Public History
- Bachelor of Arts
- Minor
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The Public History Program
Students who have an interest in history and wish to pursue a career in museum work, history centers, archives, and sites that teach the general public about history outside of the classroom setting, should consider majoring in public history. This major provides students with the depth of historical knowledge and skill set in research, historical interpretation, exhibit production, archival management, and digital humanities.
Undergraduate Programs
What Can I Do With a Major in Public History?
Studying public history at Saint Vincent College gives students the knowledge and skills to work in museums, history centers, archives, and other places (outside of K-12 schools) that invite the public to explore history. Public history majors:
- Work in places like the Smithsonian Institution (Washington, DC), the British Museum (United Kingdom), the Heinz History Center (Pittsburgh, PA), Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine (Baltimore, MD), and Sisters of Charity at Seton Hill (Greensburg, PA);
- Work in local, state, and federal government offices such as the CIA, the Social Security Administration, and Pennsylvania Department of Education; and
- Go to graduate school at such universities as the George Washington University, Johns Hopkins University, the University of Washington, Carnegie Mellon University, North Carolina State University, and West Virginia University.
Curriculum Requirements
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Requirements for a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public History
The public history major consists of 48 credits. The balance of the 124 credits required for graduation can be composed of electives or courses required for one or more minors or a second major. Students should choose electives in consultation with their major advisor.
Major Requirements (48 CREDITS)
Public History majors are required to complete two of the following area studies courses for a total of 12 credits at the 100 level:
HI 102, 103 Ancient Greece and Rome, and Medieval and Renaissance Europe - 6 credits
HI 104, 105 Contemporary Europe I and II - 6 credits
HI 106, 107 Topics in U.S. History - 6 credits
HI 108, 109 East Asian Societies Traditional and East Asian Societies Modern - 6 credits
HI 110, 111 English History - 6 credits
HI 123, 124 Global History I and II - 6 creditsUpper Division History Classes
Public History majors must take two courses, or six credits, from the 200-level offerings in accordance with the courses offered each semester. Students who wish to see a list of these courses can look on the most current Saint Vincent College Bulletin.Majors-only courses
All public history majors complete a capstone project within the History Department that is scaffolded through a freshman introductory course, a sophomore seminar, a junior research seminar, and a senior writing seminar. In addition to these courses, public history majors are also required to complete five public history related courses: Introduction to Public History; Practicum in Public History, Digital Humanities or Museum Studies: An Introduction, and an Introduction to Non-Profit Organizations. In addition to the required classes, public history students are also required to choose an elective from the list of courses below. Public history majors are also required to participate in an internship pertaining to public history.
Public History Electives (3 credits)
BA 102 Survey of Accounting
BA 170 Organizational Behavior
BA 220 Principles of Marketing
BA 398 Project Management
CA 100 Introduction to Mass Media
CA 110 Introduction to Organizational Communication
CA 130 Introduction to Digital Media
CA 285 Digital Layout and Design
EL 131 American Literature: Exploration to Civil War
EL 132 American Literature: Civil War to Present
EL 113 Women's Literature
EL 139 African American Literature
AN 101 Introduction to Anthropology
AN 222 Cultural Anthropology
AN 230 Archaeology
Other courses can be considered through consultation with the public history advisor. -
Requirements for a Minor in Public History
The minor in Public History consists of 18 credits. Required courses are Introduction to Public History, Practicum of Public History, and partake in a History Internship which should be taken in that order. Along with those courses, Introduction to Non-Profit Organizations should also be taken. The remaining six credits may come from the following course options that can be seen in electives list above. The course list is subject to change as new courses are developed. Students should be sure to check with the department chair or the student’s advisor for the most current list.
Student’s advisors and the department chair will recommend students on courses to take that will complement the public history major. Some of the electives may include courses from accounting or business, literature, anthropology, and archaeology.
Program Highlights
- Focus on Doing History
- Classes that design and carry out exhibits
- Introduction to Public History
- Classes designing oral history programs
- COVID, Womens (Practicum in History 202)
- Planning collections and putting together archives
- What to save in archives
- McCarl gallery
- Learning to conserve textiles in exhibit with conservator
- Theory in 201 and apply in 202
- Jaime British Museum
- Internships and work study experiences at new college archive, art museum, monastery archives, roger’s archive, McCarl gallery
Student Learning Outcomes
Studying Public History at Saint Vincent College is more than just reading textbooks. It is about immersing oneself with the history of the campus by surrounding themselves with experts in their respected studies. Students can:
- Ground yourself on a historic campus which includes a working gristmill that provided grain for the community from its beginnings, the Foster and Muriel McCarl Coverlet Gallery, and the Veratsko Center for the Arts and a variety of archives.
- Learn from experts in fields ranging from medieval Europe to global history to modern American history
- Put their studies into practice by writing their own history, traveling to historic sites, making video documentaries, visiting museums, and researching at the Fred Rogers Archives on campus or at other sites across the country.