HIST 311 Introduction to Public History Student Papers

"Introduction to Public History" is a 3-credit course that was first offered by the University of Nevada, Reno, College of Liberal Arts' Department of History in 2008. From then until 2010, it was offered under "Topics in American Studies (HIST 487/687). It was offered under its own course number, HIST 311, for the first time for the Spring 2011 semester. This annual spring course addresses the issues and practices of presenting history to general audiences via historical sites, markers, and museums; mass media; heritage tourism, new technologies, and other means.

The students in this course acquire hands-on experience in public history, working closely with partnering organizations that have included the Nevada Historical Society, the Truckee Donner Railroad Society, the Fernley & Lassen Railway Depot, and the University Libraries Special Collections and University Archives Department. For the Spring 2011 course, Assistant Professor Alicia Barber collaborated with the Special Collections and University Archives staff to launch a term project focusing on the history of the University of Nevada, Reno. Students selected a topic of interest from four broad categories: The Campus, Colleges and Departments, Student Life, or Events. They developed papers on their topics based on primary source research and the utilization of University Archives campus photographs. Twenty-one completed student papers were loaded onto a companion website as an online exhibit.