Graduate Certificate in Public History

Program Objectives:

The graduate certificate program in public history will prepare students aspiring to professional advancement in the field of public history. The program is directed at both students seeking entry-level positions and current professionals in the cultural heritage sector who want to learn new skills and refresh their knowledge on new developments within the field. In order to accommodate all prospective and current students, the certificate program has been designed to accommodate students pursuing a stand alone, non-degree Public History certificate and students who will incorporate the Public History certificate as part of an M.A. degree in History at Salem State.

As either a stand alone, non-degree certificate or as an element of an M.A. degree in History, the public history certificate will achieve the following three objectives: (1) deepen student’s knowledge of history and public history, and expand their critical thinking skills, (2) provide students with opportunities for extensive fieldwork and collaborative community projects as they complete their coursework, while also providing experience in their chosen area of study through the internship requirement; (3) prepare students for careers in historic preservation offices, and cultural resource management firms, and for advancement in job preparation and salary for public history professionals.