About the Department
Alone among the disciplines, history embraces the sum of the human experience—politics, economics, religion, art, ideas, culture, social structures, and science. It is the goal of the Department of History to facilitate imaginative encounters with the past, which are essential to interpreting who we are and how we came to be.
The study of the past not only prepares students for understanding the present, but also arms them with important research and professional skills: the ability to evaluate evidence; to construct plausible interpretations of that evidence; and to present their interpretations in a coherent, persuasive manner.
The Department of History offers a broad range of course options covering American, European, Asian, Middle Eastern, and Latin American history. While the Department has a national and international reputation in its scholarship, the faculty are equally committed to teaching and advising students.
Our undergraduates go on to varied, interesting careers: in banking and business, in law and government, and in international relations and teaching. Graduates of the MA and PhD programs pursue careers not only in the traditional areas of research and teaching but also in fields as diverse as library and museum work, government service, publishing, and business.
