Public History

Entry requirements

To qualify for entry students should normally have a second-class degree or relevant experience.

The degree must be from a UK or overseas university, or the equivalent. Candidates with professional qualifications in an associated area will also be considered.

For more information about entry requirements please email apply@stmarys.ac.uk.

Months of entry

September

Course content

Most people's sense of the past comes from public history, through film and television, fiction, museums, heritage sites and memory work.

This course looks at the kinds of pasts that are produced in these popular forms. It examines how they are made and the ways in which they are consumed and understood.

As part of your study you'll be able to gain practical experience of working in a cultural heritage site, museum, gallery or archive.

The degree will help to prepare you for a career in public history related fields. It will also show you why the uses we make of the past are not just matters of academic interest.

This is the only degree in the UK that is taught in partnership with The National Archives, which is a leading national and international site not just for archiving government documents, but also for engaging with the past in other forms.

You will attend workshops at The National Archives, delivered by their highly experienced staff and drawing on their wealth of original materials.

With the St Mary's campus located in South-West London, we also have excellent opportunities for field visits, and unrivalled links for volunteering and work experience with Hampton Court Palace, Strawberry Hill House, Turner's House, Sir John Soane Museum and Orleans House Gallery. This means that if you decide to take a professional attachment as part of your degree, we can arrange a placement that is relevant to your interests and career aims.

The degree is taught by historians with a strong record of publication and high-quality teaching

Information for international students

International students should check our country-specific pages for equivalents. English language requirements also apply.

Fees and funding

For information about fees - along with information about financing your studies - please check the Fees & Funding section of our website.