students walk in front of wescoe hall

About

Studying history at the University of Kansas will expand your mind. Our course offerings introduce students to a range of cultures across the globe with courses ranging from topics on the history of sexuality, natural disasters, wars, and plagues to the Ottoman Empire, conquistadors, samurais and satirical anarchists. With 26 tenured and tenure-track faculty, the Department of History covers the globe. Come explore the past with us.

Careers

  • Training in historical research, analysis, and writing develops skills that are essential in our information economy. Recent undergraduate and graduate alumni go on to pursue graduate training and careers in law, public policy, business, journalism, education, and a universe of other possibilities.

Programs

  • We offer an outstanding undergraduate program with more than 200 majors and 100 minors. Students are taught by faculty who consistently win awards for their teaching as well as their research. Beyond the introductory level, class sizes are small, including two required seminars that are capped at 15 students each. 
  • Our graduate program is currently ranked in the top 20 among public research universities. With an average of 50 graduate students enrolled, we are primarily a doctoral program, granting Ph.D. degrees in standard geographical areas such as the United States, Europe, East Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America, as well as in thematic fields such as world, Atlantic world, military, environmental, and gender. Recent Ph.D. recipients have gone on to tenure-track positions at research universities, liberal arts colleges, junior colleges, and a variety of non-academic careers.

Faculty

  • Faculty in our department are nationally and internationally known for their research and have published numerous books and articles. Their productivity plays an important role in helping KU maintain its position in the prestigious American Association of Universities.

Alumni

Hear the voices of undergraduates and graduate students who have passed through the Department and feel free to contact any of the administrative staff and faculty with your questions.