History
Program Description
History is the study and interpretation of the past. By drawing on a wide range of evidence (such as written sources, oral testimony, folklore and material culture), historians are able to analyze the social, political, economic and cultural forces that have shaped the human experience.
The study of history allows students to better understand the world around them. By analyzing the origins and development of institutions, ideas, cultures and societies, students of history are better able to contextualize current events and appreciate the complexities of the contemporary world.
The study of history also equips students with the skills to become more intelligent consumers of history outside of the college or university classroom. People are confronted with representations of history every day – in popular culture, the media, online, and the political realm. Students of history develop the skills necessary to confront such representations of the past with a critical eye, and analyze the ways in which history is often harnessed for particular purposes.
Admission Requirements
Career Opportunities
Academic: a Bachelor of Arts degree with a history major is the first step in the career of a professional historian. Students who go on to do graduate (Master’s and Ph.D.) degrees often work as instructors and researchers at colleges or universities.
Public History: many history majors choose to work in the field of public history, dedicating themselves to the spread and preservation of historical knowledge outside of the academic setting (instead of working at colleges and universities, public historians often work at museums, archives or historic sites). Many history majors seek specialized training as public historians after their Bachelor of Arts degree, pursuing careers as curators, archivists, program directors and conservationists (working, for example, to preserve historic architecture, material culture, fragile documents, and much more). Though a very specialized field, genealogy represents another potential career path in the realm of public history,
Other Careers: the skills that history majors develop over the course of their degrees prepare them for a wide range of careers. History majors are taught how to conduct independent research, evaluate evidence, analyze complex historical problems, critically evaluate other historians’ arguments, and express their own ideas with clarity and precision (both orally and in writing). History degrees thus offer outstanding preparation for students considering careers in law, journalism, education, government service, and many other fields.
Program Outcomes
Graduates from the program (i.e. History credit courses) will be able to:
Use their History credit courses as transfer credits at other post-secondary institutions in a variety of liberal arts programs or disciplines;
Use their History credit courses in an undergraduate degree program for a major in History at post-secondary university History departments;
Use their History credit courses as entrance into a Master’s Degree program in History at post-secondary university History departments.
Program Structure
Students can take the first two years of a Bachelor of Arts degree, with a history major, at Keyano and transfer their credits to another post-secondary institution to complete their degree (typically, the Universities of Alberta, Calgary, or Lethbridge). The core courses to be taken in the first year for history majors for all three institutions are:
HIST 111: Early Modern World History (3 credits)
HIST 112: The Modern World (3 credits)
HIST 260: Canadian History, 1500-1867 (3 credits)
HIST 261: Canadian History, 1867 to the Present (3 credits)
The following are suggested course patterns for the first year of a Bachelor of Arts degree (History major) for each institution. Students should consult a student advisor, as well as the credit calendar, for course patterns in their second year at Keyano.
University of Alberta Bachelor of Arts (History Major) |
Year 1 |
6 credits of Junior English |
12 credits of electives from Arts Core courses/options (consult the Credit Calendar) |
FREN 111/FREN 112 (6 credits) |
NOTE: Credit will not be granted for a 100 level language course if a 30 level course in high school was completed in the same language. |
University of Calgary Bachelor of Arts (History Major) |
Year 1 |
HIST 111/HIST 112 (6 credits) |
HIST 260/HIST 261 (6 credits) |
6 credits of Junior English |
12 credits of electives from Core courses/options (consult the Credit Calendar) |
University of Lethbridge Bachelor of Arts (History Major) |
Year 1 |
HIST 111/HIST 112 (6 credits) |
6 credits Junior English |
18 credits General Liberal Education requirements/options (consult Credit Calendar) |
Other courses will be available in selected terms such as:
HIST 228: The Early History of the British Peoples (3 credits)
HIST 232: Ireland from the Earliest Times to the Present (3 credits)
HIST 250: The United States to 1865 (3 credits)
HIST 303: Introduction to the History of Women (3 credits)
HIST 339: The Second British Empire and Commonwealth (3 credits)
HIST 365: The Canadian West to 1885 (3 credits)
HIST 366: The Canadian West Since 1885 (3 credits)
Student Testimonials
Transferability
Students intending to transfer to other institutions should consult the receiving institution as standards may vary.
Transfer information on each course is available at the Alberta Council on Admissions and Transfers.