Dear Ms. Tate,

 

I am on the public history faculty at Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis http://www.iupui.edu/~history/gradpubhist.html and received my MA in public history from the University of South Carolina and Ph.D. from Arizona State University (one of my fields was public history).  All three of these schools have established programs that have an excellent track record of placing students with masters degrees.  

 

As you consider your options, I encourage you to look at a program's ability to provide work experience in the field as part of its graduate curriculum.  This is usually accomplished through internships or graduate assistantships.  IUPUI offers the majority of its public history graduate students paid internships for two years of graduate work.  Students work 20 hours a week at local institutions like the Indiana State Museum, Indiana Historical Society, Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana, etc, and receive a stipend, tuition scholarship, and health insurance.  Several of our alums got full-time jobs through their internships.  The University of South Carolina has a similar program and this was how I landed my first job in a historic house museum after I finished my graduate coursework.  

 

You might also consider looking at programs that allow you to add a specialized component to your public history curriculum.  Many programs offer a joint Public History and Master of Library Science degree (for example, IUPUI and USC) and others allow you to earn a graduate certificate in Museum Studies while you earn your MA in Public History (IUPUI, USC, ASU, and many others).  Other programs can provide specialized training in oral history, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and historic preservation.  

 

If you think I can be of any assistance as you consider your options, please do not hesitate to contact me off-line.  

 

Sincerely,

Melissa Bingmann, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of History

Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis

425 University Boulevard

Indianapolis, IN 46202

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	-----Original Message----- 

	From: Museum discussion list on behalf of kathryn Tate 

	Sent: Sun 8/21/2005 6:58 PM 

	To: [log in to unmask] 

	Cc: 

	Subject: public history grad program

	

	



	Can anyone recommend a good public history program?  I

	know about the University of South Carolina and wasn't

	too familar with any other graduate programs?

	

	Thanks

	

	Katie Tate

	

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