Sample Courses
- Roman Republic examines Roman history from the foundation of the city until the death of Julius Caesar in 44 BCE, looking at the development of Roman national myth, the ideals and reality of the much admired system of republican government, and the art and archaeology of ancient Italy.
- Pre-colonial Africa is a survey of African history to the mid-ninteenth century, analyzing processes of state formation, regional and long-distance trade, religion, oral tradition, and systems of slavery.
- The Real Wild West is a special studies course that allows students to
become an active participant in study of a multi-cultural American West that was the crossroads for immigrants from several continents. Students also learn how Oregon’s history affects events taking place today. - The City looks at how cities have traditionally been the catalyst to political, cultural, scientific, and economic development. The course focuses on three cities: ancient Athens, renaissance Florence, and urban Berlin in the twentieth
century.
Hands On Learning
A history major can be enhanced by a study abroad experience. While abroad, you’ll immerse yourself in the history of your chosen country while earning credit toward your degree.
Faculty members and students in the history department collaborated with the geography department to produce the Historical and Cultural Atlas, a body of 50 interactive maps for use in western civilization and U.S. history courses. The two departments also worked together with the University of Oregon Press to produce the Atlas of Oregon, a 230-page volume with a CD-ROM application described as “setting the new standard for atlases” by the National Geographic Society.
Interdisciplinary Opportunities
History can be integrated with many other disciplines. You might want to combine it with sociology, anthropology, or ethnic studies. Or it can be linked with international studies to provide a breadth of understanding about global dynamics. It is also a key component of law and political science. 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.