Applied History and Public Humanities, MA

About the Degree

Graduates earn both the M.A. in Applied History and the Certificate in Public Humanities. No other state university offers this combination. The core curriculum consists of 31 credit hours. The coursework is interdisciplinary, combining historical content, theory, and methodology with experiential learning. It includes hands-on work in archives and exhibit design through the University of Akron’s Center for the History of Psychology. Students will complete a final research paper or public history project, as well as pass comprehensive exams in two content areas.

The program embeds the Certificate in Public Humanities in a full M.A. degree. It is interdisciplinary by design with coursework from at least four other departments on campus, including UA’s Smithsonian-affiliated Center for the History of Psychology. The program also features a balanced focus on both content and practical experience.

Salary and Career Outlook

Our graduates begin their careers equipped with a diverse skillset that includes historical and theoretical knowledge, applied skills in archival and museum work, and training in fundraising, digital media development and production, exhibit design, grant writing, and project management. The degree prepares students for a variety of careers in museums, archives, education, non-profit, research, or further professional study.

There are several occupations where the combination of the History content and the Certificate in Public Humanities could serve students well. All of them have positive career growth projections. They include:

Archivists
Curators
Historians
Social Science Research Assistants
Administrative Managers
Events Planners
Fundraising Managers
Public Relations Specialists in areas such as government, education, and non-profit organizations.

Why Akron?

Experiential learning is built into the program. All students gain experience in archival management and museum exhibit design. Students will also have the opportunity to conduct a public history project associated with area organizations or on campus.

All qualified students in the UA program receive scholarships.

The program leverages the experience of faculty and professionals across campus and in the community. Faculty and museum professionals in the program are dedicated to student success, and strive to create rich, meaningful classroom and on-site learning experiences.

Contact Information

Please reach out to Dr. Gregory Wilson in the History department for questions. His email is gwilson@uakron.edu.