Program Overview

Master Public History

Introduction

The Master's program in Public History is an application-oriented, interdisciplinary, and epoch-spanning program. It builds on a Bachelor's degree in History or comparable study programs in the social and cultural sciences. Public History focuses on the communication of history, history in the public sphere, and its forms of presentation. The program's emphasis is on the reflection of the staging and instrumentalization of history, as well as the development of competencies that enable students to present history in a publicly effective and sustainable manner, with an enlightening claim, in analog and digital media.

Study Content

The program combines historical scientific specialist knowledge with analog and digital application orientation. The acquisition of practice-relevant competencies is supported, among other things, by a mandatory internship that can also be completed abroad. The high proportion of practical elements in combination with a well-founded scientific education equips future Public Historians with competencies that not only qualify them for university historical research but also for the academic labor market outside of science. For graduates of the Master's program, very good prospects open up in the fields of history and memory culture, particularly in archives, documentation centers, memorials, museums, foundations, and cultural management, as well as in (history) journalism, (history) tourism, and the area of History Marketing.

Course Structure

First Semester

• Introduction to (Digital) Public History, its history, terms, and theories
• Methods and approaches from historiography
• Utilization of the geographical proximity to museums, memorials, and other sites of remembrance in the state of Bremen and the region

Second Semester

• Practical mediation work
• Local and global perspectives on public historical representations using cultural scientific memory research (Memory Studies)

Third Semester

• Focus on career-oriented practice projects
• Analysis and production of history for the public
• A two- to three-month mandatory internship provides insights into specific fields of work and contributes to the development of professional ideas

Fourth Semester

• Support for individual master's theses

Admission

• Bachelor's degree (or proof of at least 150 CP) in History or a similar study program
• German language skills
• Submission of a letter of motivation
• Further details can be found in the admission regulations

Examinations

• Registration for exams via PABO (Prüfungsamt Bremen Online)
• General rules for exam registration and repetition
• Specific regulations for the General Studies area

General Studies

• Additional individual courses or modules from the departments 6-12 or from the General Studies pool of the University, totaling 15 CP
• Documentation of exam results through performance records ("Scheine")

Career Prospects

Graduates of the Master's program in Public History acquire profile-forming competencies, such as presenting history in a publicly effective and sustainable manner in various media to a broad public. These competencies are combined with well-founded source and analysis knowledge and relevant specialist knowledge. Very good prospects open up for graduates in favored career fields of history and memory culture, particularly in:

• Archives, libraries, and documentation centers
• Historical services
• Memorials
• (History) journalism
• Cultural exchange
• Cultural management
• Museums
• Foundations
• Tourism

Program Details

The Master Public History program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of history in the public sphere, enabling them to work effectively in various professional fields related to history and cultural heritage. With its unique blend of theoretical and practical training, the program prepares graduates for careers that require a deep understanding of historical contexts, analytical skills, and the ability to communicate complex historical information to diverse audiences.