MA Public History

This innovative course develops the core attributes of today’s public historian through a flexible toolkit that includes research and communication skills, cultural competency and empathy.

About this course

At Newcastle, you’ll be taught by an international team of experts from Australia, the US and the UK. Our guest lecturers are leading practitioners in our local and global networks.

You’ll develop the core skills to become a successful public historian. These include project planning, collaborative ways of working, and flexible communication skills. You'll gain a solid grounding in key theoretical and analytical frameworks, as well as public practices.

You’ll spend a third of your time working on a guided public history project. This could involve working alongside practitioners in the popular history field. This may include:

freelance public historians
cultural organisations
charities
archivists
publishers
TV and radio producers

This MA Public History is for you if you want to:

shape public understanding of the past
think globally about history
learn how the past impacts on the present

You'll be suitable if you're:

a History graduate wishing to further develop your skills ahead of a career in the history industry
a graduate of a related subject with a keen interest in building knowledge and practical skills in public history
currently working or volunteering in the history industry and wishing to further develop your skills to enhance your career

Your development

You’ll have flexibility to tailor your work to areas that interest you most. As such, you’ll develop a deep knowledge of your chosen area(s).

During the course you’ll also develop a wide range of transferable skills, whilst being guided by expert academics and industry mentors. These include professional, research and practical skills.