The Department of History’s programs allow students to explore and focus on their interests while developing the skills for success in business, law, government, education, non-profits, and other careers. Students will learn in small classes through hands-on engagement, whether through immersive, role-playing games set in the past, by examining documents or objects, or through site visits. Students also have the opportunity of gaining hands-on experience through our many internship programs.
Students will find a strong sense of community in the History Department. The department is home to the History Club and chapters of Phi Alpha Theta, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), and the Berkshire Conference of Women Historians. The department also hosts an annual undergraduate research conference and sponsors department, campus, and community programming.
The History Department also offers a variety of courses that meet Colonnade (general education) requirements to students in any major.
Master of Arts
Whether you are aiming to complete initial graduate work on the path toward a doctoral degree or seeking to enhance your expertise as a history teacher, the History MA Program at WKU can serve your needs.
Major, Minor, & Joint BA-MA
History students develop strong skills in research, analysis, creative problem solving, and written and oral communication, preparing them for careers in education, management, law, administration, business, sales, government, museums, library sciences, banking, journalism, and politics.
Major, Certification in Teacher Education
The Social Studies major prepares students to teach Social Studies in grades 8-12 and to bring a range of skills from the social and behavioral sciences to the study of the past.
Major, Minor
Legal Studies is designed to prepare students for law school and legal careers. Students gain interdisciplinary perspectives on the law by taking courses in a wide range of subjects.
Major & Minor
Asian Studies at WKU, with courses in religion, language, history, political science, geography, anthropology, and art, provides students with an understanding of the Asian past and the knowledge to put current issues and problems into broader historical, religious, and cultural contexts.
Major & Minor
Religious Studies at WKU, multicultural and comparative by design, allows students to understand the central beliefs, ethical practices, ritual systems, and social institutions of diverse religious traditions in their historic, contemporary, and global contexts.
Minor
In the Africana Studies Minor at WKU, students study, analyze, and develop a comprehensive understanding of the rich and varied experiences of African descended persons and communities, considering cultural, social, religious, and political forms.
Minor
There are many reasons to study Latin America at WKU, from a personal love of Latin American music and dance to the professional advantages it can provide after graduation.
Ready to declare a Major, Minor, or Certificate?
Apply to Western Kentucky University
Would you like to visit campus and/or attend a class?
Walk-in appointments are welcome at the History Student Success Center, but we encourage students to schedule appointments ahead of time.
Do you have questions about our programs or courses? Reach out to one of our advisors.
The study of history prepares students for a range of careers, including education, management, law, administration, business, sales, government, museums, library sciences, banking, journalism, and politics.
Legal Studies is designed to prepare students to get into and succeed in law school. The major also offers strong preparation for careers in public administration, government, diplomacy, non-governmental organizations, education, law enforcement, and national security.
With its strong focus on writing, critical thinking, and language skills and its emphasis on developing an understanding of Asian religions, cultures, politics, and history, Asian Studies graduates have pursued careers in government, national security, international business, and non-profit and non-governmental organizations.
Graduates in Religious Studies have gone on to work for religious, non-profit, and community organizations and in education, business and finance, law and government, and health care and counseling.
Examines how Americans have understood, experienced, and coped with disease, disability, and death.
3 Credit Hrs
Explores the methods, theories, and practices of public history, including museums, archives, national parks, cultural resource management, and historic preservation.
3 Credit Hrs
Examines the history of protest and activism and their relationship to trends in world history.
3 Credit Hrs
Considers the various and sometimes contradictory views of Hip Hop as a musical form, a forum for political activism, and a voice for articulating and refiguring democratic values.
3 Credit Hrs
Surveys how biological ideas have shaped narratives of family history, including the rise of DNA testing and genetic genealogy.
3 Credit Hrs
Investigates the history of sororities, fraternities, and secret societies, including their social, cultural, and political dimensions.
3 Credit Hrs
Explores how the discipline of Yoga developed in ancient South Asia and how it has adapted to different social, political, and religious contexts as it achieved a global following.
3 Credit Hrs
Examines the historical origins of human rights, key disputes surrounding the content and legitimacy of human rights, and the enforcement of international humanitarian law in theory and practice.
3 Credit Hrs
A study of topics and themes in the history of sport, as well as the historical context in which sport evolved.
3 Credit Hrs
Explores ancient Egyptian civilization with attention to the rediscovery of ancient Egypt by modern scholars and the development of the discipline of Egyptology.
3 Credit Hrs
Examines the idea of holy war and political, social, and cultural interaction in the Mediterranean World from 1000 to 1300.
3 Credit Hrs
Surveys the history of food, and its relationship to trends in world history.
3 Credit Hrs
Explores the production and reception of films about Jesus, similarities and differences with canonical and extracanonical Gospels, and popular and critical reactions.
3 Credit Hrs
Examines sexuality and gender in Islamic theology, history, and contemporary societies.
3 Credit Hrs
Department Information
Cherry Hall, Room 200
Phone: 270-745-3841
Email: history@wku.edu
Departmental Directory
Questions about Programs & Advising:
For Undergraduate Programs: Dr. Jennifer Walton-Hanley
Cherry Hall, Room 240
Phone: 270-745-4723
Email: jennifer.walton-hanley@wku.edu
For Graduate Program: Dr. Alexander Olson
Cherry Hall, Room 230E
Phone: 270-745-4201
Email: alexander.olson@wku.edu
Department Chair
Dr. Audra Jennings
Cherry Hall, Room 200
Phone: 270-745-3841
Email: audra.jennings@wku.edu
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