B.A. in History

Program Overview

Studying history offers you valuable insights into different cultures, societies and human behaviors.  History is more than an academic discipline; it is a method for thinking, helping develop critical thinking skills, cultural awareness, and a deeper understanding of our shared humanity. Regardless of your career interests or pathway, studying history can provide a unique perspective on the world we share.   

The Bachelor of Arts with a major in history at UVM is flexible enough for you to pursue specialized interests in the discipline, offering concentrations in the history of the Americas, European history, and African, Asian, Middle Eastern and global history.   

History majors often declare a double major. With history’s many intersections with other humanities, social science, and natural science disciplines, many of our students find that our theories and methods complement and enrich their studies in other areas.

Concentrations

The history department offers three main concentrations for students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts with a major in history. Students are not required— nor expected—to declare their concentration when they choose the major. Instead, we recommend that students explore the department’s wide range of courses and opportunities in order to identify their area of interest.   

American History 

Students interested in processes and connections across Latin America, the United States, and Canada will want to consider an Americas concentration. Recent course offerings include North American Indian History, World’s Fairs 1876, 1893, 1904, History of Women in the U.S., History of Montreal, History of Drugs in Latin America, and the Civil Rights Movement. 

Concentration in American History

European History 

Students interested in both modern and medieval European history, and how European states have influenced other parts of the world will want to consider a European concentration. Recent course offerings include Travelling the Medieval World, 20^th Century Russia, Medieval Magic, History of the Holocaust, France Since Napoleon, and the Cold War.  

Concentration in European History

African, Asian, Middle Eastern, and Global History

Students interested in global processes and cultures and the histories of Asia, Africa and the Middle East will want to consider a global concentration. Recent courses include Early Islamic Empires, Global World War II, Postwar Japan, Visualizing India, Comparative Slavery, Samurai in Film and Society, and History of Extinction.   

Concentration in African, Asian, Middle Eastern, and Global History

Curriculum

History B.A. Requirements

Outcomes

Our students acquire mastery not only of content but also of historical methodology. Students are expected to research and write well in our program and, to achieve this goal, faculty routinely assign a range of innovative assignments that are thoroughly assessed. Faculty members provide substantive comments on papers and regularly work with students on research methodologies and rough drafts. Faculty explicitly outline course objectives in their syllabi so that students are aware of what will be expected of them and what they may hope to achieve in any given class.

Learning Goals

Students who complete the B.A. with Major in History should:

1. Have acquired an understanding of the key themes and processes of history as they unfold in specific contexts in a way that displays an appreciation for the roles that diverse factors (including political, economic, environment, cultural, religious and race-, ethnicity- and gender-based ones) play in shaping them.
2. Be able to analyze and evaluate primary and secondary historical sources in ways that reflect knowledge of the complexities of the past and the nature of historical interpretation.
3. Be able to frame and pursue research on historical questions using appropriate research techniques.
4. Be able to evaluate the quality and reliability of historical arguments, whether encountered in the classroom or in other arenas.
5. Be able to write persuasive historical prose in proper academic form.

After Graduation

UVM History students have gone on to graduate school around the world, including at: 

• American University 

• Boston College 

• Boston University 

• Brown University 

• Columbia University 

• Dartmouth College 

• Harvard University 

• London School of Economics 

• Michigan State University 

• Middlebury College 

• Simmons College 

• Stanford University 

• Suffolk University 

• University College London 

• University of California-San Diego 

• University of California-Santa Barbara 

• University of Colorado at Boulder 

• University of Chicago 

• University of Connecticut 

• University of Denver 

• University of Durham 

• University of East Anglia 

• University of Heidelberg 

• University of Minnesota 

• University of Southern California 

• University of St. Andrews 

• University of Vermont 

• University of Wisconsin-Madison 

Read stories told by alumni about their careers and experience in the History Department.