Public History Courses

Offered in Rotation

This seminar traces the various ethnic, social, cultural, political, economic, and demographic forces in American society that have helped shape country music. Students will also explore how this uniquely American cultural idiom mirrors the historical evolution of the United States.

Offered in Rotation

This course examines the evolution of music in Texas and the American Southwest from pre-Colombian times to the present, with an emphasis on how music reflects the ethnically diverse history and culture of the region. 

Offered in Rotation

This course examines the interactions between people and things in American society. The ways in which Americans have created, used, altered, and thought about material objects help us to understand history. Readings and research will focus on the values and attitudes embodied in the production, use, and preservation of objects.

Offered in Rotation

This course provides an introduction to the non-profit based management, leadership, and administration issues and practices for historical organizations.

Offered in Rotation

This course will study the role of education programs as primary to the missions of historical and cultural institutions and will explore how institutions create and evaluate formal and informal education programs and materials for a variety of audiences.

Offered in Rotation

This course examines issues and effective methods of interpreting historic sites open to visitors associated with tragic historical events and practices, such as battlefields, concentration camps, massacre sites, and plantation houses, that are to the public. Dark tourism sites in the United States and around the world will be examined.

Offered in Rotation

This course examines the historical role music has played in a variety of social movements related to race, gender, ethnicity, religion, politics, economics, education, labor, civil rights, and other issues in U.S. history. 

Offered Yearly 

A seminar addressing the definition, evolution, and philosophy of public history.

Offered Yearly

Application of skills in public history in an on-the job setting. Internships will be selected by the student and instructor, and will be supervised by the instructor. May be repeated once for additional credit.

Offered in Rotation

A team project focusing on one or more aspects of public history-museum exhibit, historic site interpretation, historic resources survey, etc. Repeatable with a different emphasis.

Offered in Rotation

A seminar based upon developing a theoretical and practical understanding of the techniques of oral historical research and document preservation and presentation.

Offered Yearly

A seminar addressing the history, organization, and functions of history museums.

Offered in Rotation

A seminar based on the history, theory, and practice or archival management.

Offered in Rotation

This course will introduce students to the principles and theories in records management and institutional archives. It will provide practical experience creating a records retentions schedule, researching retention requirements and best practices, appraising records with enduring value, and establishing archival series to accommodate ongoing acquisition of institutional records.

Offered in Rotation

Heritage management is the interdisciplinary approach to the preservation, protection, and public use of the historical record. This course examines definitions and approaches within a global context. Theory and practice will be analyzed through case studies and real world examples. Current issues, sustainability and maritime issues/practices will be included. 

Offered in Rotation

This seminar addresses the management of cultural resources such as historic buildings, historic sites, and other tangible remains of our heritage. It explores how cultural resources are preserved and managed under federal and state law, and the nature of the regulatory practice.

Offered in Rotation

This course will analyze the historical development of American architecture, and examine architecture as evidence of America's cultural, social, economic, and technological evolution from 1607 to the present. Focus will be placed on the role of historic American architecture in the practice of public history.

Offered in Rotation

Every year millions of tourists flock to historic sites desiring to commune with "real" history, to "feel" the past. This course will introduce students to methods that scholars use to examine critically the interpretation of history at these sites without discounting the emotional connection to place that many visitors experience.

Offered Yearly

A seminar applying historical methods to the study of U.S. communities.

Offered in Rotation

This course examines the way that groups shape the the collective memory of past events, how memory shifts over time, and the way it can be influenced by present influences.

Offered in Rotation

Students will study the history of print and digital media to better understand the practice of digital history. They will be introduced to a variety of digital approaches to the study of history, and they will produce and contribute to a variety of digital projects.

Offered in Rotation

The use of film & video in public programming; research & produce documents.

Offered in Rotation

A seminar addressing architectural history and preservation theory and practice.