University of West Florida

Through the Department of History, students can earn an MA in Public History with a specialization in Museum Studies or a Certificate in Historic Preservation. The Public History program provides students with an M.A. degree in history from the Department of History with a public history specialization. The Public History track within the UWF Department of History trains students in the various aspects of public, or applied, history.

The specialization in Museum Studies emphasizes Museology including exhibit conception, interpretation, design and construction, museum administration, working with missions, budgets, collections, and boards. Electives provided by courses offered within the department and with the departments of Art History.

Master's students may also earn a certificate in Historic Preservation. The certificate program is geared to individuals interested in acquiring a general focus in the field of historic preservation and to current practitioners in the field who wish to add a historic preservation certification to their academic or professional credentials.
The certificate program in historic preservation requires the completion of eighteen (18) credit hours of courses at the Master’s level. These courses provide students both the breadth and depth necessary for a basic understanding of the diverse field, while also allowing students to gain some expertise in certain areas of the field through their selection of the elective courses, and, in some cases, by providing an opportunity to work on faculty grant projects. Courses are multi-disciplinary, including coursework in anthropology, archaeology, art history, environmental studies, traditional history, and public history.