Apr 04, 2025  
2019-20 Graduate Catalog 
    
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2019-20 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

History, Public History Concentration, M.A.

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Ashley Riley Sousa, Graduate Studies Director
(615) 898-5805
Ashley.RileySousa@mtsu.edu

Lisa Pruitt, Public History Program Director
(615) 898-2051
Lisa.Pruitt@mtsu.edu

The History Department  offers the Master of Arts in History, Master of Arts in History with a concentration in Public History, and a Ph.D. in Public History. The Public History concentration offers specialized education in one of five tracks: historic preservation and cultural resource management, museum management, archival management, oral history, and public archeology.

For the most current information about the program, department policies, and admission standards, please visit the department website at www.mtsu.edu/history.

Please see undergraduate catalog for information regarding undergraduate programs.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the Master of Arts in History with a concentration in Public History program requires

  1. an earned bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college;
  2. an acceptable grade point average in all college work taken;
  3. completion of at least 18 semester hours of undergraduate history courses;
  4. completion of the Graduate Record Exam with acceptable scores.

Modifications to the above requirements may be made with the permission of the department’s director of graduate studies and the department’s graduate admissions committee.

Application Procedures

All application materials are to be submitted to the College of Graduate Studies (askgrad@mtsu.edu.

Application deadline for the M.A. program is March 1. The History Department does not consider graduate students for spring or summer admission.

Applicant must

  1. submit application with the appropriate application fee (online at www.mtsu.edu/graduate/apply.php);
  2. submit official scores on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE);
  3. submit official transcripts of all previous college work;
  4. submit letter of intent, explaining why he/she wishes to pursue graduate education in public history and why he/she wishes to pursue those studies at MTSU;
  5. submit writing sample (preferably a lengthy research paper that demonstrates writing and research skills);
  6. submit three letters of recommendation from professors or professionals that address the applicant’s potential to successfully complete an M.A. program in public history.

Degree Requirements

The Master of Arts in History with a concentration in Public History requires completion of a minimum of 33 semester hours (thesis) or 36 semester hours (non-thesis). All public history students must complete an internship off campus.

Thesis Option (33-45 hours)

Once admitted to the program, candidate must

  1. complete at least 33 hours of graduate-level history and public history courses, all at the 6000 level (see Curriculum section below for specifics);
  2. pass formal review of a portfolio demonstrating proficiency in three domains of professional skills in accordance with the standards and protocols issued by the department;
  3. maintain satisfactory progress toward completion of the degree each semester;
  4. submit an acceptable thesis.

Non-thesis Option (36 hours)

Once admitted to the program, candidate must

  1. complete at least 36 hours of graduate-level coursework, all at the 6000-level (see Curriculum section below for specifics);
  2. pass formal review of a portfolio demonstrating proficiency in three domains of professional skills in accordance with the standards and protocols issued by the department;
  3. maintain satisfactory progress toward completion of the degree each semester;
  4. complete comprehensive examinations in the field of public history and a second field of history.

Curriculum: History, Public History

 

Thesis Option (33-45 hours)

The following illustrates the minimum coursework requirements (all at the 6000 level). In addition, a maximum of 15 hours of thesis research may be required to fulfill degree requirements.

Required Core Courses (9 hours)

 

Public History Essentials (3 hours in appropriate track)

 

Internship (3 hours)

 

Public History electives (6 hours)

  • 6 hours selected in consultation with public history faculty

History electives (9 hours)

  • 9 hours outside the public history field

Thesis Research (3-15 hours)

NOTE:

No more than three hours of HIST 6910 , HIST 6920 , HIST 6930 , or HIST 6994  may be counted toward degree requirements.

Non-thesis Option (36 hours)

The following illustrates the minimum coursework requirements (all at the 6000 level) for the non-thesis option.

Required Core Courses (9 hours)

 

Public History Essentials (9 hours)

 

Internship (3 hours)

 

Public History Electives (6 hours)

  • 6 hours selected in consultation with public history faculty

History electives (9 hours)

  • 9 hours outside the public history field, of which 3 must be in a graduate research seminar

NOTE:

No more than three hours of HIST 6910 , HIST 6920 , HIST 6930 , or HIST 6994  may be counted toward the degree.

Program Notes

Student must

  1. file a degree plan with the Graduate Office during first semester in the program;
  2. file a Notice of Intent to Graduate form in the College of Graduate Studies within the first two weeks of the term in which student intends to graduate.

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