B.S./B.A. in History

Experience the past as a platform to shape your own story.

A Frostburg State University bachelor’s degree in history sets you apart as a critical thinker with the skills to excel wherever you apply yourself. Studies in history go far beyond simple memorization, teaching you to think about things from multiple angles and make persuasive arguments, both extremely valuable skills for professionals in any field. History allows you to develop these skills while focusing on whatever interests you.

Frostburg’s History program uniquely prepares you with its focus on engagement and hands-on experience, using role-playing games in the classroom, special topics courses and internship opportunities to develop your abilities in and about the real world. You’ll graduate armed with the critical thinking and analytical skills to face the challenges of the 21^st century.

Pick your preference with concentrations in International History and History of the Americas, or build on another degree or interest with a history minor.

History Highlights

Put yourself in someone else’s shoes with “Reacting to the Past” educational immersion games, which use role playing and primary documents to recreate history and delve into pivotal moral controversies, not just facts. Frostburg is a founding member of the Reacting Consortium, so you can expect plenty of games to come on your favorite eras and movements!

Make new friends at movie nights, field trips and other exciting events with the FSU History Club.

Start your future with a discipline that builds on your critical thinking and communication skills, which translate well into almost any field.

Personalize your studies with electives and projects that center on a common topic. Focusing your educational experience – in politics, a country or region, economies, publishing, anything – can help you start a career in that field. Your history degree will mark you as a rigorous thinker and a unique professional!

About Our History Faculty:

Enjoy small classes and personalized feedback. FSU’s low student-faculty ratio means your professors will know you and can help you get the best resources for your future.

Meet Dr. Greg Wood, an assistant professor in the History Department who teaches Honors history classes, which have a special emphasis on experiential learning and critical thinking.

Sample History Courses:

Native Peoples of the Americas – Survey of the history of Native American peoples in the Western Hemisphere from pre-Columbian times to the present. The impact of Europeans on native societies and cultures and the natives’ relationships with the emerging nation-state.

Public History – An introduction to the ideas and methods of public history, emphasizing practical application of research, writing and critical thinking skills in the public sector.

Women’s Issues in World History – The historical study of the major issues affecting women’s lives in the modern age (18th – 21st centuries) and across multiple cultures.

Seminar in History – Topics in history presented by students, faculty and invited guests. Individual research (senior thesis) with interim reports and formal presentation of paper. Discussion leadership.

Find out more about Frostburg State University’s History program

Career Outlook for Historians

The skills developed with a liberal arts education, particularly with the rigor of a history degree, are applicable in a huge number of fields. Within history-related disciplines, graduates can find work as historians, curators, museum workers and, of course, history teachers. The field for archivists and curators is small but growing fairly quickly, with an improved outlook for professionals with tech fluency for electronic records keeping. Job growth for teachers is expected to be faster in elementary and middle grades than in high schools, but growth rates will vary by region. For more information, check out the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ pages on Educators, Historians and Museum Curators.