About the Department

Welcome to the Department of History, a community of some thirty-five scholars who pride ourselves on teaching and research.  We invite you to study the world of the past with us!

The discipline of history provides a foundation for the humanities and the social sciences. Our courses and research specialties span centuries of human experience and deal with an array of thematic and area emphases.  Our strong undergraduate program offers opportunities for internships, overseas study, and advanced research.  Our small, high-quality graduate program combines emphases in specific regions of the world (America and Latin America, Asia, Europe, Middle East, and Africa) and specific thematic specialties ( gender and sexuality; medicine and science; slavery, race, diaspora; empire and colonialism; environment). We especially encourage a self-conscious use of theoretical perspectives and historical approaches that stress global and transnational connections.
We believe that studying history promotes life-long skills such as:

•           Thinking critically about evidence and argumentation
•           Analyzing documents and texts of all kinds
•           Recognizing a broad range of (often conflicting) conceptual frameworks
•           Learning to research and use informational tools
•           Writing and speaking clearly and concisely
•           Appreciating the diversity in human experience through comparisons across time (different historical eras) and space (different geographical regions)

Our website is your guide to learning more about our department: programs and courses; special events, lectures, and seminars; faculty and graduate students; publications, accomplishments, and awards. Should you have any questions regarding our Department, please feel free to contact us at history@uci.edu.