The MA in Public History at Queen’s University, Belfast, offers a unique opportunity to study public representations of and engagement with the past in a region where the past continues to resonate. It is taught in collaboration with leading cultural institutions and heritage sites in Northern Ireland and provides a local and global experience.

The course combines academic training in historical theory and research methods with specialised topics related to history in the public sphere, thus linking the analytical and critical approaches of traditional academic history with innovative ways of creating and disseminating histories for a diverse variety of public audiences.

Taught collaboratively with partners from cultural institutions such as National Museums of Northern Ireland, the BBC, Titanic Belfast, privately-owned historic houses, and small local museums, this course offers unparalleled opportunities for hands-on experience of the ways in which history is created and presented in the public arena.

Teaching is through seminars, practitioner workshops and field trips. All of our students undertake a 30 day placement in one of the wide range of museums, archives, heritage sites, media organisations and visitor experiences across the country.

The MA in Public History is led by a team of academic historians who all have extensive experience of working in the realm of public history. We collaborate with public history practitioners who come and lead tutorials and workshops to ensure that a balance of theory and practice is achieved, meaning that our students are, at the end of the course, well equipped to go into further study or into a role in museums, heritage sites, or the media.

Further details on course content, entry requirements and application can be found here

We welcome students from all over the world. Further information on International Scholarships can be found here