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History Major

Study history. Understand the world. Be an agent for change in the world.

History is more than a record of events—it's the critical exploration of the human journey. Our rigorous program challenges you to think critically, argue logically, and deeply examine the complex legacies of people and events across the globe. You'll gain the intellectual agility to analyze the core values of both your own and other societies, equipping you to fully understand and embrace the responsibilities of engaged citizenship.

A history degree delivers a distinct advantage in today's workforce. Our graduates possess an invaluable analytical framework, ready to recognize the fundamental importance of context, perspective, and contingency when examining change and continuity across all scales—from individual lives to continents. You will not only master the past, but develop a sophisticated and transferable way to analyze the world and articulate your thoughts with impact.

Learn more about our Department of History and Global Studies and faculty

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What will you study?

Why choose the B.A. in History at Marian?

The Department of History and Global Studies empowers transformative leaders. Rooted in Marian University's Franciscan and liberal arts tradition, we offer dynamic and engaging study that goes beyond the classroom. We forge academic excellence by cultivating a deep appreciation for the complexity and breadth of human history, ensuring our graduates are prepared to lead with insight, ethics, and a global perspective.

The history curriculum is designed around specific goals:

  • To cultivate a sense of the past and an understanding of the roots of our shared systems, especially the multiple heritages of the peoples of the United States.
  • To develop a fuller understanding of the human experience by learning the histories of peoples from across the globe and from all walks of life
  • To transform academically ambitious students into lifelong, independent learners, responsible, morally-committed professionals, and thoughtful members of society.
  • To present novel research on local, national, and global issues to a scholarly community, both in the classroom and to the public.

We accomplish these goals in the following ways:

  • Varied Methods and Interdisciplinary Approach to History
    • The History faculty explicitly incorporate and model diverse methodological perspectives and approaches to the study of history, introducing students to a range of methods for engaging with the past.
    • Students will be exposed to social history, political history, cultural history, critically engaging with primary sources, archival research, and oral history.
  • Internships at museums, historical societies, and the Indiana Statehouse.
  • Small classes with a low student-to-teacher ratio
  • Individualized advising with student's major professor
  • Numerous Study Abroad Opportunities, including in:

Internship Opportunities

The Department of History and Social Sciences at Marian University has working relationships with a growing number of local organizations that provide our students with opportunities to develop their skills through guided internships.

  • Indiana State Museum
  • Indiana State Archives
  • Indianapolis Museum of Art
  • Indiana Historical Society
  • The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
  • Governor’s Public Service Internship
  • Indiana State House – Legislative Session Internships
  • Non-Profits such as
    • Girls, Inc.
    • accessAbility
    • Indianapolis Urban League
  • Faith in Indiana
  • Community, Faith & Labor Coalition
  • Indiana Youth Group
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"To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness. What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places—and there are so many—where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction. And if we do act, in however small a way, we don’t have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory."

Howard Zinn
American Historian