The Loyola Department of History and the Graduate School of Library and Information Science (GSLIS) of Dominican University in River Forest, IL, cooperate to offer a joint program leading to two separate degrees: Master of Arts in Public History and Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS).  The joint program allows students to complete work on the two degrees in a shorter time than if each degree were pursued separately.

Academic Areas of Focus

The joining of two applied degree programs, public history and library and information science, provides interested students with the opportunity to combine historical training with a more focused educational background in archives and library and information science. The Loyola University Chicago degree grounds graduates in the use of public history methods and theories and strengthens their ability to share historical interpretation with a broad range of public audiences.

Curriculum

The Master of Arts in Public History/Master of Library and Information Science with Dominican University requires 24 credit hours (including an internship) taken in Loyola University Chicago's history department, a public history portfolio, comprehensive examination, and 30 credit hours from the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at Dominican University. Information about the MLIS course requirements can be found on the Dominican University website.

Sample Program

Students often take courses at Loyola University Chicago and Dominican University at the same time.  The sample program reflects that course of action.

Comprehensive Field Examination

Toward the end of their graduate program, public history students must pass a two-hour oral examination in the field of public history before a two-person faculty committee, one of whom must be the Public History Program Director. The examination covers the field of public history and reflects the readings and assignments included in each of the public history courses as well as a review of the student’s portfolio. There is no examination in the minor field, but students must maintain at least a B average (3.0) in the two minor field courses.

Public History Portfolio

The portfolio, which represents the capstone of the program, documents the achievements of master’s students and thereby identifies their strengths, weaknesses, and abilities as professional historians. Students begin compiling their portfolio during the first semester in the program. The portfolio will be evaluated by the two-person faculty examination committee.  The portfolio will be submitted to the examination committee a minimum of two days prior to the oral exam.

Graduate & Professional Standards and Regulations

Students in graduate and professional programs can find their Academic Policies in Graduate and Professional Academic Standards and Regulations under their school. Any additional University Policies supercede school policies.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the MA in Public History and MLIS in Library and Information Science at Dominican University, graduates will be able to: 

1. Use public history methods and theories to share historical interpretation with a broad range of public audiences;
2. Apply new media digital tools to the preservation and presentation of archival material;
3. Utilize the best professional practices to preserve, catalog, and present historical artifacts and records;
4. Understand and employ local, state, and federal preservation rules to establish the significance of historic properties;
5. Demonstrate the ability to work with public history institutions to make the past relevant to diverse communities;
6. Perform historical research in archives and libraries and evaluate the provenance, context, validity, and biases of these sources from the past;
7. Apply the necessary research skills to produce original scholarship on a chosen historical topic using primary sources while evaluating the validity, context, and biases of secondary source literature produced by other scholars;
8. Demonstrate the ability to deploy multiple forms of communication (written, oral, and new media) to discuss their own historical scholarship and graduate-level knowledge of their chosen fields;
9. Demonstrate expertise in archival management;
10. Employ strategies and best practices for preservation planning and management of preservation programs and resources;
11. Assume professional responsibilities in the library and information field.