History

Your Window to the World

Here, we learn to share ideas, to challenge assumptions, and to understand who we are. We are scholars and teachers with a passion for understanding the past in all its dimensions. Our faculty conducts research on the history of Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, colonial North America and the United States, and the world as a whole.

Read about the Indigenous history of our local land.

What You Can do with a Degree in History

History introduces students to new ways of thinking and new ways of understanding, preparing them to become effective global citizens and responsible consumers of news and information. A degree in history can pave the way to a broad variety of careers, providing students with a foundation for employment in:

  • Legal professions
  • Journalism
  • Education and training
  • Business management and administration
  • Politics and public interest groups
  • Museums and historical sites
  • Libraries and archives
  • Art, design, and social media
  • Nonprofit organizations
History alumna Odalis Aquilar

How a History Degree Deepens Your Career

“I'm currently working on the political team for a labor union as a lobbyist. My college years were filled with new experiences and many, many learning opportunities that I cherish deeply. A lot of the skills I gained through my college experience and the history department have been helpful in my career. History helped me develop great reading and writing skills. It also prepared me more as a leader overall. I became a person who wasn't scared to ask questions. In my courses, I felt really supported by my professors while also being challenged at the same time! If I had the chance to do it, I would do it all over again!”

—Odalis Aguilar-Aguilar, lobbyist, '22

Our Degree Programs

The study of history cultivates critical skills useful in all walks of life. Among these are the ability to communicate verbally and in writing; to conduct research on virtually any topic; and to analyze, interpret, and synthesize large quantities of information. A history degree cultivates the kinds of learning and skills that we regard as crucial for historical thinking and, more broadly, as integral to a liberal arts education.

Undergraduate Degrees
 
Carlos Aguirre

Learn from Experts in the Field

Our faculty conduct research all over the globe in over 15 languages on fascinating topics stretching from 1,000 years ago to the present. Their research is supported by prestigious grants and their books have won many prizes. In addition to researching, writing, and teaching, they also engage in public history by curating exhibitions, advising government agencies and non-profits, and writing for public media.

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Explore Beyond the Classroom

Investigate centuries-old books and artifacts in our campus collections. Go on field trips and site visits to discover how history has shaped the world. Immerse yourself in the culture of another country while studying history abroad. Apply your skills through internships and other experiential learning opportunities. It doesn't get more real than the study of history.

Scholarships & Funding

The department traditionally bestows a number of undergraduate awards, as well as multiple graduate-level fellowships. The department also meets the challenges of funding graduate education by supporting its students with graduate employee appointments; a variety of internal awards; and university-wide fellowships, grants, and prizes.

Undergraduate Scholarships

Graduate Funding

Academic Support

Our faculty and advisors support our students’ academic journeys via remote advising sessions.

Undergraduate Advising
Support for Graduate Students

History News and Events

March 25, 2024
HISTORY - The federal government is ramping up domestic computer chip production, with roughly $106 billion in funding allocated by the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) and Science Act for semiconductor research and production. PhD student Adam Quinn offers four lessons the semiconductor industry should learn from its past.
March 1, 2024
HISTORY - Financial crises are somewhat regular occurrences today. But what can we learn from the first-ever stock market crash in 1720? On March 6, Daniel Menning, an associate professor at the University of Tübingen in Germany, will discuss in a lecture for undergraduate students about the South Sea Bubble and how people make decisions during financial crises.
February 5, 2024
HISTORY - Led by UO history professor Arafaat Valiani, a research team studied the historical experiences of people of color with medical and genetic research and developed new guidelines to ensure that people of color are included in such studies on terms that are equitable. Known as precision health equity, the recommendations call on geneticists and biomedical researchers to embrace a different approach to their work.

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International & Economic Development Careers - Millennium Challenge Corporation
Apr4
International & Economic Development Careers - Millennium Challenge Corporation Apr 4 440 Lill
EXTRA! EXTRA! DON'T KILL THE MESSENGER
Apr4
EXTRA! EXTRA! DON'T KILL THE MESSENGER Apr 4 Erb Memorial Union (EMU)
"'Surplus' White Nationalism and GOP Climate Obstruction"
Apr4
"'Surplus' White Nationalism and GOP Climate Obstruction" Apr 4 Knight Library
Reading by Victor Lavalle
Apr4
Reading by Victor Lavalle Apr 4 Knight Library
EXTRA! EXTRA! DON'T KILL THE MESSENGER
Apr5
EXTRA! EXTRA! DON'T KILL THE MESSENGER Apr 5 Erb Memorial Union (EMU)
2024 Leona Tyler Distinguished Lecture: Dr. Phillip Graham
Apr5
2024 Leona Tyler Distinguished Lecture: Dr. Phillip Graham Apr 5 Gerlinger Hall
EXTRA! EXTRA! DON'T KILL THE MESSENGER
Apr6
EXTRA! EXTRA! DON'T KILL THE MESSENGER Apr 6 Erb Memorial Union (EMU)
EXTRA! EXTRA! DON'T KILL THE MESSENGER
Apr7
EXTRA! EXTRA! DON'T KILL THE MESSENGER Apr 7 EMU
History Pub Lecture Series - "Mischievous Creatures: The Forgotten Sisters Who Transformed Early American Science" with Catherine McNeur
Apr8
History Pub Lecture Series - "Mischievous Creatures: The Forgotten Sisters Who Transformed Early American Science" with Catherine McNeur Apr 8 Whirled Pies
Resume Extravaganza! (Drop-In Resume Reviews with Career Coaches & Peer Coaches)
Apr9
Resume Extravaganza! (Drop-In Resume Reviews with Career Coaches & Peer Coaches) Apr 9 Willie and Donald Tykeson Hall

All events »