The History Department at UW-Whitewater proposes to meet students' interest in a more experiential application of historical study by establishing a new Public History minor emphasis. With the exception of the internship 740-493, Applied History, all courses in the proposed public history minor emphasis are already part of department s regular course rotations. 740-493 will incorporated into course rotations as needed. While teaching will probably remain the career choice of many history majors, a number of other opportunities do exist. One of the most exciting new arenas for historians is in the field of public history.
Public history promotes the development and presentation of history outside the academy.
Public history is created and articulated in a variety of settings, including archives, museums, public parks, movies, electronic media and historical attractions. The state of Wisconsin is particularly rich in public history opportunities. The recent celebration of the sesquicentennial, for example, demonstrated the wealth of historical heritage and resources throughout the state. In addition to public institutions engaged in historical preservation and presentation, such as the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, a number of private ventures also attract tourists to Wisconsin's historical sites. Public interest in history has grown enormously in recent years, as evidenced by the commercial success of entertainment ventures from Steven Spielberg's Amistad and Saving Private Ryan to the History Channel to the National Park Service's initiative to develop a series of new historical park sites throughout the country.