Bachelor of Arts in History

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

History studies the past to understand the present. SIUE prepares students to become community engaged citizens, scholars and educators with a deep appreciation for diverse global perspectives. Our students are curious and analytical thinkers, ready for a range of careers. Historians approach the study of the past from various perspectives, but all analyze the patterns and causes of change in human thought and action across space and time and the consequences of those changes. Some, working within or across national histories, focus on the trajectory of particular social institutions, such as the family, government, business or religion. Alternately, historians can investigate the historical development of ideologies or of cultural concepts such as race or gender. Historians borrow investigative strategies freely from other disciplines. For some historians, the methodologies of the social sciences become critical tools for the study of the past, while others prefer a historical approach involving the methods of the humanities and literature. Most adopt some mixture of methodologies. The study of primary sources begins with our freshman-level survey labs, through the senior research projects. Numerous opportunities are also available for hands-on learning through class projects and internships at many venues in the greater St. Louis region and in the Metro East.

College of Arts and Sciences