Applicants to the master's program in public humanities are encouraged, but not required, to include the official report of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test with their applications.
We usually receive about 60 applications and accept 10-15 public humanities M.A. students.
Public humanities M.A. students are eligible for partial or full tuition support. In recent years, all eligible students have received financial aid covering of about 40 percent of tuition costs. University jobs relevant to the public humanities are available to many students, and the program funds some summer internships. There are no teaching assistantships available for M.A. students.
Beginning in 2008, a fully funded scholarship for students interested in the public history of slavery is available. Students may apply for this scholarship by explaining their interests as part of their Personal Statement.
No, the programs serve students with different interests. The M.A. program in public humanities is aimed at students interested in working for cultural organizations. The Ph.D. program in American Civilization is aimed at students interested in careers in college and university teaching, though it also provides excellent training for jobs in cultural or non-profit institutions that require a doctorate.
Do not apply to both programs. Apply for the PhD and indicate in your personal statement that you are interested in the M.A. in public humanities.
Your personal statement should be a short description of what you want to study in graduate school. M.A. students should discuss the kind of work they are interested in after graduation, how they came to this area of interest, and what reading has influenced them.
Please send a writing sample of between ten and twenty pages in your area of interest. We'd be most interested in a short academic essay, but something written for a wider audience would also be fine, even if contained in fewer than ten pages. For example, you might send an artist’s statement, exhibition script, brochure, strategic plan, or grant proposals. If collaborative work, please indicate what part of the work is yours.
You should try to present a mix of recommendations from both faculty who have had you as a student in a class and employers or supervisors who have observed you in a public humanities or other work setting.
The director of graduate studies for the public humanities may be able to meet with you and arrange to have you visit classes. In addition, the DGS will be glad to answer questions as you prepare your application. Email: Steven_Lubar@Brown.edu.
Students are encouraged to take courses throughout the University and most take advantage of courses in the English, history, modern culture and media, Africana studies, sociology, anthropology, ethnic studies, and political science departments.
You can access an application at:
http://gradschool.brown.edu/go/generalinfo
The MA in Public Humanities prepares students to work in museums, historical societies, state and federal humanities and cultural resource agencies, and community cultural development organizations.