Certificate Overview

The Graduate Certificate in Public History enables students to develop the analytical and interpretive tools of a graduate history education and to apply them in public practice. The certificate is earned with twelve credit hours. Six certificate credits can be used also to fulfill requirements for the Master's degree in History.

How to Apply:
Fill out the online application for participation in the certificate program.

Upon processing of the application, you will be contacted
with information about the submission of additional
required materials. Thank you for your interest.

Admission Requirements

Students applying to the MA program in History should indicate an interest in public history and the Certificate in Public History as part of their application statement.

Students already admitted to graduate programs at Virginia Tech with an interest in pursuing the Graduate Certificate should send a letter of intent (no more than 500 words) addressed to the Graduate Committee, Department of History. In the letter applicants should explain their interest in public history and describe any experiences in a public history setting.

Admission to the certificate program requires good standing in a graduate program at Virginia Tech.

Course Requirements

The Graduate Certificate requires 12 credits of graduate level coursework in History, nine of which must be chosen from the department’s public history course offerings and three from graduate level courses in history. The 12 credits for the Graduate Certificate are distributed as follows:

HIST 5424: Public History (3 credits)
HIST 5964: Field Study/Practicum (Internship) (3 credits)

At least one of the following public history courses:
HIST 5434: Digital History Methods
HIST 5444: Oral History
HIST 5454: Topics in Public History

In addition, all students, including those not pursuing an MA in history, must complete a graduate level history course from the following list:
HIST 5114: U.S. History to 1877
HIST 5124: U.S. History since 1877
HIST 5214/ASPT 5214: Topics in Global History
HIST 5246: Readings in Latin American History
HIST 5504: Modern European History

The Graduate Certificate in Public History requires 12 credits of graduate coursework in History, 9 of which must be chosen from the department's public history offerings. These include the public history graduate class and an additional offering on a public history methodology or topic. Additionally, students will complete a 3-credit, 120-hour internship with a historic site, museum, or institution of the student's choice, usually during the summer after the first year. For more information, see the requirements for the certificate on the history department's website, or contact the Director of Public History at JessicaTaylor@vt.edu.