Certificate in Public History Studies
Public History Program Director :
Dr. Lynn Denton
Phone: 512-245-6196
E-mail: pd16@txstate.edu
The Department of History at Texas State University-San Marcos offers a Certificate in Public History Studies to prepare individuals for careers in archives, museums, historical interpretation, historic site management, cultural resource management, and historic preservation; and to provide practicing public historians with the opportunity to upgrade their skills and knowledge of the theoretical and methodological approaches that are shaping the discipline.
The program is designed to meet the Texas Hill Country Region's growing need for public history specialists. Individuals who may benefit from professional training in the field include community volunteer historians and preservationists, particularly members of historical societies and directors and docents at community museums; public officials, including historical commission members and urban planners; and educators, including elementary, middle school, and high school teachers, as well as administrators who want to learn how to employ public history in their teaching and curriculum development. We also welcome applications from any individuals, especially retirees, who simply have an interest in pursuing graduate-level study in the field. All our public history courses are offered in the evenings to accommodate non-traditional students.
We are proud of the success and reputation of our Public History Program at Texas State . Our graduates have successfully pursued careers as archivists, historic site directors and interpreters, museum curators, historic preservationists, cultural resource management specialists, and as historians for public agencies, including the Texas Historical Commission and the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife.
Admission Policy:
Students to the certificate program are admitted through the Graduate College .
1. Submit a Graduate College Application for Admission to the Office of the Graduate College . Pay a $10 non-refundable application fee (check or money order payable to Texas State in U.S. currency). In addition complete the Public History Certificate Application which can be accessed through the link on this page. Submit one official transcript from each senior level post-secondary institution attended. These transcripts must be mailed directly from the institution to the Office of the Graduate College .
2. Students must have a 2.5 GPA on the last 60 hours of bachelor's coursework. If a student has completed a master's or doctoral degree, a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA is required. The GRE is not required. A degree in history is not required.
Application Deadlines:
The Department of History accepts applications on a year-round basis. Students may enter the program during the fall or spring semesters or during the summer sessions.
Program Requirements:
Students are required to complete 15 hours in Public History Courses. HIST 5371, the Practice of Public History is the foundation course of our public history program and will be required of all certificate students unless our Public History Advisory Committee determines that the student possesses exceptional knowledge of the field. Students must complete four other public history courses (12 hours). Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA with no grade lower than a C; they must complete the program within four semesters, and must pass a comprehensive exit exam.
Transfer to the MA program:
Students enrolled in the certificate program are allowed to transfer to the MA public history program if they receive approval from the Public History Advisory Committee. No more than six hours of credit may be transferred.
Certificate students can choose from the following courses:
The Practice of Public History
Oral History
Practice of Museum Studies/ Material Culture
Archival Management
Cultural Resource Management
Historic Preservation
Documentary Film
Local and Community History
Public History Project (students produce historic guidebooks to regional communities)
Links :
Graduate Program in Public History
Texas State Certificate Programs
(Graduate College Website)
Additional Program Information :
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