Bachelor's in History - Public History

Turn your passion for history into a career preserving, interpreting, and sharing the stories that shape our communities. The Public History concentration at UNC Greensboro prepares students for careers and graduate study in museums, historic sites, archives, cultural organizations, nonprofits, government agencies, and other public-facing history professions. As home to one of the nation’s recognized public history programs, UNCG provides students with opportunities to explore how history connects to contemporary issues and public audiences.

Through hands-on coursework and real-world projects, students learn to research, preserve, and present history in meaningful ways. You’ll develop practical skills in areas such as oral history, museum and exhibit interpretation, digital history, public engagement, and community-based research while building a strong foundation in historical analysis and communication. This combination of professional experience and critical thinking prepares graduates to make an impact in a growing field and succeed in careers or advanced study.

Public History PROGRAM DISTINCTIONS

• Established Expertise: The Department of History at UNCG has an established expertise in public history, with its award-winning master’s program with a concentration in museum studies as well as its public history minor at the Ph.D. level. This concentration now enables undergraduate students to benefit from the department’s expertise in this arena as well.
• Flexible Format: The concentration is available in both on-campus and online formats.
• Community Commitment: A hallmark of this program is the opportunity to participate in real-world public history projects and internships. 
• Passionate Professors: UNCG’s Department of History faculty regularly win university-wide teaching and mentorship awards for their commitment to student success.. They regularly publish books and articles and win awards for their research.

THE Public History STUDENT EXPERIENCE

• Through a sequence of courses, students examine how people understand the past. They explore how public memory shapes communities and influences action. Students learn where history can be found in today’s world and how historic sites are preserved. They also study how public historians interpret and share history with public audiences.
• Students learn the hands-on skills of public historians, such as oral history, exhibit design, and digital history methods.
• Students are supported and encouraged to participate in research and internship experiences.
  • Past history majors have interned at the Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum, Greensboro Historical Museum, Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, the High Point Museum, and UNCG’s Special Collections and University Archives. 
• The UNCG History Club regularly engages students in history-related lectures, movies, games, trips, and more. 

AFTER GRADUATIng with a bachelor’s in History Public History — Public History Degree

Graduates of UNC Greensboro’s Public History bachelor’s in History Public History — Public History concentration leave with a strong foundation in historical research, communication, and interpretation, along with specialized skills in oral history, exhibit development, digital history, and public engagement. These experiences prepare students for careers in museums, historic sites, archives, cultural and heritage organizations, nonprofits, preservation agencies, and public history institutions.

Students are also well positioned for graduate study in public history, museum studies, archival management, historic preservation, and related fields. By learning how history shapes public understanding, civic life, and social change, graduates develop the knowledge and practical expertise needed to preserve, interpret, and share the past with diverse audiences.

Potential Career Paths

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