About Our Department
History is more than names and dates. It’s about learning how we have been shaped by the past and how to apply historical knowledge and analysis to issues facing contemporary societies.
As an integral part of the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences at West Virginia University, the Department of History, offers both general education courses and specialized programs for undergraduate and graduate students.
Historians ask: What are the causes of today’s global conflicts? How does technological and economic change affect the lives of ordinary people? How have our institutions and ideas developed over time?
By studying history, you’ll probe the how and why of events, and above all ask “so what?” You’ll examine a range of historical perspectives that will help you develop the essential tools for being an effective and engaged citizen of the world.
A history degree will prepare you for a modern economy with analytical skills and a deeper understanding of how the world works. Our undergraduate history majors go on to jobs in government, teaching, law, and business, or they are accepted in graduate programs across the U.S. and around the world.
We have a growing Public History M.A. program and every year students graduate with M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in a variety of historical specialties.
Our faculty includes professors of West Virginia, U.S., African, Latin American, Asian, and European history.