History with Public History

History with public history takes the discipline in a direction that is both intellectually serious and practically oriented, asking not just what happened in the past but how historical knowledge is communicated to, and used by, public audiences. Public history encompasses the work of museums, heritage organisations, archives, documentary media, commemorative projects, and community history initiatives, and it raises important questions about who owns the past, whose stories get told, and how historical interpretation shapes collective memory and identity. Together with the rigorous academic study of history, public history prepares graduates for careers that bridge the academy and the wider world.

At Goldsmiths, this part-time programme combines the critical and analytical skills of historical study with an engagement with the practices and politics of public-facing history. You will study historical periods and themes using the full range of disciplinary methods, developing your ability to engage with primary sources, evaluate evidence, and construct well-supported historical arguments. The public history strand will introduce you to the theory and practice of history outside the academy, including museology, archival studies, oral history, and the use of digital tools to communicate historical content to diverse audiences.

Goldsmiths has a distinctive intellectual culture that values critical thinking, and the programme reflects that in its approach to both history and public practice.

Graduates go on to careers in museums, archives, heritage organisations, broadcasting, education, community history, local government, journalism, and academic research. The part-time mode makes the programme particularly well suited to those who are already working in related fields and wish to develop their historical knowledge and public history skills alongside their professional experience. Further postgraduate study in history, heritage management, or archival studies is also a well-established route.