Public History and Cultural Heritage (M.Phil. / P.Grad.Dip.)

Course Overview

The Public History and Cultural Heritage programme is designed to provide students with a rigorous grounding in public history and to prepare high-calibre graduates in a unique and thorough fashion for the management of cultural heritage. We define ‘public history’ and ‘cultural heritage’ broadly. The course involves analysis of cultural memory, its construction, reception and loss; and study of the public status and consumption of history in modern society. Political issues surrounding public commemoration and ‘sites of memory’ are examined and the role of museums, galleries and the media in shaping public perceptions of the past is considered. The course also surveys the more concrete questions involved in the conservation, presentation and communication of the physical heritage of past cultures, particularly where interpretation and meaning are contested.

The course is taught in collaboration with Dublin’s leading cultural institutions, and several organisations offer internships to students. In recent years participating bodies have included Dublin City Gallery; Dublin City Library and Archive; Glasnevin Trust: Hugh Lane Gallery; The Little Museum of Dublin; Marsh’s Library; the National Gallery of Ireland; the National Library of Ireland; the National Museum of Ireland; and St Patrick’s Cathedral.

Applicants should normally have at least an upper second class (2.1) Honours Bachelors degree or equivalent (for example, GPA of 3.3) in a relevant area. Since places on the course are limited, applicants may be interviewed or asked to submit a writing sample for assessment.

English Language Requirements

All applicants to Trinity are required to provide official evidence of proficiency in the English language. Applicants to this course are required to meet Band B (Standard Entry) English language requirements. For more details of qualifications that meet Band B, see the English Language Requirements page here.

The M.Phil. helps prepare graduates for a wide variety of careers including in the museum and heritage sectors, libraries and archives, public policy and administration, teaching, and the media. It also provides invaluable training in research for those planning to pursue a doctorate and/or career in research.