Public History Emphasis Area
Contact: Dr. Joshua Catalano
The Clemson University Public History Emphasis Area program provides a diverse base of coursework designed to introduce undergraduate students to the growing field of public history. We define public history as research and scholarship conducted with and/or for publics. Areas of focus include: community collaboration, oral history, museum exhibits, historic preservation, podcasts, documentaries, archives, websites, mobile apps, and a variety of other educational programs. Through an internship, students incorporate their knowledge into hands-on experiences at historic sites. The emphasis area provides a broad base of courses to undergraduates planning to pursue graduate studies.
Public History Courses: HIST 2020: History Internship; Hist 2140: Introduction to Public History; HIST 2150: Intro to Digital History; HIST 3130 History of South Carolina; HIST4140: Introduction to the Study of History Museums; HIST 4170: History and Memory; HIST 4180: Oral History; HIST 4800: Topics in Public History; GEOG 4400: The Geography of Preservation; PRTM 3420: Introduction to Tourism; PRTM 3460: Heritage Tourism; ANTH 4310: Historical Archaeology
Emphasis Area Requirements
- HIST 2020
- HIST 2140
- One of GEOG 4100, HIST 4140, HIST 4170, HIST 4180, HIST 4190
- Two of GEOG 4400, HIST 2150, HIST 3130, HIST 4140, HIST 4170, HIST 4180, HIST 4190, HIST 4800, PRTM 3420, PRTM, 3460, ANTH 4310
- HIST 2990; and either HIST 4900 or HIST 4980
- 12 additional credits in History. Students must take three hours each of United States history, European history, and non-Western history, in addition to three hours of history at the 4000 level (in addition to HIST 4900 or HIST 4980). No more than six hours of 1000- and 2000-level history courses (in addition to HIST 2020, HIST 2140, HIST 2150, and HIST 2990) may be counted towards the Major Requirements.
Current Projects
Fort Rutledge Dig
Students gain experience in the field
Public history students assist Clemson University researchers in an archaeological and historical examination of Fort Rutledge on the Clemson University campus. The project aims to locate the exact location of the fort built by The South Carolina militia in 1776 following an engagement with Loyalist forces and their Cherokee allies. During the field school, undergraduate students, along with Dr. Catalano and Archaeology professor Dr. Markus, uncovered various iron tool heads, musket balls and projectile points including arrowheads, but more importantly they found what they believe to be the remains of a wall that had been pushed over and buried for centuries.
See more about the dig here