University of Nebraska at Kearney* | National Council on Public History

MA in Public History

Last Updated: October 17, 2024

2507 W 11th Ave
COPH 103N

Kearney, NE 68849

[email protected]

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Director(s)

Will Stoutamire
[email protected]
308-865-8263

Program Introduction

The University of Nebraska at Kearney's History Department offers one of the nation's first and only fully online MA programs in Public History. Building off of more than a decade of excellence in online graduate education, UNK's Public History MA program is designed to be a flexible and affordable option for anyone, in Nebraska or beyond. All courses are offered by tenured or tenure-track graduate faculty with experience in the field. The program admits approximately 15 students annually, on a rolling basis. Students in the program include recent undergraduates, early- and mid-career professionals, and others looking to enhance their skills in community-engaged history.

Course offerings include, but are not limited to: Public History Seminar, Public History Methods, Museums and Material Culture, Historic Preservation, Digital History, Oral History, National Parks, and History & Memory. Students can complete this 36-credit hour program with either a traditional thesis or a capstone public history project. A 15-credit hour Public History certificate (often pursued as part of our online History MA program) and undergraduate Public History minor are also available.

Degrees Offered

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

Program Strengths

Archival Practices
Historic Preservation
Historical Administration
Local/Community History
Material Culture
Museum Studies
Oral History
Public Policy

Credit Hour Requirements

How Many Students are Admitted Annually

MA15

MAs produced last year

Full-time Program Staff/Faculty

Financial Aid Available

Financial aid is available for students through the UNK's Office of Financial Aid, https://www.unk.edu/offices/financial_aid/index.php.

Graduate assistantships are available in the History Department on a competitive basis. Please contact the program director for more information.

Deadline To Apply

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis

Internship Requirements

All students are required to complete at least one three-credit hour internship. Internships may be in person or remote and are arranged in consultation with your faculty advisor. The UNK History Department maintains a list of available paid and unpaid internship opportunities for both graduate and undergraduate students. Students in our online MA program are encouraged to pursue internships in their local community. Students who are already professionally engaged in public history work may substitute additional coursework or an independent study in public history for the internship requirement.

Places Where Students Have Interned During the Past 3 Years

Arlington National Cemetery
Buffalo County Historical Society
Dakota County Historical Society
Dixon Historical Society
Durham Museum
Ed Johnson Memorial Project
Elkhorn Valley Museum
G.W. Frank Museum of History and Culture
Library of Congress
Lewis Army Museum
Museum of the High Plains
Nebraska Game & Parks Commission
Pathways Program, National Park Service
Robert Henri Museum
Speedway Museum
Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum
Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer

Job Placement Assistance

Graduates of our program join a growing network of UNK public history alumni and receive assistance in pursuing careers from their faculty advisor(s), who draw from their extensive professional networks to assist with job placement.

Job Placement Percentage Within One Year

Most program graduates find employment within one year of graduation, with many finding employment while still in the program (a benefit of flexible online degree programs)..

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