The student who chooses to major in history will engage in a distinctive set of educational experiences. By examining people, places, and institutions of the past, students will develop an appreciation of themselves and their own society as well as other people and their cultures.
Historians investigate the deeds and ideas of the past.
By considering the lives, problems, and achievements of earlier generations, historians seek explanations for how and why humans have either changed conditions in their world or have resisted change. By interpreting past human experiences, historians find clues for addressing both the present and the future. The department is proud of its graduates. They have pursued careers as lawyers, judges, professors, businessmen, ministers, government officials, and diplomats. Majors have pursued graduate studies, often with prestigious national scholarships, at Rice University, the University of Delaware, the University of Houston, and Emory University.