Study at IPUP

Our BA modules and MA taught course are offered through the Department of History. See our Study at York page for how to apply.

Public History for Undergraduates

We offer a range of public history modules for undergraduate students taking their BA in History or one of our joint degree programmes. During the second-year students can chose Histories in Public as their Histories and Contexts module. This introduces key ideas and questions in public history and explores them through different contexts, such as museums and heritage sites, school education, commemoration, TV and film, video games and politics. Students can go on to study the Explorations module ‘Using and the Abusing the Past in Britain,’ which looks more closely at how history is used in society by politicians, communities, activists, and historians. We look at case studies from the mid-nineteenth century to the present day, as well as discussing students’ personal experiences and insights of contemporary of the past. In third-year the Commemorations Comparative Histories module gives people the opportunity to look in more depth at a particular aspect of public history – the way in which we remember key events and figures from the past.

Visit BA in History for further information.

MA in Public History

The MA in Public History offers students cutting edge interdisciplinary academic training together with exciting opportunities for hands-on experience in the cultural sphere through a placement in the heritage sector. The programme is designed to give students an understanding of the critical issues in public history and to analyse the variety of changing ways that the public engage with the past through not only traditional media, but also new digital and rich media products. The core modules are taught by practitioners and members of the Department of History. All students can also take an assessed placement with a heritage organisation in the Spring Term.

The MA’s first intake was in 2012-13. Year by year, we continue to see the success of our alumni in progressing in history/heritage related careers and undertaking further study and research as PhD candidates.

Visit MA in Public History for more information.

Thank you for all the hard work you put in last year, I enjoyed the course so much and it's given me a wonderfully broad set of skills and knowledge for the future. While I look for full time work, I have started volunteering at the Tower of London, conducting visitor survey and evaluation, and at Sutton House, a National Trust property in Hackney, and the course is proving quite a talking point with the museum professionals I am working with.

Joanna Bradley, Alumnus of the MA in Public History

Postgraduate Public History Placements

All History MA students have the option of taking a for-credit public history placement with a heritage or community organisation during their degree. Each year IPUP works with host organisations to design 10-week projects for students. Recent placements include:

Contributing to permanent exhibition content at the National Railway Museum
Designing educational resources for the Black Cultural Archives
Collaborating with the Art Happens Here studio collective to explore their connections to local historical figures
Researching and recording episodes of the History Film Club podcast
Creating video stories and digital content for Explore York Archives
Assisting historical consultant and author Annie Gray with her latest projects
Working with York Minster’s engagement team on education projects

These placements are an opportunity for students to gain hands-on experience of working in history and heritage, gaining valuable skills for the future.

IPUP Public Lectures

Our popular Public History lecture series runs throughout the year, with speakers sharing their latest research and work. Events are generally on the first Thursday of every month during term time. Find details of our upcoming events here.

IPUP Student Internships

These are short, part-time internships intended for graduate students registered at the University of York. They provide an opportunity to develop your skills, experience and CVs in various different employment contexts. Find out more about our current and past Internships.‌