This course introduces learners to applied public history: understanding and interpreting the past today, and engaging diverse communities in the practice of making and sharing histories. The course draws on project case studies, expert insights and diverse perspectives to model exciting approaches to researching and sharing the history of places and people. Learners will develop a toolkit to apply in their own practice, by participating in discussion, quizzes, creative activities and mini masterclasses.
What kinds of stories can we discover through research into the history of places and people? How do we engage diverse communities with those stories today? What kinds of imaginative approaches can we use to interpret the past? And what tools and opportunities can we create to include new groups and individuals in local research initiatives? Led by the Centre for the History of People, Place and Community at the Institute of Historical Research, University of London – the UK’s national centre for history – this course investigates these questions and helps learners develop transferable approaches to their own local history and heritage interpretation.
Status: Interactive Learning
Interactive Learning
Status: Community Outreach
Community Outreach
Beginner·Course·26 hours
Featured reviews
5.0
·Reviewed Dec 19, 2020
Very enjoyable course and inspires the use of social media and the internet to not only engage with the public, but to turn them into co-creators through crowdsourcing.Well doneDavid, Christchurch, NZ
5.0
·Reviewed Feb 14, 2021
Very professional and stimulating, with lots of good example projects to learn from.
5.0
·Reviewed Jun 25, 2021
A lot of inspiraton for making the history relate for today. A very good Course
5.0
·Reviewed Nov 19, 2020
A very engaging course for anyone interested in public history. Helps in thinking creatively and about considering who is missing from your audience.
5.0
·Reviewed Nov 25, 2020
Super interesting and really well presented - thanks.
5.0
·Reviewed Nov 1, 2023
Excellent course brimming with information and ideas.
5.0
·Reviewed May 29, 2022
First Coursera course - very impressed. Easy to navigate, interesting and informative. Worthwhile study. I will be exploring other subject areas.
5.0
·Reviewed Mar 12, 2021
This is very helpful for improving historiography skills.
4.0
·Reviewed Feb 12, 2021
Very interesting perspectives. I would have liked more that related to small scale rural projects that could be undertaken with limited human and economic resources.
5.0
·Reviewed Jul 31, 2023
An absolutely wonderful experience! Engaging and immersive learning from one of the finest institutions in the world. Highly recommended!
5.0
·Reviewed Jan 19, 2025
An excellent course. Very well conceived, lots of creative engaging content and clear instruction. I loved every minute of it. Highly recommend.
5.0
·Reviewed Jan 14, 2024
This was a fun, easy to learn course. I enjoyed it much.
All reviews
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C
Claire
5.0
·Reviewed Aug 12, 2021
I have really enjoyed this course. It gives an excellent introduction to and overview to the subject of Applied Public History. It is very accessible and will give even beginners the confidence to devise or take part in public history projects. It will be a very useful toolkit for me to refer back too and I will be recommending the course to my colleagues.
O
Olessia
5.0
·Reviewed Apr 23, 2021
I just will say that it worth every minute spent! Very inspiring, clear, interesting. Lot of examples. Boosts creativity even in such academic discipline as history. Beautiful speakers!
J
Janette
5.0
·Reviewed Nov 20, 2020
A very engaging course for anyone interested in public history. Helps in thinking creatively and about considering who is missing from your audience.
A
AIKATERINI
5.0
·Reviewed Feb 11, 2021
Excellent combination of academic knowledge with a more down to earth practical approach to the subject.
J
Jose
4.0
·Reviewed Mar 25, 2021
It is a good introduction to Public History, not from theory and debates but from actual practices and experiences. The course could benefit from other experiences outside of London to, at least, give a glimpse of how does Public History work in other contexts. I learned a lot even though I had some prior Public History experience (from college and international conferences). I absolutely recommend this course for people remotely interested in History outside Academia.
K
Kev
4.0
·Reviewed Apr 5, 2021
I have always been interested in history and I do have some familiarity with doing history from a more academic perspective. However I learned from this course that history has happened and is happening all around me. Gives me a new pair of eyes with which to view my surroundings...I do wish that this project had been a little more inclusive of doing public history in places other than London and the UK.
K
Kathryn
4.0
·Reviewed Oct 6, 2021
This is a well devised course, with plenty of opportunities to explore the topics further. I enjoyed the quizzes which were well devised. I found the discussion forums less easy to negotiate, but appreciate the idea of these. Overall, this is a great way to build a toolkit of ideas to explore and communicate history, engaging others in co-creating projects.
P
Peter
4.0
·Reviewed Mar 26, 2021
This has been a very enjoyable course with lots of examples of different projects involving lots of different communities. The projects chosen illustrated the wide range of community history projects available.
D
David
5.0
·Reviewed Dec 20, 2020
Very enjoyable course and inspires the use of social media and the internet to not only engage with the public, but to turn them into co-creators through crowdsourcing.
Well done
David, Christchurch, NZ
J
Jan
5.0
·Reviewed May 30, 2022
First Coursera course - very impressed. Easy to navigate, interesting and informative. Worthwhile study. I will be exploring other subject areas.
D
Dr.
5.0
·Reviewed Dec 9, 2020
Awesome course for those who really want to change the perspective towards the application pf human science in daily life.
S
Stephen
5.0
·Reviewed Feb 15, 2021
Very professional and stimulating, with lots of good example projects to learn from.
A
Aditia
5.0
·Reviewed Jun 26, 2021
A lot of inspiraton for making the history relate for today. A very good Course
W
Wildan
5.0
·Reviewed Jun 24, 2021
Awesome. Thank you University of London for giving us such a great explanation.
V
Ven.
5.0
·Reviewed Mar 13, 2021
This is very helpful for improving historiography skills.
I
Isobel
5.0
·Reviewed Nov 26, 2020
Super interesting and really well presented - thanks.
L
Luiza
5.0
·Reviewed Sep 2, 2021
Everything I expected; Excellent.
N
NINO
5.0
·Reviewed Jan 26, 2021
Great experience!
V
Viviane
5.0
·Reviewed Feb 27, 2021
Great course.
J
Janet
4.0
·Reviewed Feb 13, 2021
Very interesting perspectives. I would have liked more that related to small scale rural projects that could be undertaken with limited human and economic resources.