MISSION

Knowledge and understanding of the past lead to finding solutions for the future.

Historians are experts in gathering, analyzing and interpreting information. Our discipline provides critical skills — effective communication, argumentation, and evidence-based analysis — that are essential in a rapidly changing world. We prepare students to become informed citizens and innovative thinkers through:

• Analysis of how people across the globe have experienced change.
• Synthesis and interpretation of historical data.
• Clear, persuasive communication of complex ideas.

Preparing students to change the course of history

We are committed to fostering creativity, empathy and intercultural competence. Our graduates are equipped for careers that are resistant to automation and central to problem-solving in the 21st-century information economy.

Our instructional mission spans the undergraduate history B.A., B.S. and minor programs; the M.A., Ph.D. and Public History Graduate Certificate; and contributions to the UK Core curriculum. History students benefit from instruction by a distinguished full-time faculty and dedicated graduate teaching assistants. Our alumni apply their skills in education, government, business and the nonprofit sector, making a tangible difference in their communities.

HISTORIANS' TOOLS

As a profession, historians have long embraced new technologies and perspectives as we continually reflect on and revise the way we study the past and the stories we tell. The Department of History is committed to offering students, colleagues and the public we serve a range of pathways for understanding the past. In some cases, this commitment means making use of large language models (LLMs), artificial intelligence (AI) and other digital tools in research and teaching. In others, it means privileging pedagogical and research methods designed to gather and interpret undigitized sources; to provoke deep engagement with texts; and to hone an array of written, oral and multi-media communication skills. 

Regardless of the tools used, the Department of History remains committed to the core principles of the profession. In pedagogy, this commitment means teaching students the skills of documentary analysis (hermeneutics), empathy and argument-based narrative. In research and in teaching, this means a shared commitment to academic honesty and integrity. Our work must always be grounded in verifiable, traceable evidence. As a humanistic discipline, our work must always preserve a respect for the humanity of the people whose lives we study; for our colleagues and those who came before us; and for our readers and students today. To best fulfill these obligations and priorities, it is imperative that experimentation with and implementation of AI in pedagogy be at the discretion of faculty.