At its core, Public History is the collection, preservation, and interpretation of history with and for public audiences. At Florida State, students can learn best practices in Public History through the Master's in History with a Major in Public History or by adding a complementary field of Public History to their Master's in History or their Doctoral Degree in History.
Recognizing that Public Historians need specialized training to be effective in their chosen careers, the Master's in History with a Major in Public History degree program blends theory with practice. Students complete a core set of courses in Historical Methods, Public History, Historic Preservation, and the History of American Architecture. They can select electives such as Managing Archives, and Digital History. Upon completion of this graduate degree program, students will meet and/or exceed the minimum requirements to be qualified as a Historian under the Secretary of the Interior's Professional Qualifications Standards. Students will have the opportunity to complete additional coursework and gain professional experience that will allow them to meet the minimum qualifications to be an Architectural Historian.
A significant part of the degree program's coursework consists of practicums. Students engage in the work of public history each semester, learning through hands-on experience. On this website, you will find examples of the kinds of Public History projects that students have completed at FSU.