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The Department of History

Why study history?

The world around us right now is the product of history.

Tracing the turning points and individual actions that built the present helps make sense of the world around us and points to ways that we can make a difference in the future.

History students develop practical, marketable skills that transfer into a wide range of workplaces. 

Our classes focus on how to:

  • find and make sense of data ;
  • apply critical thinking to that information;
  • and effectively communicate an analysis to a broad audience.

Research, analysis and communication are in-demand skills.

Your history degree applies to a career in education, business, journalism, government, law and the non-profit sector.

For more information about career opportunities, see: What Can I Do with My History Degree? and our Alumni page.


Featured news

Announcement

Great Minds in Despair: The Forced Migration of German-Speaking Neuroscientists to North America

Dr. Frank W. Stahnisch presented to the Huntington Library and the Southern California Society for the History of Medicine in Los Angeles, CA

Announcement

The Quest for Holism and Integration: Healing, Wellness, and Complementary Medicine, 1870-2020

Dr. Frank W. Stahnisch gave a paper in the History of Psychiatry and Medicine Colloquium at Harvard University’s Countway Library, Boston, MA

Announcement

The Boom: Oil, Popular Culture, and Politics in Alberta, 1912-1924

Dr. Paul Chastko's new book on the early 20th century Turner Valley oil boom featured on the Calgary Eyeopener.

Featured events


The Canadian Rangers in Canada’s Arctic: A Living History

The Canadian Rangers in Canada’s Arctic: A Living History

Dr. P. Whitney Lackenbauer, PhD, will present a public lecture on the history and contemporary role of the Canadian Rangers in Canada’s Arctic and other remote regions. The talk examines their contributions to national defence, sovereignty and security, and considers the implications of growing interest in the North.

Date: Jan. 22, 2026 | 6 p.m.

Register

Connect with us

Please reach us at hist@ucalgary.ca