Master of Arts in Public History

Wayne State's Master of Arts in Public History (M.A.P.H.) prepares students to interpret the past for public audiences in diverse settings and professions. Public historians work in museums, historical societies, libraries and archives, public policy institutes, parks and recreation departments, tourism, historic preservation and cultural resource management, nonprofit and for-profit organizations, at all levels of government and as historical consultants.

About the program

There is no better place to study public history than in the heart of Detroit, where our program partners with cultural institutions to provide internships and other hands-on opportunities for our students. We now offer courses both at our Midtown campus and online, making earning your master's degree more accessible than ever. Note: M.A.P.H. cannot be earned entirely online; students may choose to take only in-person courses or a combination of in-person and online courses.

Our students include mid-career professionals seeking credentials for career advancement, recent college graduates eager to put their history degrees to public service, and secondary school teachers who want to gain experience in project-based or community-engaged learning. We have designed our curriculum to be flexible to meet the needs of a diverse student body with a range of interests and with different scheduling needs.

Master of Arts in Public History program requirements and curriculum

Students choose one of two paths to the degree:

• Develop an individualized topical or professional specialization, in consultation with the advisor, consisting of three relevant courses (9 to 12 credits).
• Concurrently earn one of the following graduate certificates relevant to public history careers: Nonprofit Management (three additional credits), Archival Administration (six additional credits) or Museum Practice (six additional credits). Students may double-count nine credits toward the M.A.P.H. and a graduate certificate.

Students often elect to pursue a Joint Master of Arts in Public History and Library and Information Science concurrently with their master's in public history. Doing so expands career opportunities after graduation.

View all requirements

Courses

Courses in the Master of Arts in Public History program offer a dynamic blend of academic rigor and practical experience. From exploring historical research methods to mastering the art of public engagement, our curriculum equips students with the tools to interpret, preserve and share history in meaningful ways. Whether you're passionate about museum curation, digital storytelling, archival work or community history projects, you'll find courses tailored to prepare you for impactful careers in the field.

• Electives

  All of the courses listed below are approved electives for the certificate; not all courses are offered on a regular basis. This list is meant to be suggestive, not exhaustive. Other courses may be appropriate as electives. This is particularly true of courses in communications and business, which may have prerequisites or require special permission to enroll. Please work with your advisor to identify electives relevant to your academic and professional goals.

  Course	Title	Credits
  ANT 5060	Urban Anthropology	3
  ANT 5500	Historical Archaeology	3
  ANT 5565	Urban Archaeology	3
  ANT 5600	Museum Studies	3
  ANT 6555	Cultural Resource Management and Public Archaeology	3
  ANT 7625	Material Culture and the Social Meaning of Things	3
  HIS 6993/ANT 6993	History Communication	3
  HIS 7994	Digital History Seminar	3
  INF 6415	Project Management	3
  INF 7710/HIS 7840	Archival Administration	3
  INF 7730/HIS 7890	Administration of Audio Visual Collections	3
  INF 7740/HIS 7745	Archives and Libraries in the Digital World	3
  INF 7770/ HIS 7860/ANT 6360	Oral History	3
  INF 7780/HIS 7820	Description and Access for Archives	3
  INF 7885/HIS 7880	Cultural Heritage Institutions: Management and Leadership	3
  PS 6700	Financial Management for Nonprofit Organizations	3
  PS 6720	Marketing, Development & Grant Writing for Nonprofit Organizations	3
  PS 7240/UP 7650	Urban Public Policy	3
  PS 7250	Seminar in Urban Administration	3
  PS 7330	Public Budgeting and Finance	3
  PS 7340	Public Personnel Management	3
  PS 7350	Managing Public Organizations and Programs	3
  PS 7460	Program Evaluation	3
  PS 7480	Policy Analysis for Administration	3
  PS 7700	Foundations of Nonprofit Management	3
  UP 5110	Urban Planning Process	3
  UP 6510	Urban and Regional Systems	3
  UP 6700/GPH 6700	Geographic Information Systems	4

Career insights

A degree in public history can lead to a variety of career paths. Here are just a few of the many opportunities available in this field.

This data provides a broad overview of how major selection can lead to careers and is provided without any implied promise of employment. Some careers will require further education, skills or competencies. Actual salaries may vary significantly between similar employers and could change by graduation, as could employment opportunities and job titles.

Explore career outlook