Breadcrumb
Public History Minor
Public History encompasses the many and diverse ways that we draw upon collective understandings of the past to make sense of issues in the present. Our students are immersed in contemporary real-world questions and challenges, hands-on learning, practical and professional skill development, and meaningful engagement with community partners.
The Public History minor can be paired with any major.
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Curriculum
Public History, Minor
Public History encompasses the many and diverse ways that we draw upon collective understandings of the past to make sense of issues in the present. At Saint Mary's College, we envision Public History as a distinctive set of historical methodologies and interdisciplinary practices rooted in community engagement and partnership. That means our students are immersed in contemporary real-world questions and challenges, hands-on learning, practical and professional skill development, and meaningful engagement with community partners through Engaged Learning (EL) coursework, practicums, and internships. We aim to reframe understandings of the past from the ground up, with the aim of bringing greater equity, diversity, local and global perspective, and intersectionality to the public presentation of our diverse and shared histories.
The Public History minor can be paired with any major, including History.
Requirements
Introductions
- Take 1 lower-division course from allied programs introducing some dimension of public history-related foundations.
- Western Art Survey (4 units)
- World Art: Non-Western (4 units)
- Art Theory (3 units)
- Intro to Social & Cultural Anthropology (4 units)
- Intro to Archaeology (4 units)
- Introduction to Studio Art (4 units)
- Digital Photography I (4 units)
- Earth Systems (4 units)
- Environmental Science (4 units)
- Voices of American Diversity (3 units)
- Introduction to Ethnic Studies (4 units)
- Introduction to Global & Regional Studies (4 units)
- Global History to 1500 (4 units)
- Global History Since 1500 (4 units)
- US History to 1877 (4 units)
- US History Since 1877 (4 units)
- Western Cultures and Societies to 1500 (3 units)
- Introduction to Justice Community & Leadership (3 units)
- Media Production Tools and Techniques (3 units)
- Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies (4 units)
Methods
- Take 1 course in Historical Methods
- The Historian's Craft: Methods and Practice (3 units)
- Historiography: Debates & Interpretation (4 units)
Foundations
- Take 1 Engaged Learning course in Public History Foundations, HIST 302 and 302EL.
- Public History (4 units)
- Public History - Engaged Learning (1 units)
Skills
- Take 2 courses in allied skills instrumental in public history praxis.
- Screenprinting for the Community (3 units)
- Museums and the Construction of Other (4 units)
- Art Conservation and Restoration (4 units)
- Seminar in Theory & Practice of Art (4 units)
- Interdisciplinary Topics in Art Management: Art and Museums (3-4 units)
- Museum Studies (4 units)
- Digital Foundations (4 units)
- Project Management (3 units)
- Understanding Digital Culture (3 units)
- Critical Theories in Ethnic Studies (4 units)
- Video Production (4 units)
- Audio Production (4 units)
- Special Topics in Media Production (4 units)
- Community Media (3 units)
- Topics in Media Production (3-4 units)
- Coding is Fun (3 units)
- Data Visualization and Storytelling (3 units)
- Geographic Info Systems (5 units)
- Public History & the Power of Narrative (4 units)
- Italian Language Tutorial (1 units)
- Global Change-Makers: Non-Profits and NGOs in the 21st Century (4 units)
- Workshop in Translation (3 units)
- Writing for Nonprofit Organizations (3 units)
Electives
- Take 1 course in the intermediate or advanced level from allied programs deepening public history context or perspective. *Students may petition to take a second elective in place of the intro level course.
- Women in Art (4 units)
- History of Media Art (4 units)
- Art Criticism, 1900-the Present (4 units)
- The Silk Road (4 units)
- Arts of Africa (4 units)
- Arts of the Americas (4 units)
- Islamic Art (4 units)
- East Asian Art (4 units)
- Museums and the Construction of Other (4 units)
- World Cultures: Northern Africa (4 units)
- World Cultures: Eastern Africa (4 units)
- World Cultures: Middle Africa (4 units)
- World Cultures: Southern Africa (4 units)
- World Cultures: Western Africa (4 units)
- World Cultures: Caribbean (4 units)
- World Cultures: Central America (4 units)
- World Cultures: South America (4 units)
- World Cultures: North America (4 units)
- World Cultures: Central Asia (4 units)
- World Cultures: Eastern Asia (4 units)
- World Cultures: Southeastern Asia (4 units)
- World Cultures: Southern Asia (4 units)
- World Cultures: Western Asia (4 units)
- World Cultures: Central/ Eastern Europe (4 units)
- World Cultures: Northern Europe (4 units)
- World Cultures: Southern Europe (4 units)
- World Cultures: Western Europe (4 units)
- World Cultures: Oceania, Australia, and New Zealand (4 units)
- World Cultures: Polynesia (4 units)
- World Cultures: Melanesia and Micronesia (4 units)
- World Cultures: Antarctica (4 units)
- Anthropology of Digital Cultures (4 units)
- Special Topics in Art (4 units)
- Sustainability (4 units)
- Environmental Geology of the Parks (5 units)
- Chicana/o/x Experiences (4 units)
- Asian American History Through Pop Culture (4 units)
- French Literary Perspectives (4 units)
- Exploration of a Single Author or Genre (4 units)
- Explorations in U.S. History
- Immigration and Ethnic Relations in US (3 units)
- Comparative/Transnational US History (3 units)
- U.S. Women's History (3 units)
- U.S. Environmental History (3 units)
- Explorations in Latin American History (3 units)
- Environment in Latin American History (3 units)
- Explorations in Medieval European History (3 units)
- Modern Medievalisms (3 units)
- Explorations in Modern European History (3 units)
- Revolt & Revolution in Early Modern Europe (3 units)
- Women in Modern European History (3 units)
- Health and Welfare in Modern European History (3 units)
- Explorations in Asian History (3 units)
- War and Peace in Modern Japan (3 units)
- Revolutionary Movements in Modern China (3 units)
- Explorations in African History (3 units)
- Special Topics in US History (4 units)
- Colonial History of the U.S. (4 units)
- American Revolution and Early Republic (4 units)
- Era of Civil War and Reconstruction (4 units)
- The Rise and Fall of the American Empire (4 units)
- America in the World (4 units)
- Modern American Culture (4 units)
- African American History to 1877 (4 units)
- African American History Since 1877 (4 units)
- California History (4 units)
- Special Topics in Latin American History (4 units)
- Women in Latin American History (4 units)
- Revolution in Latin America (4 units)
- African Diaspora in Latin America (4 units)
- Drugs in Latin American History (4 units)
- Special Topics in Medieval European History (4 units)
- Dark Ages (Birth of Europe) (4 units)
- Gothic Era (Europe in the High Middle Ages) (4 units)
- Renaissance Europe (4 units)
- Warfare in the Middle Ages (4 units)
- Special Topics in Early Modern History (4 units)
- Special Topics in 19th Century European History (4 units)
- Special Topics in 20th Cent European History (4 units)
- German History: Heretics, Dictators, Land of Ideas (4 units)
- Global Citizens and Subjects in the British Empire (4 units)
- Cold War Europe in Global Perspective (4 units)
- Special Topics in Asian History (4 units)
- Ethnic Identity and Conflict in China (4 units)
- Environment in Asian History (4 units)
- Special Topics in African History (4 units)
- African History to 1850 (4 units)
- African History Since 1850 (4 units)
- Environmental Justice (4 units)
- The Global Community (4 units)
- Special Topics in Hispanic Cultural Studies (4 units)
- Culture and Civilization: Spain (3 units)
- Culture and Civilization: Latin America (3 units)
- Culture and Civilization: Mexico (3 units)
- Histories of Women, Gender, Sexuality (3 units)
- Social Justice Praxis (4 units)
- Languages, Cultures, and Creativity: Building a Toolkit for Global Citizenship (4 units)
Internship
- Internships may be semester-long, Jan Term, or summer experiences from 1-4 units. 1 unit is required.
- Internship (1-4 units)
Practicum
- Experiences for students to practice and apply public history thinking and skills. Take at least 1 unit of the following.
- Museum Practice (1 units)
- History Mentors - Engaged Learning (1 units)
- Global History to 1500 (4 units)
- Global History Since 1500 (4 units)
- Us History to 1877 (4 units)
- US History Since 1877 (4 units)
- The Historian's Craft: Methods and Practice (3 units)
- Explorations in Global History (3 units)
- Immigration and Ethnic Relations in the US (3 units)
- Comparative/Transnational US History (3 units)
- U.S. Women's History (3 units)
- U.S. Environmental History (3 units)
- Explorations in Latin American History (3 units)
- Environment in Latin American History (3 units)
- Explorations in Medieval European History (3 units)
- Western Cultures and Societies to 1500 (3 units)
- Modern Medievalisms (3 units)
- Modern Medievalisms - Engaged Learning (1 units)
- Explorations in Modern European History (3 units)
- Revolt and Revolution in Early Modern Europe (3 units)
- Women in Modern European History (3 units)
- Health and Welfare in Modern European History (3 units)
- Explorations in Asian History (3 units)
- War and Peace in Modern Japan (3 units)
- Revolutionary Movements in Modern China (3 units)
- Explorations in African History (3 units)
- Independent Study (1-4 units)
- Historiography: Debates & Interpretation (4 units)
- History Mentors--Engaged Learning (1 units)
- Public History (4 units)
- Public History--Engaged Learning (1 units)
- Special Topics in US History (4 units)
- Colonial History of the U.S. (4 units)
- American Revolution and Early Republic (4 units)
- Era of Civil War and Reconstruction (4 units)
- The Rise and Fall of the American Empire (4 units)
- America in the World (4 units)
- Modern American Culture (4 units)
- African American History to 1877 (4 units)
- African American History Since 1877 (4 units)
- California History (4 units)
- Special Topics in Latin American History (4 units)
- Women in Latin American History (4 units)
- Revolutions in Latin America (4 units)
- African Diaspora in Latin America (4 units)
- Drugs in Latin American History (4 units)
- Special Topics in Medieval European History (4 units)
- Dark Ages (Birth of Europe) (4 units)
- Gothic Era (Europe in the High Middle Ages) (4 units)
- Renaissance Europe (4 units)
- Warfare in the Middle Ages (4 units)
- Special Topics in Early Modern History (4 units)
- Special Topics in 19th Century European History (4 units)
- Special Topics in 20th Century European History (4 units)
- German History: Heretics, Dictators, Land of Ideas (4 units)
- Global Citizens and Subjects in the British Empire (4 units)
- Cold War Europe in Global Perspective (4 units)
- Special Topics in Asian History (4 units)
- Ethnic Identity and Conflict in China (4 units)
- Environment in Asian History (4 units)
- Special Topics in African History (4 units)
- African History to 1850 (4 units)
- African History Since 1850 (4 units)
- Research Seminar in U.S. History (3 units)
- Research Seminar: the Sandinista Revolution (3 units)
- Research Seminar: Environmental Disasters in Latin American History (3 units)
- Research Seminar: Medieval European History (3 units)
- Research Seminar: Modern European History (3 units)
- Research Seminar: Fascism (3 units)
- Research Seminar: Revolutions, Nations, Citizens (3 units)
- Research Seminar: the Pacific War (3 units)
- Research Sem: Cultural Revolution & Maoist Movements (3 units)
- Research Seminar in African History (3 units)
- Internship (1-4 units)
- Capstone: Senior Thesis (2 units)
- Independent Study (1-4 units)
