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History

History Major and course information

Essay Writing Guide

Undergraduate courses with their own webpages

Electronic Resources in History

History@ANU

 

Why study History?

People read histories, and write them, to find out how things came to be as they are. Their curiosity may be sparked by a book or a building, an institution or a ritual. Why do we date our years from the birth of Jesus? How has Australia been moulded by its convict history? In what ways have our ideas about gender and sexuality developed over time? How did the USA come to have such permissive gun laws? Why do we have members of parliament? Instead of assuming that this just the way things are, people who study history want to know why and how.

In doing history at University students learn more about what happened, but also more about the process of finding out. History means learning:

• the kinds of question to ask and where to look for answers;
• how to find and assess evidence, how to recognise interpretations of what happened and how to weigh them against one another;
• how to communicate clearly and accurately, in written and spoken form.

What History can do for you

Employers in all fields tell us that they are looking for "bright people" who have good communication skills, who are accustomed to solving problems and understanding human behaviour, who can learn quickly, who know how to assimilate information and who have a sense of perspective.

We teach all of these skills, through our emphasis on research, analysis, writing and oral communication. The Careers and Appointments Service tells us that History graduates - possessing these skills - are eagerly accepted in a range of occupations: teaching, all sectors of the public service (policy, administration, research, foreign affairs), banking and retailing, hotel management, marketing and public relations, all branches of the media, archives and museums, personel and executive positions in secondary industry, trade unions, political parties, and voluntary organisations involved in local and international relief.

Studying Undergraduate History at ANU

History comprehends all aspects of human experience. History courses offered in the School of Social Sciences explore that experience, help students to develop critical and analytical skills, and encourage them to ask questions which lead to an understanding of past and present societies.

History offers courses in a wide range of areas from a variety of perspectives. Themes covered include war, revolution, empire, slavery, religion, immigration, race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality and film. The time span covered is from the ancient world to the present, while the regions covered in the courses we offer include Australia, Asia, Europe and North America. There are also courses on historical theory and method.

Within these courses it is possible for students to pursue their particular interests, for example in politics, economics, philosophy, and religion. Our courses also explore the historical significance of ideas, technologies, and cultures. Some courses cover broad themes across national boundaries, while others explore the theories and values that underlie all historical explanations. There are courses that investigate Australian society, and others which examine aspects of Western societies and cultures in Europe and North America.

History is, therefore, an important discipline within an Arts degree, and in the various combined degrees (eg Arts/Law, Arts/Science, Arts/ Economics). History courses are also included in many of the majors offered within the Faculty of Arts, notably Australian Studies, Gender, Sexuality and Culture, Aboriginal Studies, and Religious Studies.