History

Discover the roadmap to how we got here.

History majors are detectives, piecing together clues from material artifacts, firsthand manuscripts and captivating narratives. They unravel mysteries, understand why societies rise and fall, and connect the dots that shape our world today. Become the storyteller who brings past worlds to life. You will understand pivotal moments that shaped our societies and gain insights into the complexities of our present-day challenges.

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Why study History at Millsaps?

In their own words

James MacKinnon, Class of 2025

“The history faculty are high-caliber professionals who are interested in both the course material and student success. The program has given me indispensable critical thinking and analytical skills that I apply both in and outside academia. I can’t recommend Millsaps highly enough.”

Amiracle Funches, Class of 2024

“The history program provides diverse perspectives that allow us to learn the facts while also forming our own opinions. The brilliant professors encourage aspiring history majors to see themselves as bright individuals with valuable opinions that benefit the analysis of historical data.”

Featured Courses

Here is a sampling of a few courses that might pique your interest.

HIST 2320 Greek History

Study classical civilization beginning with the Bronze Age and continuing with classical Greek and Hellenistic civilization. Examine authors, genres and artistic works to understand their impact on Greek civilization and their continuing legacy.

HIST 3170 African American Heritage

Explore the history and culture of African Americans. Careful attention is paid to the Atlantic slave trade, slavery, emancipation, Reconstruction, the “Great Migration,” and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and '60s.

Browse all History courses

Degree Options

Discover your degrees, minors, concentrations and certification options available for this field of study.

History, B.A.

A bachelor of arts provides an expansive education with a broad selection of courses that allows students to customize their education. This opens students to a range of opportunities beyond history.

History, B.S.

A bachelor of science in history includes additional science and math courses in place of electives. The B.S. in history focuses on statistics, research methods and data analysis, making it a good choice for pursuing academic or research-related careers.

Minor in History

$1,000,000 Gift Supports Learning

Department stewards $1M gift that funds engaged learning through internships, study abroad, research trips and conference travel.

Yearly Community-Engaged Learning (CEL) Opportunity

CEL enables students to partner classroom content with practical application in the community.

Close Proximity to History

We’re located near the Mississippi Department of Archives & History, Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, Museum of Mississippi History and the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians to name a just a few places.

Our distinctive strengths

Millsaps’ history program hones critical thinking, analysis and the capacity to discern patterns amidst historical narratives. Through meticulous research and rigorous study, you will emerge as a steward of knowledge, interpreting the past to illuminate contemporary conundrums.

$1,000,000 Experiential Learning Gift to support student research and study
Very close proximity to Mississippi State Archives & History
Community-engaged learning partnerships with UMMC

Gain hands-on experience

The History Experiential Learning Gift funds students’ engaged learning through internships, study abroad, research trips and conference travel. This generous gift means that the department can support students in a wide variety of experiential learning, whether across the street or around the globe. Past students have interned at such diverse places as Mount Vernon, the National Library of Medicine at the NIH, Vicksburg National and the Mississippi Department of Archives & History.

Experiential Learning Opportunities

Pathways

Our curriculum emphasizes problem solving and critical thinking skills essential to any career (and therefore any Pathway), as well as scientific writing and experimentation skills that may be especially critical to students interested in any of our six Pathways tracks.

Learn More About Pathways

Study Abroad

Summer- and winter-term field courses are offered on a regular basis. The History Experiential Learning Gift provides student scholarships to these programs.

Upcoming Study-Abroad Classes