Public History/Museum Studies

What we offer

The Public History Minor exposes students to the techniques and practices that will allow graduates to work in museums, for the National Park Service, for state historical societies, or in other public history careers.

Students have the opportunity to choose between the managerial track, which prepares them to operate the business side of a museum, and the curatorial track, which prepares them to work with historical collections and teaches the techniques of creating exhibits.

Professor Ray Schuck, the primary instructor for the minor, spent over twenty years as the Director of the Allen County Museum in Lima, OH.

Faculty research and teaching interests include Material Culture, Popular Music, Sport History, and Oral History.

As part of this minor, students must complete a Public Service Internship, working in a museum, at a state historical society, or the like. Recent students have interned with the North Dakota Historical Society, the Erie (PA) County Historical Society, and at the Smithsonian Institution.

Facilities

Professor Schuck takes students to the Metzger Nature Center (pictured above) for the Archeology Field School, part of the Public History and Museum Studies Minor. This is a first class facility that includes classrooms and accommodations for fifteen students, with delicious foods provided by Wayne and Carol King, who always prepare more excellent farm-family style food that students can eat.