Public History

The National Council on Public History (NCPH) defines public history as “the many and diverse ways in which history is put to work in the world. In this sense, it is history that is applied to real-world issues.” The organization notes that “public historians come in all shapes and sizes. They call themselves historical consultants, museum professionals, government historians, archivists, oral historians, cultural resource managers, curators, film and media producers, historical interpreters, historic preservationists, policy advisers, local historians, and community activists, among many many other job descriptions. All share an interest and commitment to making history relevant and useful in the public sphere” (NCPH). 

From our guided internship program to support for pursuing external internships, public history classes, and the Public History Concentration in the History Major, our program can prepare you to work in public history. Building on their coursework and experiences at WKU, history alumni work as park rangers, museum directors, economic development officers, and curators.