MA Public History and Heritage

Program Overview

The Public History and Heritage MA at Birkbeck University equips students with the skills to analyze and create public history projects. It explores the diverse roles of historians in public life, from museum professionals to policy specialists. The program offers hands-on experience through an optional work placement and culminates in a dissertation on a chosen topic related to public history and heritage. Graduates pursue careers in heritage, museums, policy, research, education, and media.

Program Outline

Public History and Heritage (MA):

Degree Overview:

The Public History and Heritage MA at Birkbeck University explores the practice of history outside of academia. It provides students with the theoretical and practical skills necessary to analyze and create public history projects and interventions. The program focuses on the diverse roles of historians in public life, ranging from museum professionals and archivists to cultural resource managers and policy specialists.

Objectives:

• Equip students with the ability to critically analyze public history projects and interventions.
• Enable students to create their own public history projects.
• Provide students with hands-on experience through the optional work placement module.
• Offer a comprehensive understanding of the impact and importance of public history in contemporary society, including its role in politics, culture, and society.

Program Description:

The Public History and Heritage MA provides a comprehensive exploration of public history, encompassing various types and methods, including museums and material culture, public history in the media, and the role of history in policymaking. Students gain a deeper understanding of the diverse roles played by historians in the public sphere, including:

• Consultants
• Museum professionals
• Archivists
• Preservationists and curators
• Cultural resource managers
• Policy specialists
• Community activists

Outline:

The program consists of 180 credits, including:

• Compulsory Modules (60 credits):
• Museum Cultures Work Placement (optional)
• Public Histories in Practice (optional)
• Public History and Heritage: Theories, Issues and Practice
• Research Skills for Historians
• Public History/Heritage Option Modules (60 credits):
• Archives and Memory
• Museums, Memory and National Identity
• Slavery and its Cultural Legacies
• The Country House Experience
• The Politics of the Past: Heritage in a Changing World
• MA Public History and Heritage Dissertation (60 credits):
• Students conduct independent research and produce a 15,000-16,000 word dissertation on a chosen topic related to public history and heritage.

Assessment:

Assessment methods include:

• A 15,000-16,000 word dissertation
• Optional work placement module assessment

Teaching:

The program utilizes a variety of teaching methods, including:

• Seminars
• Lectures
• One-to-one tutorials
• Dissertation supervision
• Online resources (e.g., Moodle)

Careers:

Graduates of the Public History and Heritage MA pursue careers in:

• Heritage
• Museums
• Tourism
• Policy
• Research
• Education
• Media

Other:

• The program is offered full-time (one year) or part-time (two years) on campus.
• Evening classes cater to students with work and other commitments.
• Learning Development Service
• Disability and Dyslexia Service
• Counselling Service
• Mental Health Advisory Service

Part-time home students: £5,400 per year Full-time home students: £10,800 per year Part-time international students: £9,915 per year Full-time international students: £19,830 per year