CSUSB is proud to offer to its undergraduate students an introduction to the dynamic field of history as practiced by professionals outside of the classroom.
The Program
Public history is that which is all around us in the many public spaces outside of the classroom. Public historians often are professionals or consultants who preserve history in the public sphere. They often work in museums, government agencies, cultural resources areas, libraries, film or media. They work to make history accessible for the general public. The program at CSUSB is designed to give undergraduate and graduate students a broad overview of the practice of public history and opportunities for internships. Students are required to take introduction to public and oral history, upper-division history content courses, and complete an internship. (Students must apply for acceptance to the internship program and meet the minimum GPA requirement of 3.0. Application materials are available below. Students who do not meet the minimum requirements for an internship should consult with one of the Public History professors for advising.) Students choose additional courses according to their interests and career goals. These courses include: historical archaeology, exhibit design, museum and archive management, archival practices, museum methods, etc. Students also benefit from extracurricular opportunities, like working on the student editorial board and publishing the CSUSB journal of history, History in the Making. As history majors, students receive broad training in the academic discipline of history, and broad content knowledge by surveying courses from around the globe.
The Program Learning Outcomes are:
PLO 1 – Demonstrate key historical literacy, including knowledge of key events and how change occurs over time in broad geographical and temporal areas
PLO 2 – Demonstrating research skills, including critical thinking and reading abilities, assessment and writing skills
PLO 3 – Demonstrating communication skills, showing ability to organize and express their thoughts coherently
For more information on degree requirements please visit Bachelor of Arts in Public History Bulletin.
Archives and Museums
Courses in exhibit design, archive and museum management, and archival practices prepare students for careers in the dynamic field of archives and museums. Students not only learn broad theoretical background necessary to understand the intellectual roots of the preservation of historical materials in archives and the presentation of history to the public in museums, students also gain hands-on experience designing their own exhibits, processing collections, and working in a museum and/or archive. After completing the program, students have been successful in going on for graduate training in Library Science, Archives and Public History programs. Some students have also found permanent employment working in archives, museums, libraries and in government.
Community Partnerships
Students work with many local community partners to help preserve and present local history. CSUSB is also located at the foothills of the birthplace of the national Oral History Association. The program partners with the community in recording and preserving the histories of people and organizations within the San Bernardino and Inland Southern California region. Students receive training in the theories and best practices in oral history and are immersed in ongoing projects in partnership with organizations in the community and throughout the region.
Internships
See our Internships page for information on internships and how to navigate the internship process.
For further information on internships, also click on one of the links below:
BA in Public History Coordinator
Dr. Daisy Ocampo (Daisy.Ocampo@csusb.edu)
Internship Coordinator
Dr. Thomas E. Long, (tlong@csusb.edu)