University at Albany, SUNY
Public History
Department of History
University at Albany, SUNY
1400 Washington Ave.
Albany, NY 12222 USA
http://www.albany.edu/history/graduateprogram-public-history.php
Director(s):
Gerald Zahavi
gzahavi@albany.edu
518-442-5427
Program Description: Founded in 1983, the M.A. program in Public History at the University at Albany,
SUNY trains historians to work at a variety of public history venues. The program is a 36-credit program,
usually completed in three semesters. In addition to traditional public history courses -- in archival
practices, historical site administration, material studies, historic preservation, local/community history,
and museum studies -- the program also offers students training in digital history, documentary
filmmaking, oral/video history, and audio documentary production. Albany is home to major New York
State agencies such as the State Archives, State Museum, and Office of Historic Preservation. The region
also contains many public and private museums, historical societies, archives, and public media
television and radio stations. This diversity permits a wide choice of internship and career possibilities –
and a pool of specialized experts to supplement the regular staff of the Department of History.
Degrees Offered:
• M.A. in Public History
• M.A. in History with a Certificate or
Concentration in Public History
Financial Aid Available: In-state tuition
discounts; some paid internships.
Program Strengths:
• Public Policy
• Oral History
• Museum Studies
• Material History
• Local/Community History
• Historic Preservation
• Historical Administration
• Film/Video
• Digital Media
• Archival Practices
Credit Hour Requirement: 36
How Many Students are Admitted Annually:
BA: N/A MA: 7 PhD: N/A
Deadline to Apply:
Rolling admission
Internship Requirement: A full-time 6-credit
summer internship is required and available
internships opportunities are publicized
throughout the year to students. Occasional
paid internships are available but most are
unpaid.
Places Where Students Have Interned During
the Past Three Years:
• Olana State Historic Site
• Colonial Albany Project (NYS Museum)
• Peebles Island State Park
• Shaker Village
• WMHT (TV)
NCPH Online Guide to Public History Programs, Page 1
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WAMC (Radio)
New York State Museum
Albany Institute of History and Art
Martin Van Buren National Historic Site
(NPS)
Schenectady County Historical Society
New York State Archives
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Maybee Farm Historic Site
New York State Historical Association
Museum Association of New York
USS Slater
Fort Crailo
Job Placement Assistance Offered: The Program hosts an annual mixer each fall for students and area
public history professionals and program alumni. We also maintain a database of available jobs and
regularly broadcast job opportunities via Facebook and Twitter graduates.
Employers Who Have Hired Graduates from this Program within the Past Five Years:
• New York State Museum
• New York State Archives
• National Park Service
• Schuyler Mansion Historic Site
• NYS Parks
• Historic Cherry Hill
• Lakes to Locks Passage
• Museum Association of New York
• Albany Institute of History and Art
NCPH Online Guide to Public History Programs, Page 2