Bachelor of Arts in History

History lies at the heart of the liberal arts education. By combining the methods of the social sciences with those of the humanities, our major seeks to reconstruct the past in order to better understand the present. Courses study diverse peoples and societies from global and interdisciplinary perspectives, visiting times and places both distant and familiar. Accompany Mohammed on his journey from Mecca to Medina. Follow Harriet Jacobs as she escapes from slavery. Read the German Kaiser’s letters to his cousin, the Russian Czar. Ask why Rome fell. Why did Japan bomb Pearl Harbor? Did King Arthur really exist? Who planned the Holocaust?History students attempt to answer these questions by analyzing a diverse array of primary and secondary sources drawn from politics, economics, and sociology; art, literature, and film; religion, philosophy, and psychology; and the natural sciences and environmental studies. They develop a breadth of understanding regarding world cultures, produce in-depth research projects, and enhance their communication and critical thinking skills through writing and discussion-intensive classes. Given this rigorous, interdisciplinary preparation, it is hardly surprising that many American presidents, supreme court justices, business leaders, educators, and journalists have been history majors. History majors perform near the top of all majors nationally on admissions exams to law and business school. The History Department offers a B.A. in History, a B.A. in History with Certification in Public History, and a minor in History. The B.A. in History with Certification in Public History is particularly useful for majors who want to work in government, museums, libraries, archives, documentary films, or consulting. History majors frequently have a double major, some of the most popular being English, Political Science, International Studies, American Studies, and Russian Studies.