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History at AU

Vintage map of DC

Study history where it's made. History students at American University are part of a community of scholars, not just on campus, but also in Washington, DC, at large. The nation's capital is our classroom.

Explore our Department of History at a glance and see how courses, connections, and community combine to form a rich student experience.


Aerial view of students and faculty enjoying History Luncheon in the Battelle Atrium

News & Events

Upcoming Event Title
May 13, 2024 | Battelle 214

  • Peter Kuznick spoke with CGTN, Izvestia, TVC Russia, WION News, RT International, and RTVI about a variety of topics ranging from US foreign affairs to the ongoing conflicts in Europe and the Middle East.
  • Gautham Rao co-authored a brief to the Supreme Court for consideration in the Trump v. U.S. case.
  • Congratulations to Alan Kraut on reaching 50 years of dedicated service in the AU Department of History!
  • History alumnus Matthew Skic was featured in the Philadelphia Inquirer for his discovery of the only-known eyewitness depiction of women camp followers during the American Revolutionary War. He is currently the Curator of Exhibitions at the Museum of the American Revolution. 
  • PhD History Alumnus Dr. Thomas Hauser published Flying in the Shadows: Forging Aerial Intelligence for the United States Army (US Government Publishing Office, 2023).
  • Peter Kuznick spoke with Progressive Magazine, WION News, CGTN Europe, Radio Sputnik, Republic TV (India), NTV Russian Television, Izvestia, Al-Sharq News, Axios, and Spectrum News about a variety of topics ranging from nuclear weapons history to ongoing conflicts in the world. 
  • Pamela S. Nadell was the Jewish Studies Consultant for the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of The Lehman Trilogy. 

Professor Malgorzata Rymsza-Pawlowska speaks with students at Brandenburg Lecture

Connections That Matter

Our expert faculty are active scholars and researchers who have close, ongoing relationships with major historical institutions in Washington, DC.
Meet our faculty  Research & publications

Civil rights marchers carry signs in the 1963 March on Washington Photo by Warren K Leffler

Study History Where It's Made

AU offers unparalleled opportunities for our students to intern at prestigious DC institutions including museums, archives, institutions, embassies, and more. Plus, as the nation's capital, Washington, DC, is brimming with history.
Undergrad internships  Grad internships

Humanities Truck parked on AU quad

Centers and Institutes

Explore innovative on-campus research hubs affiliated with our history department, like the Humanities Truck, which serves as an experimental mobile platform for collecting, exhibiting, preserving, and expanding dialogue around the humanities.
Centers & institutes

Students talk in front of window-mounted public history poster project on Reno City

Supporting Student Research

Learn how the Department of History, College of Arts and Sciences, and AU can support your work as a researcher and scholar.
Explore funding  Student Research Conference

Master's graduates at commencement; a professor hugs a new graduate.

Combined Bachelor's/Master's Degree Program

Accelerate your career and save money by sharing credits between your BA and an MA in History or an MA in Public History.
Learn more

Bookshelves in libraryPhoto by Priscilla Du Preez

History Capstone

All history majors spend one to two semesters crafting an original research paper and have the opportunity to share this work with the AU history community on History Day each spring.
History capstone  History Day

 

AU students relaxing on the quad in front of Bender Library

Student Historical Society

The Student Historical Society is dedicated to promoting the study of history at AU and within the broader DC community. SHS organizes volunteering opportunities, discussion sessions, visiting speakers, and trips to historical sites.
Get involved

Courses

Learn about our featured courses below, see this semester's topics course offerings or browse a full list of courses.

HIST-210: Ethnicity in America

Explores how ethnicity has shaped American institutions and behavior patterns from 1607 to the present. Largely a nation of immigrants, this country reflects the racial, religious, and national characteristics of those who migrated here, whether voluntarily or as slaves. Includes ethnicity's influence on family, politics, civil rights, and foreign policy.
 

HIST-212: History of the White House

Explores the history and evolution of America's most prominent home and national landmark. Spanning from the founding of our nation's capital to the present, it examines the architectural transformations of the President's House; the history of its occupants and staff; the presidency; the conceptualization of the White House as a "living museum"; and the building's development as a cultural symbol for political democracy and diplomacy.

HIST-244: Law & America's Racial Crisis

This course examines the making of modern governance through the construction of race and governance of social and political crises arising from understandings of race. It focuses on how people and social movements have negotiated citizenship and belonging through legal institutions.
 

Students and faculty talk at History Department lunch in Battelle-Tompkins Memorial Building

Honors Program

The Honors in History program deepens the major experience of the department’s very best students. Join a community of dedicated learners and spend two semesters designing and completing an original thesis.
Honors program

Malgorzata J. Rymsza-Pawlowska presenting to audience at the Brandenburg Lecture

Annual Events

The Department of History holds annual events like the Brandenburg Lecture and Awards Ceremony, Public History Day, and History Day to celebrate the work of our students and faculty
History events

Low angle of one wall of the Colosseum Photo by Alex Suprun

Study Abroad

60 percent of AU students study abroad. Explore a wide range of study abroad programs around the world.
Explore programs  Study abroad processes

Vice President Kamala Harris opposite former President Donald Trump

Government & Politics ·

Harris or Trump? Allan Lichtman Releases His Prediction

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Vice President Kamala Harris opposite former President Donald Trump

Government & Politics ·

Harris or Trump? Allan Lichtman Releases His Prediction

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Peter Kunick discussing Oppenheimer.

Television & Film ·

Historical Accuracy and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer

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