Institute for the Public Understanding of the Past
MA in Public History alumni
Find out what incredible things our former MA in Public History students are up now!
Aleks Fagelman
Since leaving York, I have started my career in heritage as the Assistant Community Curator at Leeds Industrial Museum and Thwaite Watermill. It is a really varied role, where I work with the community to provide outreach, write exhibitions and improve the museum itself. My MA has been so helpful in considering the theoretical discussions of heritage spaces as places of care, that I now apply to all of my community work. I am so grateful for the opportunities I had at York, which have boosted me into this role.
MA Public History, 2020-21
Holly Smith
The history podcast that I started as a project during the first lockdown led me to my masters in Public History. It was an incredible opportunity to explore so many forms of public engagement with the past, a particular highlight being my group placement at the National Railway Museum (NRM). Whilst studying, I worked as a Project Facilitator for a community heritage project that the University was running with York Museums Trust and HerStory. I've continued with this career path and now work as a Project Coordinator for the Sound and Vision project at the National Science and Media Museum - which is in the same museum group as the NRM - and, of course, I'm still recording the podcast.
MA Public History, 2020-21
Madeline Alexander
Completing my MA in Public History has allowed me to fully immerse myself in the professional path that serves the questions of identity and how the past continues to shape us toward the future. The interdisciplinary and methodological skills acquired from my degree created the foundational knowledge base to think about the larger impact of uses of histories in the public arena. I am currently working at History Colorado, the state museum of Colorado, as the Engagement Coordinator for Black Communities where I am able to amplify racially marginalized voices. I will transition to work for Columbia University at INCITE to project manage a national oral history project to ensure elders from Black and indigenous identities are archived for public understanding and use.
MA Public History, 2020-21
Luke King-Russell
Choosing a postgraduate course in public history helped me to pursue my vocation in museums and heritage. Though I struggled with the course initially and had considered dropping out, after a few months I had properly settled in and was really enjoying it. This is in a largely due to the staff who run it - they were fantastic and kept me going. They are incredibly supportive and ready to assist you in any way they can. My favourite part of the course was the placement. I was assigned to work with the Dickens' Gift to Yorkshire Charity, and it quickly became apparent that this placement was the one for me. The placement left me with an interest in writing and content creation which I hope to pick up again in the future. Since finishing the course, my life has taken some interesting turns. I am currently awaiting news about my application to teach English in Japan. For the time being, I am one of the Jorvik Viking Centre's newest Vikings, working as a living history education interpreter! I can’t recommend this course enough - without it I wouldn't be where I am now.
MA Public History, 2021-22
Dan Smith
After working various roles after my undergraduate degree, my interest in a career in museums led me to the Public History MA. The course allowed me to explore different ideas and consider other possibilities beyond the traditional sense of working in a museum. I particularly enjoyed my placement with the York Army Museum, where I developed content for their online tour and had the opportunity to gets hands on with their collections and archives. Since completing my MA, I now work for the Royal Armouries Museum. I cover a variety of roles but most notably as an Education Assistant on a programme for British Army recruits, where they learn about their predecessors to better train them for their job today. The themes we explored throughout the MA course really helped to guide my thinking, not only in which way I would like my career to develop, but also on how I can help proactively shape the future of any museum I work within.
MA Public History, 2021-22
Kirsty O'Rourke
While I was finishing my undergraduate degree, I considered multiple different MA programmes. I discussed the benefits of each programme with my lecturers, and it became clear that public history is such an important field of study. I applied for the MA in Public History at York, and I am very happy I did. I learned a huge amount on this course, met like-minded people, and was given more opportunities than I could have imagined. This included working on Wessex Museums’ inaugural podcast series. My MA was not easy as I faced multiple issues in my personal life, however, the support I was given by both staff and coursemates helped me to succeed in my degree. Now, I work as a Public Engagement Assistant at the History of Parliament. In this role, I work to make parliamentary history accessible to all through social media, blogging, education, and events. I would not be where I am today without the experiences and support that I received throughout this degree.
MA Public History, 2021-22