HIST 750 - Public History Research Seminar

(3 units)

History 750 introduces graduate students to the historiographical traditions, ethical frameworks, and research methods central to public history. Through seminar and collaborative research, students design and execute an original public history project integrating archival, digital, and oral sources. The final product interprets a significant historical question for a public audience or client. Core themes include representation, positionality, and the co-production of historical knowledge.

Maximum units a student may earn: 3

Grading Basis: Graded
Units of Lecture: 3
Offered: Every Spring - Odd Years

Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. critically evaluate major theoretical frameworks in public history and situate their research within relevant scholarly conversations.
2. design and execute a collaborative research project using methods appropriate to public history, such as oral history, archival research, or digital history, demonstrating source criticism and ethical practice.
3. translate historical research for diverse public audiences through written, digital, or exhibition-based products while reflecting critically on scholarly authority and accessible communication.
4. analyze ethical dimensions of public history practice, including representation and ownership, and develop collaborative frameworks engaging community partners in historical knowledge production and dissemination.

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