Undergraduate Program

The History Department helps students to better understand themselves and the contemporary world in relationship with other peoples in the past and present. We are proud of our small class sizes, and that History students and faculty work closely together. Undergraduate course subjects range from the ancient and medieval periods to the modern era and focus on many regions of the world. Thematic course strengths include women’s history, environmental history, digital and public history, Indigenous history, and close attention to war and society.

Undergraduates leading a UMaine history walking tour in front of Stevens Hall where the History Department is located. Our building celebrated its centennial in 2025.

Major in History

The History major requires at least 12 three-credit courses in History. For a balanced understanding of the subject, majors must complete courses from each of the following focus areas:

  • U.S. history
  • European history
  • The history of other regions of the world (e.g., Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, Canada) or history courses with a transnational focus.

Majors take HTY 130, The Craft of Historical Detection, as well as other courses at the 100- and 200-level, then 8 or more upper-level courses, including a junior seminar (HTY 311) and a senior capstone seminar (HTY 498). Your History advisor will help you design a course plan that suits your interests and needs.

Resources for History Majors include:

Minor in History

The History minor consists of at least 18 credit hours, of which at least 9 must be at the 300-level or above. Please look here for the minor checklist. For more details on the Undergraduate Catalog or Change of Program form, please refer to the links above.

Learning Outcomes  

Students graduating with a BA in history will acquire the skills to:

  • read, interpret, and evaluate historical sources and secondary material;
  • participate effectively in discussions and express ideas clearly in writing (including making revisions);
  • organize and complete a major research project.

Employment

History graduates find employment in a wide range of occupations. Traditionally they have gone into education careers in primary and secondary schools and, with appropriate graduate-level training, in colleges and universities. More recently, increasing numbers of history graduates find their way into private, nonprofit as well as public organizations and agencies, such as museums, archives and libraries, research and service institutions, legislative bodies, and planning agencies. Others find career opportunities in the private sector, in fields such as publishing, journalism, broadcasting, business, and law; in fact, history is an ideal pre-law major.

Your History advisor, together with the staff at the Career Center, can help you locate internship opportunities, build your networks, and evaluate your career options.

Departmental Life

History majors take an active part in the life of the department. Through the History Club, they get to know one another and participate in field trips, the annual History Picnic, and other events. Many undergraduates serve as judges for Maine’s National History Day. A wide variety of scholarships and awards support students’ research at the undergraduate level. Working with faculty on their research can lead in many different directions—from attending professional conferences to working with local organizations to bring history to life in the community.

The 4+1 MA Program

The 4+1 MA is a highly selective program ​​that offers students at the University of Maine the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree (BA) and a master’s degree (MA) in History in five combined years of study. Further details on the 4+1 program are available here. For 4+1 program video, click here. An application can be found here.

The University of Maine’s History Club

Welcome to the University of Maine History Club! We meet Wednesdays from 5:30 to 6:30 in the Digital History Lab!

We are an undergraduate student club dedicated to fostering a community of students who share a passion and interest in the study of the past. Through engaging events and educational opportunities, we seek to further enrich our members’ interest in history while promoting dialogue and critical thinking.

As a member of the University of Maine History Club, you will have access to a variety of events and activities, peer networking, and local history excursions. There will be history movie nights, trivia nights, guest speaker nights, and much more!

You can reach our President, Jeremy Collamore, at jeremy.collamore@maine.edu if you have any questions!

Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you at our meetings!