Undergraduate degrees: B.A., B.S.
Undergraduate minor
Learning How the Past Shapes the Future
The study of history at the University of Oregon will give you the tools to evaluate the story of the past from many perspectives. Learn how the West was settled and what was lost in the process. Study the beginnings of the Vietnam War to discover how American involvement was shaped by the politics and personalities of the day. Tease out the truth about the African diaspora, the Chinese Cultural Revolution, and other pivotal points in history. The past will come alive as you learn different points of view.
The Department of History offers courses on classical antiquity, Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the United States (colonial and national periods), and the world as a whole. “We have a department that’s nationally and internationally renowned and have a really strong commitment to teaching and the quality of the undergraduate experience,” says John McCole, the head of the department. To that end, all majors take a research seminar their senior year. These seminars are small, limited to 15 students, and focus on a variety of topics.
The study of history can lead you in a direction of your own design. Students can explore a wide range of classes before choosing a specialty. Dig into the history of twentieth 20th-century Germany, ponder the importance of soccer in Latin America, or consider the passage of time though Charles Darwin’s eyes. You’ll have opportunities to participate in meaningful internships, work closely with professors, and conduct independent research.
History majors learn a host of skills: how to analyze information, how to write and think critically, and how to use primary sources to piece together the truth. History majors recreate and re-imagine past events using these skills, which last a lifetime.
Points of Interest
- The UO history department’s Mapping History Project provides students with interactive graphs and maps of fundamental historical problems and illustrations of historical events, developments, and dynamics
- Professor Ellen Herman created The Adoption History Project, an online resource for information on the history of adoption in the United States
- The UO history department features 24 full-time faculty members with specialties in U.S. and world history
- History majors can graduate with honors by completing a thesis and passing an oral defense of their work
- History majors have the opportunity to serve as peer advisers. Peer advisers answer undergraduate student questions on history major and minor requirements and general university requirements
- Each year the department traditionally bestows a number of undergraduate prizes for outstanding achievement
Sample Courses
- China, Past and Present is an introduction to Chinese culture. The course explores the meanings of past and present in twentieth century efforts to modernize China. Topics include chronological and topical inquiry into politics, literature, social structure, gender, art, and economy
- Race and Ethnicity in the American West explores the growth of communities of color in western cities in the United States, with particular reference to competition and cooperation between groups
- Mexico looks at Mexican history from pre-Hispanic times to the present. Special attention is given to nationhood, economic development, church-state relations, the Mexican identity, and the Revolution of 1910
- Vietnam and the United States explores Vietnamese society and history. Topics include the First Indochina War, the origins and escalation of United States involvement in Vietnam, de-escalation, and defeat
Practical Learning
A history major can be enhanced by a study-abroad experience. While overseas, you’ll immerse yourself in the history of your chosen country while earning credit toward your degree. In addition, history department projects give students an opportunity to complete research alongside faculty members. The Mapping History Project was designed to provide interactive and animated representations of fundamental historical problems and illustrations of historical events, developments, and dynamics.
Interdisciplinary Opportunities
History is by its very nature an interdisciplinary subject. The department mentors many double majors, some of whom take history alongside anthropology, political science, journalism, and other subjects. History can be paired with international studies to provide a breadth of understanding about global dynamics. It also is a key component in the study of law. You can pair history with a second language to round out your understanding of another culture. However you choose to apply it, history provides a wealth of broadly applicable knowledge.
Student Work
History and French major Lucy Kiester’s plans include embarking on a study-abroad internship in Rome to excavate the Villa delle Vignacce, or the “Villa of the Vineyards.” Kiester will assist with data collection and analysis on the archeological archaeological dig. Her love of history began in middle school and has only grown as the Society of College Scholars student has attended the UO. “I’m a big reader and I love stories,” she says. “History is just one big story about interesting people.”
Claire Wagner’s interest in the medieval era led her to complete a Mapping History Project module about the universities of Medieval Europe. Professor John Nicols invited Wagner to be an intern on the project. During her internship she learned to do research and writing, and how to coordinate graphic elements for the interactive website. “It’s a great way to bring history into the visual realm,” she says. Wagner also helped Nicols recruit freshmen for the Society of College Scholars, where she is a member.
Sage Berg, an English and history major, wants to be a high school history teacher when he graduates. He’s a member of the Society of College Scholars who plans to work on a summer internship to study voter alienation after the election of President Barak Obama. Berg is drawn to history because, “It’s fascinating. It’s the study of what we’re doing, what we’ve done, and what we’re trying to accomplish.”
Selected Faculty Work
Professor Peggy Pascoe is the Carrie C. Beekman Professor of Northwest and Pacific History and a professor of ethnic studies. Her most recent book, What Comes Naturally, shows the dynamics at work in the passage, spread, and enforcement of American laws against interracial marriage. She was named a one of the 2009 recipients of the UO’s Martin Luther King Jr. Award. In addition, she was the winner of two awards by the Organization of American Historians for her book.
Associate Professor Carlos Aguirre is a social historian specializing in 19th- and 20th-century Peru and Latin America. His most recent book, Hit Her Harshly. She Doesn’t Feel It. Power and Transgression in Republican Peru, was published in 2008. He teaches numerous courses, including Soccer in Latin America and War and Nationalism in Latin America.
Professor Ellen Herman’s most recently published book is Kinship by Design: A History of Adoption in the Modern United States, published by Oxford University Press. Herman’s special interests include the human sciences, social engineering, and therapeutic culture. She established The Adoption History Project, which highlights the people, organizations, and theories that shaped child adoption during the 20th century in the United States.
Career Opportunities
History majors learn a variety of skills that translate well in the workplace. Effective writing, the ability to analyze data, and the ability to organize information are just a few of them. Many librarians begin their studies in history departments and become intrigued with documents and archiving. A solid grounding in history is helpful in careers as diverse as the diplomatic corps, journalism, and museum work. And of course history majors can become teachers. A major in history opens doors in business, academia, and the arts, or whatever your careers goals may be.
Contact Information
(541) 346-4802
(541) 346-4895 fax