Department of History
Welcome to the BGSU History Department! Studying history—exploring the human past in all its variety and complexity—is intrinsically interesting and important, and it speaks to the fundamental human need to preserve, transmit, and interpret stories about our collective experience.
History has a practical side, too, as a preparation for a variety of careers and pursuits in the contemporary world. Students of history develop critical habits of mind; the ability to evaluate, interpret, and analyze a broad range of evidence; a facility for contextualizing current issues by placing them in historical perspective; and the capacity to communicate their insights effectively.
Historical study prepares students well for careers in business, politics, public service, education, law, and other fields, while producing engaged, informed citizens with a life-long love of learning.
FEATURED
What can you do with a History Degree?
A history major’s problem solving and analytical skills are relevant in many industries Read More
News and Stories
Dr. Apollos Nwauwa Committed to African Affairs
“A traditional belief about the study of history is that the teacher plays the role of storyteller and students are the listeners. But I believe it’s critical that there be incisive debates upon which the stories should be anchored. Students should be active participants in the discussion of stories and events. My blended teaching approach is intended to stir students’ curiosity to better understand not only what happened in the past, but also why.” Read More
Alum Luke Nichter Receives Public Scholar Award
The National Endowment for the Humanities announced that Luke Nichter received the prestigious Public Scholar award. Dr. Nichter is an alum of BGSU’s Policy History Ph.D. program and is currently an associate professor of history at Texas A&M. This award comes right after Nichter’s co-edited books The Nixon Tapes were recognized with the Link-Kuehl Prize for Documentary Editing. The Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations awards this price to outstanding primary-source collections in international or diplomatic history. Dr. Nichter will give a public talk about the Nixon Tapes in the Hayes Presidential Center on October 8.
Passion for Scuba Diving Meets History
Alumnus and graduate student Mike Horton found the opportunity to combine two of his greatest passions: history and scuba diving. Through a chance meeting last summer with the producer of an upcoming Discovery Channel show, Mike learned about the search for lost Spanish shipwrecks in the Caribbean dating back to the 17th century. He’s now writing a narrative about the rise of the Spanish empire in the Americas that set the stage for 17th century life in the Caribbean, and is involved in research of other shipwrecks throughout the Caribbean. Read More