History: B.A.

To you, history is enchanting – the people and pivotal moments of the past are stories you want to understand backward and forward. Perhaps it is the way history is presented, authored or preserved that interests you, and you see its value in everything from public education to decisions made on the world stage.

At Ouachita, we believe studying history is essential not only for your education and identity but also for your engagement with the modern world. You will examine the past on its own terms, learn how to rigorously examine primary documents, analyze critically and be inspired to ask hard questions. History is about the human experience, and you will study its intricacies, its successes and failures and the complex interactions between continuity and change.

Law

Professional Education

Historic Preservation

Museums and National Parks

Library Science

Government Research

Technical Writing

African/Caribbean History

Decolonization

European History

Germany & Central Europe

History of American Women

Civil War and Reconstruction

U.S. Military History

Research Seminar

View the Ouachita catalog for a full course listing with course descriptions.

Communications & Media

Education

Political Science

Legal Studies

Psychology (on campus)

Sociology

Carl Goodson Honors Program

This flexible degree program allows you to choose courses to suit your interests and the needs of your future career path. View the detailed degree requirements PDF to see all courses included in the program.

Learn more about the W.H. Sutton School of Social Sciences.

test

Max Upper-level Class Size

test%

of History Faculty Hold Doctoral Degrees

test

Credit Hours, Allowing for Possibility of Double Major

test%

Recent Grads in Jobs/Grad School

Degree Options: B.A. or Minor

B.A. degree: Ouachita’s B.A. in history allows each student to acquire the professional skills and knowledge base required to succeed in a variety of careers and vocations. In addition, it is a great option for students who wish to pursue graduate and professional study in history, politics, law or international studies.

B.A. degree (Teaching Emphasis): In addition to Department of History requirements, students must complete a second major in secondary education. This is the recommended option for students interested in teaching high school.

History Minor: A minimum of 18 hours, a history minor also includes at least six hours of United States history and six hours in other areas of history. A minor, or maybe even the B.A., in history make great complements to other fields of study on campus.

In their words

hear from a faculty member & student

"The Department of History at Ouachita prepared me for all the academic challenges that law school could throw at me. In addition to teaching me invaluable research and writing skills, the history professors helped me to become an empathetic and attentive student of people’s stories. As much or more than research and writing, that skill has served me immensely as I begin a career in legal aid."

Kevin Jackson

a 2015 Ouachita history graduate, 2020 graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law and 19th Powell Fellow in Legal Services

EXPLORE CAREER POSSIBILITIES IN HISTORY

What can you do with a history major? Ouachita history majors have gone on to become lawyers, librarians, public servants and teachers. They have been employed by museums, the foreign service, intelligence services, national parks, research institutes and many more. If this is your passion, our faculty are dedicated to helping you explore your career options.

TAILOR YOUR STUDIES TO FIT YOUR INTERESTS

Because our history degree requires only 30 credit hours, many students double major in another field of interest. If you are interested in attending law school, consider legal studies, English or political science. Or, if you are planning to enter the workforce after college and want to pursue public history, politics or education, you can tailor your studies to set you on your desired career path.

GAIN AN APPRECIATION FOR RESEARCH

Ouachita’s history program emphasizes research, critical analysis, applied writing and presentation as critical skills no matter your career path. From introductory classes that prepare you for research and writing within the major to a capstone Research Seminar on a topic of your choosing, you’ll earn constructive feedback from your professors, who are all published scholars, throughout your four years in the program.

WHERE YOU CAN STUDY UNDER PUBLISHED SCHOLARS

and ask them your burning historical questions

Don’t you love sitting down to chat with someone who really knows their stuff? Your faculty in the history program are just that and make class lectures and discussions fascinating. With deep expertise in United States, European, African and Caribbean histories, Ouachita’s history faculty are dynamic teachers. They are as comfortable authoring a serious scholarly article – and all have – as grabbing a cup of coffee with you in the student center.

Ouachita team places in regional ethics bowl

A team of Ouachita Baptist University students earned fifth place in the 25th Annual Texas Regional Ethics Bowl on Friday, Nov. 12, in San Antonio.

Motl takes on new mission as Sutton School dean

When classes at Ouachita resume in August, Dr. Kevin C. “Casey” Motl will have a cool story to share about what he did during his summer vacation: He flew the Millennium Falcon.

Matthew Shepherd ('98)

There are a few things that seem to be in Matthew Shepherd’s DNA—politics, law, Arkansas and Ouachita. He is a fifth-generation Ouachitonian, a family legacy starting with his great-great-grandfather, who attended Ouachita in the 1890s.

Dr. Kevin C. "Casey" Motl named dean of Ouachita's Sutton School of Social Sciences

Dr. Kevin C. “Casey” Motl, the R. Voyt Hill Chair of History at Ouachita Baptist University, has been named dean of the university’s William H. Sutton School of Social Sciences. The Sutton School houses Ouachita’s departments of History, Political Science, Psychology and Sociology.

Historians at Ouachita reflect on Juneteenth

The students, faculty, staff and administration of Ouachita pause to commemorate Juneteenth. It is a time in which we reflect upon the many accomplishments that African American citizens made during this post-emancipation time period and continue to make today.

GET IN TOUCH

Have a question about Ouachita? Want more information? Shoot us a message!

Loading...