Public History
Master's in Public History
Curriculum
Students must complete a minimum of thirty-six hours of graduate courses,–with the major field being Public History. These hours must include at least nine hours of seminar (reading and/or research; at least one should be a research seminar), Historical Methods (HIST 5023), Introduction to Public History (HIST 5033), six hours of internship (HIST 5030), and six hours of thesis (HIST 5000). Public History students are expected to take Museum Studies (HIST 5053) and/or Historic Preservation (HIST 5063).
With the approval of the student’s Advisory Committee, as many as nine of these hours may be taken in related disciplines. Students may include no more than six hours in History 6100 courses and six hours in History 6130 courses. The Graduate Studies Committee may approve exceptions under extraordinary circumstances; appeals should be made to the Director of Graduate Studies. The foreign language requirement is optional, but a student’s Advisory Committee may require a reading knowledge of a foreign language for certain topics.
The internship is intended to provide practical experience working in a specific field of Public History. Normally, this will require at least eight weeks of full-time work or the equivalent. The internship requires completion of a Memorandum of Understanding filed with the director of Public History.
Research and Faculty
We are a vibrant department with outstanding graduate faculty whose research expertise spans the globe. We offer exceptional graduate mentorship and strong support for our students, including travel for conferences and research. In addition, we provide competitive graduate assistantships that give our students valuable classroom experience.
Admissions Requirements
In addition to fulfillment of the general requirements of the Graduate College, admission to M.A. study in history is based upon the recommendation of the Graduate Studies Committee to the Head of the department. Preference is given to applicants who majored in history as undergraduates. The Graduate Studies Committee will consider other applications on an individual basis. Students with insufficient undergraduate hours in history may be required by the Graduate Studies Committee to take additional hours at the 5000/6000 level. Students applying to Plan I are expected to have made progress toward proficiency in a foreign language before seeking admission. For more information on how to apply:
Cost & Assistance
OSU and the Stillwater community in general are especially affordable places for graduate students. We offer competitive graduate assistantships for both M.A. and Ph.D. students. M.A. students are considered for two-year funding packages, and Ph.D. students are considered for five-year funding packages. Our graduate assistantships provide a tuition waiver, health insurance and a monthly stipend that is competitive among Big 12 and other peer institutions. We also offer annual scholarships, fellowships, grants and paper prizes for both M.A. and Ph.D. students, which provide significant extra financial support for research and conference travel.