History

Search the Past — Find Your Future

What is History?

The question is as old as time. R. G. Collingwood observed that the value of history is that it teaches us what humans have done over time, and thus teaches us what it means to be human. Eric Hobsbawm says that ‘we swim in the past like fish do in water...and cannot escape from it.’ Before being executed by the Nazis for his part in the French Resistance, the historian Marc Bloch wrote that the ability to understand the living is the ‘master quality of the historian.’

All this is another way of saying that the past also belongs to the present and the future.

The History program at King’s has a long and proud tradition of enabling students to search the past and, in so doing, to find their future. We offer a wide range of stimulating and challenging courses at various levels on themes that are essential to understanding today’s world, including:

Major Issues in World History
The Development of Western Society and Culture
20th Century Totalitarianism
Canadian, U.S. and European history
Religion in Modern History
Social Movements
Popular Culture in the Americas
War and Society
Slavery in the Americas and Africa
Philosophy of History and Historical Methodology

Such courses, taught by our dedicated, award winning faculty, help to acquaint students not only with knowledge of the past, but also to cultivate fundamental skills which are essential to success in any field: historical thinking, critical analysis, research methods, as well as effective verbal and written communication skills.

At King’s, our classes are small, and so motivated students will find the kind of individual attention they’re looking for.

What Can I Do With A Degree In History?

Pretty well anything. The facts speak for themselves:

Recent studies show that professional schools and employers value History graduates for their ability to think and work both independently and collaboratively. One study conducted in the UK predicted a "golden future" for History grads.
An American study found that History was the most common undergraduate degree held by Forbes 500 CEOs.
Year after year, a disproportionate number of History graduates are successful applicants to law, business, and other professional schools.

History graduates are prized for their broad-minded approach to problem-solving, for their capacity to gather and analyse vast quantities of information, and for knowing how to communicate what is essential.

No wonder, then, that King’s History graduates flourish wherever they go. Our graduates excel in a diverse range of exciting, meaningful careers in the private and public sector: business, law, education, and journalism, to name just a few.

"Studying history is probably essential for someone who now makes their living in journalism. The skill of learning how to take complex information, review it and present it clearly is a critical business skill that is valued now more than ever."

- David Estok, King's History and English BA, now Editor in Chief, The Hamilton Spectator

"An honours degree in history has given me the capacity to properly research issues and read through a host of documents with the eye to refine my writing in order to capture the critical elements of the issues presented. Equally important is the value of history, particularly in organizations. One can learn from the past only if one understands all of the elements that went into that history. Not repeating the mistakes of history, building success from troubled history and predicting the future history is really what strategic management is all about! My honours degree in history taught me to think about and understand the power of personalities in various walks of life. If I could do it all over, I would have taken exactly the same path in studying history as it provided me the foundation for my graduate school work and my career."

- Richard Dixon, King's History '78, now Vice President and Human Resources Officer, NAV Canada

"A liberal arts student is more well rounded and better prepared to tackle challenges. I've worked with and hired many people, and liberal arts students are far more able to be innovative and deal with challenges than students from other disciplines."

- Darryl King, King's History B.A. '97, now owner and operator, Logikor Dedicated Logistics