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Public History makes history accessible to all. The Â鶹´«Ã½â€™s minor provides career preparation through training in making museum exhibitions, producing documentary audio and video, working in libraries and archives, presenting historical information on the web and in the media, and much more. You’ll gain practical experience via industry partnerships and internships while developing your skill in decoding and explaining history’s complexity. 

Maine's only Public History program helps launch your career with training ordinarily reserved for graduate-level students. Our experienced faculty are accomplished historical scholars, but they also bring industry experience in museums, film, television, journalism, and graphic design—all of which helps prepare you to bring history alive for the public. At UNE, you’ll receive a solid foundation in general historical methodology while also gaining real-world experience in the public-facing applications of historical work,  such as exhibitions, archival collections, historical interpretation, and audiovisual media. Our approach combines academic knowledge with hands-on learning and industry connections, preparing you to transform how history is shared while still in school.

Students in our Public History minor:

• Get hands-on training in exhibitions, archival work, digital media, and historical interpretation
• Learn with experienced faculty with multi-disciplinary backgrounds committed to publicly engaged history
• Engage the digital humanities through online exhibits, Geographic Information System mapping, podcasts, and ePortfolios to transform how history is interpreted and shared
• Experience an integrated approach that goes beyond the walls of the traditional classroom and prepares you for diverse, public-facing historical work

Experiential Learning

Distinguished from our traditional History Minor by its emphasis on applied history, classes in Public History are centered around hands-on learning. You’ll interpret and present historical content for public audiences using a variety of narrative forms, including writing, digital media, and exhibition design, by partnering with local museums or even participating in archaeological digs. 

Internships and Research

While not required for the minor, internships are a valuable learning tool where you can apply your classroom education to hands-on learning. You can help support local projects and organizations with their historical research, presentation, and public outreach. There are many opportunities on campus and with local organizations.

Examples of Available Courses

Our experienced faculty will teach you to engage the public through history with courses like:

• Telling Tales of the Past
• History Hands-On: Holocaust in History and Memory
• Environmental History of New England
• Oral History of the Â鶹´«Ã½
• American Indian History and Culture
• What Actually Happened? Debating the American Revolution
• What Actually Happened? Debating Nationalism

UNE's Public History minor equips students with versatile skills for diverse career paths in historical research, interpretation, and communication. The program's comprehensive approach prepares graduates for dynamic roles across multiple sectors.

Professional Opportunities Include