History University of Guelph

Overview

From the Art Gallery of Guelph to the University’s Archives and Special Collections to taking a semester abroad, take advantage of real-world experiences throughout your History studies.

You will be asked to extract and synthesize the most important information and major arguments from a wide array of historical sources. You will use those details and perspectives to paint pictures of the past in well-written, persuasive, concise narratives or stories that can be used for current-day needs. 

What Can You Do with a Degree in History?

Graduates of the History program of University of Guelph are flexible, intelligent, polished communicators, researchers and problem solvers who follow their passions in business, law, education, civil service, journalism, and the arts.

• Archivist/historian
• Copywriter
• Educational consultant
• Foreign service officer
• Policy analyst
• Library technician
• Program Officer
• Policy and research assistant

Why History?

There is power in history because every field of study has a history, whether it be science, religion, politics, technology, sport, environmental change, decolonization, medicine, or health care.

Why History Matters

For any field of interest to you, it’s beneficial to learn about how we got to where we are now, both to preserve the best parts of the past, and to learn from the mistakes of those who came before us.

If you’re looking to make a difference, look no further than political decisions, laws that govern us, and social movements, which are all products of historical events or decisions that were made in a time before our own. To understand why society is the way it is, we need to understand the forces that influenced those decisions in history, if we wish to inform positive change for the future.

History's Influence on Today

History also has relevance to today’s society, especially in film, TV and video games, where some of the most highly rated and profitable shows of all time are based on historical events, people, eras, etc. Such as:

• The Crown, The Tudors, Vikings, Bridgerton, 300: Sparta, Outlander, Game of Thrones, and The Last Dance (Michael Jordan).
• Video games such as Assassin’s Creed are similarly rooted in various historical eras and locations.