History

At the center of the liberal arts, the study of history will broaden your horizons touching on the entirety of human endeavor—politics, economics, societal concerns, psychology, thought and religion.

Duquesne’s history department offers a range of courses—at both the undergraduate and graduate levels—that cover a variety of historical periods and regions, from ancient world history to modern American history. As a liberal arts student, your opportunities to diversify your thinking through a challenging curriculum will equip you with essential skills that you—and future employers—will find invaluable. You will learn to think critically, to write with authority and to apply your knowledge of history to reimagine your world.

Our faculty members walk alongside you with a strong foundation in historical research, analysis and interpretation, encouraging you to participate in internships, study-abroad programs and research opportunities to enhance your learning experiences.

We are a community of genuine teacher-scholars who will challenge you to go beyond the surface, ask hard questions, and cultivate in you: 

  • The development of methods of historical scholarship in contemplative and ethical ways, as you may deepen your understanding of the U.S. and the world.
  • Understanding of how and why humans and different cultures have developed as they have across history.
  • The drive to become scholars as well as educated and conscientious citizens.

Duquesne's Department of History is a valuable resource and intellectual training ground if you are interested in pursuing a career in history, whether in academia, government, politics, business or other fields. 

What you'll learn with a History Degree

With a history degree, you will have the skills needed to achieve your bigger goals, regardless of industry or area of expertise within the history realm and will be able to:

  • Understand how and why humans and cultures developed across history, in American, European, Latin American, Middle Eastern, Asian and African histories.
  • Analyze continuity and change over time in human and societal development using the skills of professional historians.
  • Apply the ethics of historical practice, including how historians address social justice and pathways for reconciliation.
  • Apply historical research methods and analysis skills, such as oral history, archives or public history practice, to interpret the past.
  • Write with authority in two writing-intensive history courses, including Writing History and a 400-level course.

 

Program Information

Our History major provides deep historical knowledge, enhancing understanding of the US and the world. It prepares you for diverse careers in academia, government, politics, business, and beyond.

Program Type

Major, Minor

Degree

Bachelor's

School

McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts

Academic Department

History

Duration

4-year

Required Credit Hours

120

Modality

In-Person

How do we support research and well being?

What Cole Montanye, A’29, likes most about the Department of History is the opportunities, including the annual History Forum. “Seeing history in action is my favorite part of the History Forum. It’s great to watch the things we study in class get put to work in the public, and it makes me even more excited about the field,” he said.

The forum is one part of a community he has formed that makes him feel supported within Liberal Arts.

“As a history major, I am part of a smaller group of majors on campus. I think the size of the Department of History is perfect because it allows us to bond more and create closer relationships with our professors,” he said. Professors like Dr. Gray and Dr. Julia Hudson-Richards have helped him develop transferable skills, like new citation styles and collegiate-level research. His success coach, Bridget Ventrice, has been another pillar of support. Practical decisions have helped him feel set up for success, too.

Cole transferred in a semester’s worth of credits, which eases the pressure of his course load and gives him the option to graduate early and save money.
 
“I was able to transfer in almost an entire semester’s worth of credit and it may be the single best decision I’ve ever made,” he said.

Cole Montayne speaks with his success coach in an office adorned with Halloween decorations.

Empowered from Day One

Discover how history comes to life in Liberal Arts through horizon-expanding events and opportunities like the History Forum.

Read How Cole Learns About History

What makes this program unique is the diversity of paths you can take. The curriculum is flexible, so no two students will get the same experience. Every student picks and chooses what topics to study to best suit their interests and passions.

Nathan Gierczynski, A'23, L'27

What does the field of history offer?

When you pursue an undergraduate degree in history with us, you will be immersed in courses across the globe. You will explore an intellectual landscape that prepares you for careers in academia, government, law, politics, and a host of other professional arenas.
  • You will take courses in American, European, Latin American, Middle Eastern, Asian, and African histories.
  • Our faculty are all published scholars in their fields, and they bring both enthusiasm and the rich insights of their scholarship to the classroom.
  • We walk alongside you to provide a strong foundation in historical research, analysis, and interpretation.
  • We challenge you to pursue internships, study-abroad programs, and research opportunities that help you reach your bigger goals, diversify your thinking, and reimagine your world.

Whether you want to go deep or add history to another field of study, we offer several paths in our department.

What programs pair well with a history major?

History and English Double Major

History and English are closely allied disciplines. Both teach you to interpret texts, weigh evidence, and build written arguments, so each major deepens the other. Studying literature in its historical context, and history through the voices that shaped it, makes for a more coherent course of study.

  • The History and English departments have created options for students who want to concentrate in both fields.
  • You can complete the double major with history as your primary major if the past is your main focus.
  • You can also complete it with English as your primary major if literature is your main focus.

Explore English

History and Education Dual Degree

Great history teachers need both strong content knowledge and training in how to teach it. Pairing the two prepares you for a classroom career at a time when demand for well-trained secondary teachers keep rising.

  • Students in this program earn both a B.A. in history and a B.S. in secondary education.
  • The History Department built the program in conjunction with the School of Education.
  • The joint program totals 128 to 136 credit hours, depending on how many credits you need to complete your program's language requirement.

Explore Education

History and Business Double Major

Business decisions happen in a historical context, and history trains you to research, analyze, and communicate clearly. Adding business coursework gives those strengths a practical edge and makes you a strong candidate for a wide range of careers.

  • You can add one ore more business certificates to your curriculum through the Palumbo-Donahue School of Business.
  • The certificates give you a breadth of business skills while you keep the foundation of a liberal arts education.
  • Together, the two make for excellent career preparation.

Explore Business

History and Pre-Law Program

Law depends on research, precedent, and persuasive writing, which are the core skills of a history major. That makes history a natural foundation for law school.

  • The School of Law's 3/3 program lets qualified students earn both an undergraduate history degree and a law degree in six years.
  • The program is highly competitive, and students apply during the fall semester of their junior year.
  • The History Department offers a series of law-related courses, and majors who plan to apply to law school are encouraged to take one or more of them.

Explore Pre-Law

Program Requirements

30 credits required for history majors.

View Catalog
You'll be required to take 6 credits that add a wider worldview to your curriculum, including courses that cover Latin American, Asian, African or Middle Eastern history.

Common world history courses include:
  • HIST 161 Latin American Civilization (3 Credits)
  • HIST 231 Pre-Colonial Africa (3 Credits)
  • HIST 254 History of the Modern Middle East (3 Credits)
  • HIST 291 History of Japan (3 Credits)
You'll be required to take two courses that are writing intensive so you can build your writing skills while furthering your studies in historical events, traditions and themes.
  • HIST 311W Writing History (3 Credits)
  • Any 400-level Writing Intensive course - examples include - 
    • HIST 401W Medieval Europe (3 Credits)
    • HIST 411W Early Modern Europe (3 Credits)
    • HIST 433W Gender in US History (3 Credits)
    • HIST 448W World at War (3 Credits)
You'll be required to take a course in public history, which provides more diverse perspectives than learning the details of historical events themselves. You will have the opportunity to pick from a number of courses in public history, such as:
  • PHST 206 Introduction to Oral History (3 Credits)
  • PHST 215 Introduction to Archives (3 Credits)
  • PHST 223 Practice of Public History (3 Credits)
Lastly, you can fill the remainder of your program with electives of your choosing. A student must complete 1 elective course at the 300 level.  

There are dozens of interesting and exciting courses offered each semester out of our history department, so we strongly encourage you to get creative with your selections!

Minor Requirements

The history minor is a good fit if you want a strong grounding in the discipline alongside another major.

  • The 15 credits can come from HIST, CLSX, or PHST courses.
  • Three credits must be in World/Global History (Latin American, Asian, African, or Middle Eastern).
  • Three credits must be at the 300 or 400 level.
  • Only one 100-level course may count toward the minor, and that course cannot also count toward the Bridges Core.
  • No more than six history credits transferred from another institution can count toward the minor.

 

Learning Outcomes

In addition to the Liberal Arts General Outcomes for all Undergraduate Degree Areas, students in the B.A. in History program will demonstrate the following general competencies:
  1. Research and analysis skills: Students will demonstrate familiarity and/or fluency with disciplinary-appropriate research methods and historical analysis skills.
  2. Gain skills to prepare for post-baccalaureate education and employment: Students will gain skills in areas including writing/communication, community engagement, and intercultural competency, and that will prepare them for multiple professional and educational outcomes.
  3. Historical competency: Students will learn, refine, and develop the basic skills of professional historians, including how to analyze continuity and change over time in human and societal development.
  4. Apply methods of historical scholarship in ethical contemplative ways: Students will understand the ethics of historical practice. Show awareness of how historians and historical interpretation address issues of social justice and potentially offer pathways for reconciliation.