Public historians provide an educational passage to the past. Whether you want to work in classrooms, museums, historical sites, libraries, government or business, the Public History program offers valuable insights into how to turn your passion for history into a rewarding career.
Program Overview
Share your passion for history with your community.
The Public History emphasis will introduce you to the associated fields of historic preservation, archival sciences, museum curatorship and oral history while being supported by academic historical content courses. Through intensive coursework, you’ll expand your historical knowledge and develop practical field skills through supporting courses in Anthropology, Communication Arts, Environment & Sustainability and Recreation & Outdoor Education. In your senior year, you’ll gain hands-on experience in the field studying the role of commemoration and memory at historical locations, such as the Sand Creek Massacre and Bent’s Old Fort national historical sites. Upon graduation, you’ll have the knowledge and experience needed to begin your career as a teacher, museum archivist, historical tour guide or entrepreneur.
Historical knowledge
Public Historian students learn to bring our most important insights about the past to people of all ages outside of specialized academic settings through their work in classrooms, museums, historical sites, libraries, government and business.
Courses
At Western, course rotations are crafted to encompass a variety of subject fields for a comprehensive education and versatile degree. For required courses and degree plans, visit the official University Catalog. Below is a general overview of courses at Western Colorado University related to this area of study.
Code | Title | Credits | Description |
---|---|---|---|
ACC 201 | Introduction to Financial Accounting | 3 | View |
ANTH 107 | Introduction to General Anthropology (GT-SS3) | 3 | View |
ANTH 219 | Archaeology (with laboratory) | 4 | View |
ANTH 230 | Cultural Anthropology (with laboratory) | 4 | View |
ANTH 344 | Indians of North America | 3 | View |
ANTH 467 | Ethnography Field School | 4 | View |
ART 222 | Art History I | 3 | View |
ART 223 | Art History II | 3 | View |
ART 321 | American Art: Colonial to Modern | 3 | View |
ART 422 | Native American Art of North America | 3 | View |
BUAD 185 | Business Communication | 3 | View |
BUAD 210 | Legal Environment of Business | 3 | View |
BUAD 270 | Principles of Marketing | 3 | View |
BUAD 275 | Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship: Mindset (ICE: Mindset) | 3 | View |
BUAD 300 | Business Ethics | 3 | View |
COM 205 | Communication Arts I | 3 | View |
COM 231 | Technical Production I | 4 | View |
COM 305 | Communication Arts II | 3 | View |
COM 323 | Media/ Arts Management | 3 | View |
COM 346 | Multimedia Communication | 3 | View |
CS 120 | Professional Computer Skills | 3 | View |
CS 160 | Introduction to Web Design | 3 | View |
ENVS 100 | Introduction to Environment and Sustainability (GT-SS2) | 3 | View |
GEOG 120 | Introduction to Human Geography (GT-SS2) | 3 | View |
GEOG 222 | Our Digital Earth | 3 | View |
POLS 282 | Issues in State and Local Government | 3 | View |
ROE 230 | Interpretation of Natural and Cultural History | 3 | View |
ROE 235 | Foundations of Teaching Environmental Education | 3 | View |
Careers
Career preparation starts your first year at Western and is the primary focus of every degree.
Visit Career Services in Library 120 or online to discover your interests, define your goals, and land the career of your dreams.
The data below is automatically collected by Burning Glass Technologies, a firm that sources job market data and provides analytics. The statistics illustrate general trends in U.S. careers, but do not precisely represent every job and salary.
Scholarships
Alumni Association Future Alumni Scholarship
The Alumni Association Scholarship is a one-time scholarship of $1,000 and is applicable for the student’s junior or senior year at Western. Any child or grandchild of an alumni is eligible to receive the Future Alumni Scholarship.- This is a one-time non-renewable scholarship of $1,000.
- Only one Future Alumni Scholarship will be awarded per academic year.
- GPA must be 3.2 or above (college).
Alumni Legacy Scholarship
The Alumni Legacy Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western (incoming freshman or new transfer students are eligible).
Do you have a son or daughter looking at college? Have they considered attending Western? As an alumni, your son, daughter and/or grandchildren are eligible for certain benefits distributed through this scholarship, as follows:
- This is a one-time scholarship of $1,000.
- Nominee must be an incoming freshman or new transfer.
- The cost of orientation is reduced by half (a $45 value).
- The admission application fee is waived (a $30 value).
- GPA must be 2.0 or above (high school or college of transfer).
The applicant must fill out the application form found here (click). Application forms are accepted year-round. If the applicant meets the GPA guidelines, the scholarship will be awarded.
Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship
The Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western. This scholarship is not available to midyear transfers or students beginning in the spring semester.
Are you an alumni or employee of Western and know a prospective (or incoming) student who would be a great fit at Western? A recommendation from alumni and employees can support any new student and provide them a $500 scholarship their first year. (Western employees may not recommend a spouse or dependent receiving tuition benefits).
- Any Western alumni/employee may nominate only one student per academic year to receive the $500 scholarship (distributed $250 per semester).
- The scholarship is good for the first year only and is non-renewable.
- The recommended student must be a full-time undergraduate student, attending Western for the first time.
The applicant must fill out the application form found here. The nominating alumni/employee must fill out the application form and submit the required documents by June 1. The recommended student must meet university admissions acceptance standards and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Description
The Western Presidential Honors Scholarships, established by the Jack and Marilyn MacAllister Foundation shall be an elite class of scholarships awarded to Western's highest achieving and most deserving students, celebrating the ideals of academic excellence and service to the campus and community. Recipients of the Scholarships will be members of the Western Colorado University Honors Program.
There are eight Presidential Honors Scholarships of $2500 each. Each year two new Presidential Honors Scholarships will be awarded to two incoming freshmen.
Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) or Central Plains (CP) tuition represents a substantial savings relative to normal, out-of-state tuition. Students eligible for the WUE or CP program will be charged 150% of Western’s total in-state tuition. For 2018-19, total in-state tuition was $8,934. WUE/CP tuition was $13,401. The WUE/CP discount is valued at $4,695.
For more information about the WUE and CP geography-based programs, visit Western’s Tuition Discount Programs Page.
Immediately upon acceptance at Western, every student is considered for a merit scholarship worth between $2,500-$4,500 per year for in-state students and $8,000-$10,000 for out-of-state students. The amount is based on the student's GPA and ACT/SAT scores. Visit our Net Price Calculator at western.edu/cost to determine whether you qualify for a merit scholarship.
For more information about merit scholarships at Western, visit our scholarships page.
News & Research
Get Involved
Expand your community and your network.
There are so many ways that you can maximize your educational experience at Western. Take advantage of these opportunities to advance your career.
- Field Experience: Seniors travel to historical locations, such as the Sand Creek Massacre and Bent’s Old Fort national historical sites to study the role of commemoration and memory.
- History Honor Society: Join Iota Nu Chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, one of Western’s oldest academic honor societies.
- History League: Sponsors activities including a book club and catapult construction.
- Internships: Land an internship with the Crested Butte Heritage Museum.
- Study Abroad: Travel to India, Ecuador, Prague, London, Italy or Belize through Extended Studies.
History buffs
The Public History emphasis is built on a core of History courses, which introduce students to the associated fields of historic preservation, archival sciences, museum curatorship and oral history while being supported by academic historical content courses.
Department Information
Behavioral & Social Sciences (BASS) Department
Department Chairperson
Greg Haase, Ph.D.Professor of Sociology, Department Chair of Behavioral & Social Sciences Department
Campus Location
Western Colorado University
Kelley Hall 240
1 Western Way
Gunnison, CO 81231