History
Historians study the past as a way to make sense of the present. Both in and out of the classroom, our faculty will work with you to discover and interpret historical materials with rigor and insight, allowing you to draw well-reasoned conclusions of your own. You will earn a bachelor’s degree in history while gaining expertise in writing, researching, critical analysis, and public speaking.
Why Choose a Degree in History?
We believe research is not just the collection of evidence, but a process of discovery that challenges us to question our assumptions and critically assess those made by others. You will become a historian in your own right, producing theses supported by the kind of intensive research, critical analysis, and careful writing that prepare you for a career in a wide array of fields, ranging from library management to foreign service, journalism to teaching.
What You’ll Study
We offer a major and minor. Our curriculum is global in scope, inviting students to compare the traditions of various cultures and countries.Our courses push students to develop sophisticated knowledge of the modern and premodern history of regions including the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Moreover, our emphasis on research and writing equips our students with skills appropriate to a wide range of pursuits. We also believe in collaborating with students on research projects—whether through classes during the academic year, a paid humanities research summer program, or both—and helping them find and secure internships or practica in Portland and beyond. Credit has been awarded for mentored work in such places as the Oregon Historical Society, the Nikkei Legacy Center, Oregon Public Broadcasting, Oregon Humanities, and Oregon Health & Science University.
Many of our students earn course credit while on an overseas program. In addition to general cultural programs that are open to all students, the England humanities program and the Greece program enable students to study the rich history and culture of these places on site.
Outside the classroom, our department offers a course at a nearby prison as part of the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program, in which Lewis & Clark students learn alongside minimum-security prisoners. For the Lewis & Clark Oral History Project, students interview alumni, creating recordings that are archived in Watzek Library’s Special Collections. The Throckmorton Lecture brings a renowned historian to campus each year to give a public lecture, visit classes, and have dinner with students.
Complement Your Education With One of These Minors
The most popular minors for our history majors are Middle East and North African studies, philosophy, and rhetoric and media studies.
What Students Are Saying About Lewis & Clark
Mateo Kaiser BA ’23More about MateoMy favorite class has been Ancient Cities with Professor Joel Sweek. The class had the kind of academic rigor and seriousness that I hoped to find in college, and Professor Sweek’s lectures pushed me to think like a historian. I was left in awe of the ancient world and inspired to declare history as my major.
Sally Goldman BA ’20More about SallyI create community by hosting monthly programs in my residence hall.
Molly Gibbons BA ’24More about MollyProfessors in the history department give students the space and support to research aspects of history that they are interested in, rather than limiting students to their specific area of interest and study.
What Can You Do With a Degree in History?
Our alumni use their BA in history to pursue a wide range of careers within academia, nonprofits, historical societies, and beyond. While many of our graduates pursue advanced degrees in the field, others apply their critical thinking, research and writing skills, creativity, and literacy to areas other than history.
Dedicated Faculty
Our expert professors are your expert mentors. You will learn directly from faculty (no graduate assistants here!) that are nationally recognized in their fields of study and who love to work with and learn from their students. Your professors will inspire you to be a thoughtful and passionate participant in a diverse world. Your small classes will support you as you explore new ideas, find your voice, and speak your truth.
Our faculty members have been recognized for excellence in teaching and have won some of the country’s most prestigious writing awards.
Invest in Yourself
A private liberal arts education is often more affordable than you think. Last year, Lewis & Clark distributed over $74 million in assistance from institutional, federal, state, and private sources. Additionally, we’re so confident that our first-year students will graduate with their bachelor of arts degree in four years that if you don’t, we’ll cover the extra semester of tuition.
Find Your People
Students produce an annual newsletter, Footnotes, that updates fellow students, alumni, and others about department-related events both on and off campus. Project Runway: Historical Edition is a popular annual event in which student teams design fashion-forward outfits inspired by historical phenomena.
Where Lewis & Clark Will Take You
Lauren Fleming BA ’19More about LaurenI moved to Seattle to begin my library science
degree, which I finished in June 2022. I currently work as a bookseller at Third
Place Books.
Mila Wolpert BA ’19More about MilaL&C prepared me to be a confident applicant for grad school, and my experiences will guide me to be poised, knowledgeable, and self-reliant.
Amanda Mihalke BA ’19More about AmandaI moved to Arlington, Virginia, and have started working in the nonprofit field. I am currently working in HR and operations at a cancer nonprofit based in Washington DC.
History Events
2024 Reception for Dorothy Berkson Writing Award in Gender Studies
Join us for the 16th Annual Dorothy Berkson Writing Award in Gender Studies reception and presentation by award recipients.
Featured News
Faculty book release: “A Wall Is Just A Wall: The Permeability of the Prison in 20th Century America” by Reiko Hillyer
Please join us in congratulating Associate Professor of History and Department Chair Reiko Hillyer on the upcoming publication of her latest book, A Wall is Just a Wall: The Permeability of the Prison in 20th Century America (Duke University Press, February 16, 2024). Influenced by her work teaching in the Inside-Out program, Hillyer traces the decline of practices that used to connect incarcerated people more regularly to the free world.
