Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in History

Vancouver Island University

Enrich your understanding of the past to help prepare for the future with VIU’s History program. The Bachelor of Arts (BA), History degree program takes students on a journey through time in specialized areas of study examining a wide array of topics, as broad as politics, war and genocide and social movements and as narrow as European film and the place of hockey in Canadian culture.Whether you choose a history major or history minor as part of your BA program, you will gain historical context to serve you in your chosen field. History degree students excel in critical thinking, problem-solving, and interpreting data - all vital and valued skills in every career and post-graduate program. History degree graduates have gone on to excel in careers in a range of different fields, including education, law, heritage, journalism, marketing, public service, and the film and video game industries.The History Honours (BA) ProgramThe Honours History program allows students to further enrich their understanding and practice of History. This is accomplished primarily through their participation in two specialized Honours courses. The first, History 490 (Honours Historiography and Research Methods), provides students with an in-depth examination of the diversity of theoretical approaches and research strategies employed by past and present historians. This course also sees students read a significant number of historical works designed to provide them with valuable context in preparation for the second specialized course: History 491 (Honours Thesis). Working under the direction of an agreed upon faculty supervisor, History 491 gives students the opportunity to undertake a level of research, and produce writing, that will anticipate standards at the Masters level. Honours History graduates will thus leave VIU with a skill set and a depth of knowledge that will prepare them well for graduate study and/or professional situations in the field.

Faculty of Arts and Humanities