A final oral defense of the dissertation is required. The department offers several public history emphases preparing students to apply the skills of the historian in careers beyond the classroom. Graduate course work in public history may be included in both master's and doctoral programs of study. The public history core combines specially designed course work and specific program requirements with traditional degree requirements. The public history area imposes additional admission requirements and includes periodic evaluations of its students' progress.
Enrollment is limited to provide careful preparation and advisement.
The curriculum integrates required course work in a public history component with courses in a geographic area concentration. As a special feature of the program, short courses are taught each year by visiting public historians. Each emphasis requires completion of two short courses. Students who select the scholarly publishing option must be admitted to the Scholarly Publishing Certificate program and complete all certificate requirements. Course work for all areas of the program begins each fall semester with a required special workshop during the fall orientation week before classes start.