Public History

A Minor is offered in Public History.

The Public History Minor seeks to provide students with opportunities to enhance their intellectual and professional skills in the field of public history. The program stresses the importance of developing collaborative relationships between members of the academy and the general public. Through a diverse set of courses, activities, and projects, students attain a familiarity with community-based research methods and professional standards, ethics, and practices, and also gain valuable professional experience as public scholars.

In the field of public history, scholars and researchers apply historical knowledge and methods in diverse public and private settings outside academia. Public historians are involved in the process of developing stories about the past that are presented to the general public-for the benefit of the citizenry and in a public venue. The presentation of historical narratives in the public sphere can take many forms: radio, television, and film; digital history projects, advertising and marketing; historical sites and museums; historic markers and heritage districts; history education programs for students; historical reenactments; and mass market publications.

Minor Requirements: The Public History Minor requires 21 credits. There are 5 required courses and 2 public history electives. Students combining the History Major and the Public History Minor will need four additional public history courses in addition to their major course work because three of the major and minor courses will double count (fulfill requirements in both the major and the minor). Students who are pursuing the History Major must complete 7 courses for the minor.

Public History Courses (course descriptions can be found in the Academic Catalog)

HP211 Introduction to Public History (3 credits)
HP245 Digital History (3 credits)
HP310 Oral History (3 credits)
HP320 State, Local, National, History (3 credits)
HP375 Topics in Public History (3 credits)
HP399, 499 Independent Study in Public History (3 credits)
HP495 Internship in Public History (3-6 credits)

FACULTY

Melinda Marie Jette
Assistant Professor of History
B.A., Catholic University of America
M.A., Université Laval
Ph.D., University of British Columbia
jette@franklinpierce.edu

Mary Kelly
Associate Professor of History
B.A., M.A., University College Galway
Ph.D., Syracuse University
kellymc@franklinpierce.edu

Douglas Ley
Associate Professor of History
B.A., Gettysburg College
M.A., Ph.D., University of Wisconsin
leyda@franklinpierce.edu

Nickolas Lupinin
Senior Lecturer, Humanities
B.A., Syracuse University
M.A., Ph.D., New York University
lupinin@franklinpierce.edu

Lecturers 

John Lund
Lecturer, History
lundj@franklinpierce.edu

Scott Walsh
Lecturer, History
walshs@franklinpierce.edu

Stephen Wilson
Lecturer, Humanities
B.A., University of Rhode Island
M.A., University of London
wilsons@franklinpierce.edu