NYU MA Programs in History

Archives and Public History Program Details

Jump to: Degree Programs and Requirements, Dual Degree MA/MLIS

Overview

For four decades, NYU has prepared students for successful careers as archivists, museum curators, documentary editors, cultural resource managers, historical interpreters, and media specialists. The program’s Director, Professor Ellen Noonan, brings nearly 20 years of experience working in the field of public history and insures that the program is responsive to the needs of the ever evolving fields of archives and public history. Our courses emphasize a solid grounding in historical scholarship, intense engagement with digital technologies, and project-based learning. And there’s no better place to study archives and public history than New York City. Course instructors are working professionals in the field, and students can choose to intern at one or more of the city’s wide range of archival and public history institutions.

Students can pursue an MA or (if they already hold an MA in a humanities or related field) Advanced Certificate, electing to pursue a concentration in either Archives or Public History. We also offer a dual degree program in Library Science with Long Island University. NYU undergraduates can apply for the BA/MA program and earn both their undergraduate and graduate degrees within five years.

As part of their core coursework, students undertake independent research (capstone projects) using the unique resources of New York City as their public history and archives laboratory. In addition, internships are integrated with coursework, contributing to a professionalized and constructive learning environment.

Please contact Professor Noonan (ellen.noonan at nyu.edu or 212-998-8601) for additional information. Information on admissions requirements and application procedures for all graduate programs, including Public History and Archives, is available from NYU’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. 

Degree Programs and Requirements

MA with Archives or Public History Concentration

MA students must complete 32 credit points (most NYU classes are 4 credit points) and select either the Archives or Public History concentration. Students typically register for eight credits per semester and complete the program in four semesters (i.e. two academic years).

Students choose their electives in consultation with the program director. In addition to electives offered by the Archives and Public History program and other NYU programs and departments (including the History Department, Museum Studies Program, and the Moving Image Archiving and Preservation Program), students may take courses through Columbia University’s Oral History MA program.

Advanced Certificates

Students who already hold MA degrees in the humanities or social sciences may attain advanced certificates in either Archives or Public History. The program requires satisfactory completion of 20 credit points in either concentration.

Dual-Degree (MA/MLIS) Program

NYU’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences also offers a dual-degree (MA/MLIS) program in conjunction with Long Island University’s Palmer School of Library and Information Science. Located in NYU’s Bobst Library, the program enables students to graduate with both degrees in three years and offers an especially strong concentration of courses for students interested in pursuing archival careers. All classes are held on the NYU campus or online. Applicants must apply separately to each program; once accepted to both, they then apply to be accepted into the dual degree program.