Master of Arts in Public History

Credit Master of Arts

12-18

Credit-Hour Certificates

Degree

Master of Arts https://www.stmarytx.edu/academics/programs/master-public-history/ https://www.stmarytx.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/public-history-professor-students-outside-e1755901024311.jpg

Format

In-Person
Online

Department

Department of History

Program Director

Lindsey Passenger Wieck, Ph.D.

Master’s in Public History at St. Mary’s

The Master of Arts (M.A.) in Public History at St. Mary’s University celebrates the rich heritage of San Antonio and the surrounding region. The program immerses students in the study of local history, heritage tourism and digital methodologies of public humanities work.

The Public History graduate program builds on the Department of History’s robust track record of interpreting history in real-world settings. Public History graduate students contribute to projects at the local, state and national levels through class projects, internships and graduate assistantships. The program prepares students for professional employment by providing opportunities to produce a diverse portfolio of public history work.

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Program of Study

The 30-credit-hour M.A. in Public History is designed for aspiring public historians, K-12 educators and professionals wishing to pursue advanced professional training in public history.

We specialize in preparing graduates skilled at using digital tools and media to curate public history experiences in a variety of professional environments.

In-Person and Online Options

The M.A. in Public History and certificate programs are offered in a variety of modalities to accommodate local in-person students and online learners. For more information, contact the Office of Graduate Admission.

Degree Plans

The master’s in Public History is 30 credit hours:
St. Mary’s also offers graduate certificates for professionals and educators:
Students can also pursue an accelerated degree:
Courses

Students take courses in three areas: Public History, Public History Methods and Historical Context.

Course Catalog

View highlighted classes below.

Public History Core Classes
Public History Methods Electives
Historical Context Electives

Accelerated Degree Program

St. Mary’s University offers Accelerated Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree Programs, allowing undergraduate students to begin graduate studies as early as their junior year.

Learn more about accelerated degrees

What can I do with a Master’s in Public History?

With a Master’s Degree in Public History, students can work in a variety of fields including heritage tourism, museums, archives, parks and recreation, digital storytelling, education, historical preservation and tourism. Students gain skills in a variety of fields including research, historical interpretation, storytelling, curation, collaboration and more. Our alumni have put these skills to use in their careers in places like the San Antonio African American Community Archive & Museum, Casa Navarro and the Texas Historical Commission. Others have continued on to Ph.D. programs in History and Public History or to specialized degrees in archives and library sciences.

Develop Real-World Experience

Students partner in and out of class with institutions to practice their public history skills in real-world settings. We have partnered with organizations and other entities, including:

Bullock Texas State History Museum

City of San Antonio, Office of Historic Preservation

Esperanza Peace and Justice Center

Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C.

Office of History and Research at Joint Base San Antonio Lackland

San Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum

Texas World War I Centennial Committee

Public History Projects

Internship and Career Opportunities

Students also practice this hands-on work through internships and capstone projects in the community. Internships and capstone project partners have included:

The Alamo

Bexar County Information Technology

Esperanza Peace and Justice Center

The National Archives

Power of Preservation

San Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum

San Antonio Museum of Art

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

The Smithsonian’s Museum of American History

UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures

Fellowships, Assistantships and Financial Aid

The Department of History offers assistantships and fellowships to qualified and interested students studying Public History. Each assistantship or fellowship is accompanied by a stipend and a commitment to work at least 10 hours a week in addition to academic course work.  Students must be enrolled in at least six credit hours in the graduate Public History program in order to qualify.

Most assistantships allow students to engage in Public History methods with a faculty member to further their understanding and appreciation of their course work.

Successful candidates gain fluency in Public History methods, project management skills, communication skills and data collection tactics.

Placements include any of the active Public History Projects currently ongoing within the Department of History or within the Blume Library at St. Mary’s University.

Applying to pursue a Public History Assistantship is simple and easy. Students must simply:

Complete and submit the Graduate Application for Admission as a Public History student and indicate your interest in pursuing a graduate assistantship on the application form.

Be prepared to participate in a telephone, video call or in-person interview with the Public History program director and/or other faculty members.

If you have any questions about the assistantship options, please contact Lindsey Wieck at lwieck@stmarytx.edu.

Public History Assistantships

This program supports the ongoing efforts of the School of Law to collect, prepare and showcase the stories of the School of Law, law students and our alumni who have made an impact on our local communities.

In researching the history of the School of Law, students further develop their understanding of Public History, historical interpretation and multimedia communication.

Interested students who wish to apply for a Public History Fellowship must:

Complete and submit the Graduate Application for Admission as a Public History student and indicate your interest in pursuing a graduate assistantship on the application form.

Be prepared to participate in a telephone, video call or in-person interview with the Public History program director and/or other faculty members.

If you have any questions about the assistantship options, please contact Lindsey Wieck at lwieck@stmarytx.edu.

School of Law Public History Fellows

St. Mary’s University offers various scholarships, grants and assistantships for graduate students. Military and their dependents, as well as Department of Defense employees, may be eligible for a tuition discount.

Please contact the Office of Financial Assistance at 210-436-3141 or finaid@stmarytx.edu for additional information or visit the Financial Aid page.

Merit-based scholarships for new students in the program are offered by the Public History program. All accepted applicants are considered for these scholarships.

Please contact Lindsey Wieck at lwieck@stmarytx.edu for more information.

Financial Aid

Admission Requirements and Process

Admission is granted to those with a high promise of success in graduate study.

Applicants must:

Have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent from an accredited college or university

Submit undergraduate transcripts

Complete the St. Mary’s admission application

To discuss specific admission procedures and requirements for the Public History program, contact the Office of Graduate Admission at 210-436-3101 or graduate@stmarytx.edu.

Contact Us

To learn more about the Master of Arts in Public History at St. Mary’s University, contact the Office of Graduate Admission at graduate@stmarytx.edu or 210-436-3126.

Graduate Admission