History

Your Window to the World

Here, we learn to share ideas, to challenge assumptions, and to understand who we are. We are scholars and teachers with a passion for understanding the past in all its dimensions. Our faculty conducts research on the history of Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, colonial North America and the United States, and the world as a whole.

Read about the Indigenous history of our local land.

What You Can do with a Degree in History

History introduces students to new ways of thinking and new ways of understanding, preparing them to become effective global citizens and responsible consumers of news and information. A degree in history can pave the way to a broad variety of careers, providing students with a foundation for employment in:

  • Legal professions
  • Journalism
  • Education and training
  • Business management and administration
  • Politics and public interest groups
  • Museums and historical sites
  • Libraries and archives
  • Art, design, and social media
  • Nonprofit organizations
History alumna Odalis Aquilar

How a History Degree Deepens Your Career

“I'm currently working on the political team for a labor union as a lobbyist. My college years were filled with new experiences and many, many learning opportunities that I cherish deeply. A lot of the skills I gained through my college experience and the history department have been helpful in my career. History helped me develop great reading and writing skills. It also prepared me more as a leader overall. I became a person who wasn't scared to ask questions. In my courses, I felt really supported by my professors while also being challenged at the same time! If I had the chance to do it, I would do it all over again!”

—Odalis Aguilar-Aguilar, lobbyist, '22

Our Degree Programs

The study of history cultivates critical skills useful in all walks of life. Among these are the ability to communicate verbally and in writing; to conduct research on virtually any topic; and to analyze, interpret, and synthesize large quantities of information. A history degree cultivates the kinds of learning and skills that we regard as crucial for historical thinking and, more broadly, as integral to a liberal arts education.

Undergraduate Degrees
 
Graduate Degrees
 
hist_home-page_vera-keller-prague

Learn from Experts in the Field

Our faculty conduct research all over the globe in over 15 languages on fascinating topics stretching from 1,000 years ago to the present. Their research is supported by prestigious grants and their books have won many prizes. In addition to researching, writing, and teaching, they also engage in public history by curating exhibitions, advising government agencies and non-profits, and writing for public media.

    hist-interior-study-720x540

    Explore Beyond the Classroom

    Investigate centuries-old books and artifacts in our campus collections. Go on field trips and site visits to discover how history has shaped the world. Immerse yourself in the culture of another country while studying history abroad. Apply your skills through internships and other experiential learning opportunities. It doesn't get more real than the study of history.

    Scholarships & Funding

    The department traditionally bestows a number of undergraduate awards, as well as multiple graduate-level fellowships. The department also meets the challenges of funding graduate education by supporting its students with graduate employee appointments; a variety of internal awards; and university-wide fellowships, grants, and prizes.

    Undergraduate Scholarships

    Graduate Funding

    Academic Support

    Our faculty and advisors support our students’ academic journeys via remote advising sessions.

    Undergraduate Advising
    Support for Graduate Students

    History News and Events

    September 1, 2023
    GEOGRAPHY, GLOBAL STUDIES, HISTORY - Read the stories of six alumni whose work in international affairs is making a global impact.
    July 10, 2023
    ANTHROPOLOGY, HISTORY, POLITICAL SCIENCE, SOCIOLOGY - The College of Arts and Sciences is adding six Latinx studies tenure-track faculty members in several departments as part of the college’s commitment to becoming a premier institution for Latinx studies while meeting student demand for culturally relevant classes.
    June 16, 2023
    HISTORY - Assistant Professor Steven Beda recently won two awards for his debut book on timber workers in the Pacific Northwest. The book, titled Strong Winds and Widow Makers: Workers, Nature and Environmental Conflict in Pacific Northwest Timber Country, is the winner of the Philip Taft Labor History Book Prize from Cornell University and is a co-winner of the Pacific Coast Branch Book Award.

    All news »


    Poetry Reading by Matthew Dickman 
    Oct4
    Poetry Reading by Matthew Dickman  Oct 4 Knight Library
    Fall 2023 Knight Campus Entrepreneurship Speaker Series with Jorge Cham
    Oct9
    Fall 2023 Knight Campus Entrepreneurship Speaker Series with Jorge Cham Oct 9 Erb Memorial Union (EMU)
    Race, Disinvestment, and the Making of the North Philadelphia “Badlands"
    Oct10
    Race, Disinvestment, and the Making of the North Philadelphia “Badlands" Oct 10
    SecureAsk: An Exclusive 'Ask Me Anything' with Open Raven CEO—Exploring Cybersecurity and Beyond!
    Oct11
    SecureAsk: An Exclusive 'Ask Me Anything' with Open Raven CEO—Exploring Cybersecurity and Beyond! Oct 11
    Career Tour-Tech
    Oct13
    Career Tour-Tech Oct 13 Matthew Knight Arena
    Resume Extravaganza! (Drop-In Resume Reviews with Career Coaches & Peer Coaches!)
    Oct17
    Resume Extravaganza! (Drop-In Resume Reviews with Career Coaches & Peer Coaches!) Oct 17 Willie and Donald Tykeson Hall
    The Atlas of Drowned Towns: Recovering the Histories of Places Lost to Dam Construction
    Oct17
    The Atlas of Drowned Towns: Recovering the Histories of Places Lost to Dam Construction Oct 17 McKenzie Hall
    Hello Eugene-Springfield! Multicultural Networking Night
    Oct18
    Hello Eugene-Springfield! Multicultural Networking Night Oct 18 Erb Memorial Union (EMU)
    Fall Career & Internship Expo: PREVIEW and Tour
    Oct19
    Fall Career & Internship Expo: PREVIEW and Tour Oct 19 Erb Memorial Union (EMU)
    Fall Career & Internship Expo
    Oct19
    Fall Career & Internship Expo Oct 19 Erb Memorial Union (EMU)

    All events »