Study Abroad

Both study abroad and historical study involve trying to understand the behavior and values of people operating in circumstances very different from our own. Historians often say, “the past is a foreign country.” When we immerse ourselves in earlier times, we have to perform the same exercise we do when abroad: work our way into minds and situations unfamiliar to us. In the midst of another country or culture, we find ourselves asking historical questions: Where did this practice come from? Why do the people here speak this particular dialect? Why do they dislike the folks across the river so much? Even if your main interest as a history major is the United States, experience abroad will help you see American history in new ways, and give you some distance from the institutions and practices you take for granted.

Considerations

With Department approval, students may apply up to two study-abroad courses to the history major for a semester’s study or three courses for a year’s study. These courses almost always transfer at the 200-level. There are no study-abroad courses that will fill the 300-level course requirements or the 400-level research requirement for the major. 

Please visit the Office of International Education for more information about recommended programs as well as information on financial aid, scholarships, and application procedures.