Undergraduate Program Overview

The history curriculum orders the study of the past in logical and meaningful ways. Beginning with surveys that offer general approaches to broad periods of history, students move on to upper division classes that challenge students to read and write about specific subjects and places in more depth. They finish their degrees by reading deeply, conducting archival research and writing major papers on specialized topics in seminar-style readings and research courses. Students interested in further developing their understanding of history can write senior theses or undertake internships at museums, archives and other public history sites.

History Majors

Ready to declare your History major?

  1. Download and complete the major declaration form
  2. Submit a hard copy of the form to the History Department Office (Sensenbrenner Hall 202A) or by email to Jolene Kreisler

History Minors

Ready to declare your History minor?

  1. Download and complete the minor declaration form
  2. Submit the form to your college office.

History B.A./M.A. Program

The history department also offers a five year B.A./M.A. Accelerated Degree Program.

Undergraduate History Program Highlights

Below are a few of the benefits you will receive from a History degree from Marquette University.

Student Learning Outcomes

Student Learning Outcomes are the skills that students are expected to master and demonstrate. 

The Marquette Advantage

  • Foundations in the development of western civilization and the United States, followed by specialized study in the history of ancient and medieval Europe, modern Europe, the U.S., and Asia, Africa, and Latin America
  • The development of crucial intellectual skills -- imagination and creativity, critical and analytical thinking, effective communication -- that will prepare you for a variety of career and life options after graduation
  • Thinking globally about issues of justice and values
  • Personal attention from professors who encourage student success
  • Work experience in the junior or senior years through internships in historical, archival, or museum studies
  • Learning from the professors who are doing the research. Courses are drawn directly from their scholarly work about the FBI, childhood and gender, Latin America, crime and punishment, and the Holocaust

Student Success

MU history graduates attend some of the best law and graduate schools in the United States, including:

American University, UC-Berkeley, Boston College, Boston University, University of Chicago, Georgetown University, University of Eastern Illinois, University of Iowa, Loyola University (Chicago), Marquette University, University of Maryland, University of Massachusetts, University of Minnesota, University of Nebraska-Omaha, New York University, University of Northern Illinois, University of Notre Dame, University of Oregon, Seton Hall University, University of Vermont, UW-Madison, and UW-Milwaukee