Why Choose Nazareth for Museums, Archives, and Public History?

Nazareth University offers one of the few undergraduate majors in public history in the country. The program is distinct for combining rich historical study with experiential learning obtained through the required 12 credit hours of internship. Take classes and undertake internships that allow you to pursue advanced degrees or careers in archives, digital humanities, documentation projects, film studies, government service, heritage tourism, historical house management, library science, museums,  national park service, and preservation.

This program’s experiences and rich content in American history makes it ideal to pair with a dual major such as American studies, anthropology, art history, communications and media, history, marketing, music, public health, social science, theatre arts, and women and gender studies.

Program Highlights

  • Courses in museums and archives taught by professionals in these fields
  • Experiential learning includes internships, project-based classroom activities, expert speakers, and trips to historical sites
  • Internships can be local, elsewhere in the nation, or while studying abroad — including a popular semester program in Washington, D.C.
  • Explore careers in applied history
  • Develop skills in digital humanities
  • Benefit from rich historical study with experts from various eras of history

Program Details

Debbra Williams-Fernaays, alum of the museum studies, archives, and public history degree program

Alumni Spotlight

Debbra Williams-Fernaays ‘17

Williams-Fernaays loves her job in collection management at Rochester Museum & Science Center. Interning there through the museums, archives, and public history program helped her decide on a museum career: “I get to help preserve the past for the future. I come to work every day knowing every day will be different!”

Of the five colleges she attended as a traveling military spouse, she said the Nazareth community was her most enjoyable. “The professors here are wonderful, they genuinely care about you.... (They) will discuss with you and guide you through anything. They will support you 100% if you are willing to put the work in." Professors Timothy Kneeland and Timothy Thibodeau were both influential, including offering support when she faced a loss in her family.

Example careers

  • Archivist
  • Historian in local, state, or federal government
  • Museum curator
  • Oral historian
  • Special collections manager
  • Travel guide

Internships/field experiences

  • 1816 Farmington Quaker Meeting House
  • Genesee Country Museum
  • George Eastman Museum
  • Historic Pittsford
  • Landmark Society
  • Memorial Art Gallery
  • National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
  • Rochester City Historian
  • Rochester Genealogical Society
  • Rochester Museum and Science Center
  • Smithsonian Institution
  • The Strong National Museum of Play

Graduate schools

  • American University, Washington, D.C.
  • Cooperstown Museum Studies, Cooperstown, N.Y.
  • George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
  • School of Library and Information Science Simmons College, Boston, Mass.
  • University at Albany, Albany, N.Y.