Perhaps the most exciting aspect to the study of history is that, while it is among the broadest and deepest of all academic disciplines, it also relies entirely on paying keen attention to the smallest details.

The Department of History prides itself on providing students with rigorous training in writing, research, and analytical thinking. The history major offers students three 36-credit tracks in history, public history, or secondary education, as well as a variety of minor programs. The Department produces more social studies teachers every year than any other campus in the UW system, and the public history program is the only such program in Wisconsin. As a result, students are extremely well prepared for the work and life challenges of the 21st century.

Faculty
Faculty in the Department are productive scholars who bring a passion for undergraduate teaching. Each of the dozen faculty members holds a doctoral degree from a prestigious institution. The Department does not use teaching assistants. Faculty bring a broad range of historical interests and specializations, are widely published and recognized, and earn prestigious grants, such as the Teaching American History Grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Hands-on Learning
Students in the Department have numerous opportunities to apply theory to practice in a wide range of settings. A travel study course in Canada is a popular option, and students in the public history major complete at least three internship credits in a museum, an archive, or a local, state, or federal historical agency such as Milton House, the Wisconsin Historical Society, and the National Archives and Records Administration. All majors take the Senior Seminar, an independent research project based on primary source research.

Student Organizations
Students who have completed 12 or more credits in history and possess a strong record in the program may apply to be members of Phi Alpha Theta, the international history honor society. History majors and minors are also welcome to join UW-Whitewater’s History Club, which is open to all students regardless of their academic program. History Club members plan social and extracurricular events.