Program Overview

Public History (Advanced Certificate)

Overview

The Public History (Advanced Certificate) program at New York University has been preparing students for successful careers as archivists, museum curators, documentary editors, cultural resource managers, historical interpreters, and media specialists for four decades. The program's Director, Professor Ellen Noonan, brings nearly 20 years of experience working in the field of public history and ensures that the program is responsive to the needs of the ever-evolving fields of archives and public history.

Program Description

Our courses emphasize a solid grounding in historical scholarship, intense engagement with digital technologies, and project-based learning. There's no better place to study archives and public history than New York City. Course instructors are working professionals in the field, and students can choose to intern at one or more of the city's wide range of archival and public history institutions.

Admissions

All applicants to the Graduate School of Arts and Science (GSAS) are required to submit the general application requirements, which include:

• Academic Transcripts
• Test Scores (if required)
• Applicant Statements
• Résumé or Curriculum Vitae
• Letters of Recommendation, and
• A non-refundable application fee.

Program Requirements

The program requires the completion of 20 credits, comprised of the following:

• Required Courses:
  • HIST-GA 1750: Introduction to Public History (4 credits)
  • HIST-GA 2011: Internship Seminar (taken twice for 4 credits total)
• Public History Electives: Select twelve credits of history electives from the following courses or in consultation with the program director.

Sample Plan of Study

The sample plan of study is as follows: 1st Semester/Term:

• HIST-GA 1750: Introduction to Public History (4 credits)
• Public History Elective (4 credits) 2nd Semester/Term:
• HIST-GA 2011: Internship Seminar (2 credits)
• Public History Elective (4 credits) 3rd Semester/Term:
• HIST-GA 2011: Internship Seminar (2 credits)
• Public History Elective (4 credits)

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will have:

1. Analytical and critical mastery of key scholarly literature on the history, theory, and practice of archives or public history.
2. Proficiency with digital methods as used in the practice of public history.
3. Familiarity with professional norms, tasks, roles, and relationships in public history work settings.
4. Capacity to intellectually conceptualize, plan, and carry out an original project or article-length research paper in public history.

Policies

• NYU Policies: University-wide policies can be found on the New York University Policy pages.
• Graduate School of Arts and Science Policies: Academic Policies for the Graduate School of Arts and Science can be found on the Academic Policies page.