the Master’s of History with an emphasis in Public History admits six to eight students each year and offers competitive funding through internships at local museums. The program offers concentrations in Historic Administration and Archival Methods. Our graduates have gone on to secure positions as museum technicians, curators, and educators. A joint certificate in Historic Preservation will also be available with the Architecture and Urban Planning Department; as will a certificate in Holocaust Studies with the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education.

Degrees Offered

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

Program Strengths

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

Credit Hour Requirements

36

Financial Aid Available

Funded internships
Teaching Assistantships
Grading positions

Deadline To Apply

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis

Internship Requirements

Students complete five credit hours of internships, arranged in consultation with the Director at
info.umkc.edu/historymakers. This requirement is waived for those students who receive funded internship packages that cover both tuition and a stipend, which is arranged by the Director.

Places Where Students Have Interned During the Past 3 Years

• Kansas City Chiefs Arrowhead Arts Program
• Truman Presidential Library and  Museum
• National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial
• National Archives and Records Administration at Kansas City
• Negro Leagues Baseball Museum
• American Jazz Museum
• City of Kansas City Historic Preservation Office
• Midwest Center for Holocaust Education
• Kansas City Museum
• State Historical Society of Missouri
• Johnson County Museum
• National Toy and Miniature Museum
• American Truck Historical Society
• UMKC’s LaBudde Special Collections
• Marr Sound Archives
• Kansas City Public Library

Job Placement Assistance

Career Services; public history list serve of area postings.

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

• Truman Presidential Library
• National Archives and Records Administration – Kansas City
• Johnson County Museum
• Wornall-Majors House Museum
• Kansas City Public Library
• Eisterhold and Associates Exhibit Design
• Archives of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City