Public History is history that happens outside of a textbook and the classroom. Public Historians interpret the past for the public in museums, national parks, historic houses, or on main streets. Public History programs give you skills to deal with different audiences, various materials, and multiple contexts. It is often called 'applied history', because it mixes deep historical knowledge with theory and practice.

There are any number of potential career paths open to you with a Master's degree in Public History. Archives, museums, and national parks, are all traditional avenues of employment for public history professionals, but your degree can also take you in many other directions. For instance, Public Historians are employed in a wide variety of places, including small-town historical societies, local and state governments, the Supreme Court, and even Fortune 500 companies. In your classes and internships you will get a chance to sample different skills and work environments to get a taste for how varied the field is.

When it comes time to find a job, there are lots of resources to help you locate one. Job listings can be found in a number of places, including at the NCPH Jobs Board, the Federal Government Jobs Board, and the American Historical Association (AHA) Public History Jobs list.

Recent graduates of the Duquesne Public History Program have secured jobs in a wide variety of institutions both in Pittsburgh and farther afield. They built on skills from their internships and classes and are now adding to the large network of Duquesne Public History alumni.