Contact Us
Contact:
Correnti, Sarah E
Senior Administrative Assistant
Battelle Tompkins, Room 137 on a map
History 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington, DC 20016-8038 United StatesHistory at AU
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.
Programs of Study
Undergraduate
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.
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
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
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
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
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
Photo 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
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.
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
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
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