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History

Bachelor or Arts

People without the knowledge of their history, origin, and culture are like a tree without roots. Here, at Clarke University, in the bachelor’s degree in history program, history and political science courses provide learning experiences that involve critical thinking and personal decision making. For example:

  • You are a Puritan colonist in Massachusetts Bay in the 17th century. Can you prove you are not a witch?
  • You are participating in the French Revolution. Do you want to kill the king?
  • You are a hippie in the US in the 1960s. Are you a feminist?

When studying for your BA History, you and a team of classmates might also create a project to analyze the effects of outsourcing by investigating labor conditions in countries where your own clothes were made. You may retell the story of the U.S. Civil War through the letters of a Confederate Soldier; or the story of factory work through the diaries of a female airplane mechanic during WWII; or, maybe, the story of escaping from a Soviet prison by analyzing a documentary movie secretly made in the 1960s.

Do you have a passion for history and love to learn? A history degree from Clarke is about knowledge and versatility. You will learn writing, critical thinking, and research skills, all of which are highly sought after in today’s trending markets. Employers expect candidates who can articulate their thoughts with clarity and precision, both in speaking and writing, and graduates with a Clarke Bachelor’s degree in History have a great advantage. Additionally, employers seek energetic employees with the problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaboration skills the History degree programs provide. Our bachelor of arts in History graduates have gone on to become high school teachers, digital marketing associates, graduate students, and successful entrepreneurs. If you are interested in getting a history degree, check out our campus visits and virtual visits in Dubuque, Iowa, so you can see for yourself that Clarke is one of the best History degree programs in the Midwest.

Clarke University History Major students in class.

Clarke University History Degree students working on a project

Study Abroad

Not only do BA History majors explore U.S. and European history, but they also discover the history of Modern Asia, Latin America, and study Modern World Politics and the history of interaction between humans and their environment. History majors study abroad in places such as Japan, Egypt, Italy, Ireland, Austria, and England. Imagine reading about the history of all these places and having it come to fruition before your eyes alongside your classmates. The Bachelor of Art in History is proud of its longstanding study abroad opportunities and programs.

Program Details

Clarke History degree students have the opportunity to enroll in courses in U.S. history and European history as well as the history of Modern Asia, Latin America, and courses in Modern World Politics and Constitutional Law. In Topics Courses, the department experiments with non-traditional subjects of interest and various teaching techniques. Examples include such modern topics as Terrorism, Harry Potter, U.S. Modern Sports, and Women’s History.

History Major students in a class listening to a lecture on campus at Clarke University.
Clarke University students in class listening to lecture by professor.

The Power of Liberal Arts

The ability to write well, speak well, and problem solve are some of the top skills employers seek when hiring new graduates. Leaders need to know how to create, collaborate, innovate, and inspire. A liberal arts education and bachelor in History prepares you to do just that, forming those critical skills that separate leaders from followers. And, because a liberal arts education translates to many different careers, you also have the option of easily jumping into a new job if you’re ready to try something different.

Cool Classes

Here is a sampling of the types of unique and diverse classes you will take as a history major:
ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY — You will study how human beings have transformed the natural world.
INTRODUCTION TO PRIMARY RESEARCH — You will tackle a research project using the techniques and skills of actual historians.
EUROPE TO 1848 — You will study topics that range from Medieval witchcraft trials to the role of the slave trade in western society.

Clarke University students in class working on a project.
Students in class at Clarke University.

Internships of Interest

Our history degree students have earned internship credit:

  • Assisting with the collections at the Dubuque Center for History
  • At the Dubuque Museum of Art
  • At a local non-profit that distributes clothing to the poor
  • Assisting with exhibits at a historical museum in Cedar Rapids
  • Working in the archives at Mount Carmel

Admission to Clarke University

Bachelor of Arts in History applicants are considered on an individual basis. Apply to Clarke today to begin your journey toward a bachelor’s in history.

Clarke University students in a class researching during lecture.
Students engaging with their professor at Clarke University.

Perfect for the job

A Bachelor of Arts in History opens so many doors to you. Our history degree students have obtained jobs locally here in Iowa, regionally, nationally, and internationally in the following careers:

  • Archivist
  • Baseball coach (yes, a Clarke grad is the coach of a minor league baseball team)
  • Business analyst
  • Conservator
  • Content strategist
  • Developer
  • Editor
  • Exhibit designer/content creator
  • Guide at historic sites and presidential libraries
  • Historic preservationist
  • Journalist
  • Law enforcement and juvenile justice worker
  • Librarian
  • Museum curator
  • Middle school and high school teacher
  • Museum technician
  • Public relations manager
  • Researcher and analyst
  • So many more!

When our history degree graduates speak about the Clarke moments that helped shape them, there’s always a professor in the story. That’s because being a faculty member at Clarke University requires a deep passion for educating, encouraging, and empowering students. Here, your professors will know your name. They will push you to develop your full potential, and then they’ll ask for more. And, they’ll be right there to congratulate you when you exceed even your own expectations. Often, it’s a relationship that lasts a lifetime.

Program Details

Clarke History degree students have the opportunity to enroll in courses in U.S. history and European history as well as the history of Modern Asia, Latin America, and courses in Modern World Politics and Constitutional Law. In Topics Courses, the department experiments with non-traditional subjects of interest and various teaching techniques. Examples include such modern topics as Terrorism, Harry Potter, U.S. Modern Sports, and Women’s History.

The Power of Liberal Arts

The ability to write well, speak well, and problem solve are some of the top skills employers seek when hiring new graduates. Leaders need to know how to create, collaborate, innovate, and inspire. A liberal arts education and bachelor in History prepares you to do just that, forming those critical skills that separate leaders from followers. And, because a liberal arts education translates to many different careers, you also have the option of easily jumping into a new job if you’re ready to try something different.

Cool Classes

Here is a sampling of the types of unique and diverse classes you will take as a history major:

ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY — You will study how human beings have transformed the natural world.

INTRODUCTION TO PRIMARY RESEARCH — You will tackle a research project using the techniques and skills of actual historians.

EUROPE TO 1848 — You will study topics that range from Medieval witchcraft trials to the role of the slave trade in western society.

Internships of Interest

Our history degree students have earned internship credit:

  • Assisting with the collections at the Dubuque Center for History
  • At the Dubuque Museum of Art
  • At a local non-profit that distributes clothing to the poor
  • Assisting with exhibits at a historical museum in Cedar Rapids
  • Working in the archives at Mount Carmel

Admission to Clarke University

Bachelor of Arts in History applicants are considered on an individual basis. Apply to Clarke today to begin your journey toward a bachelor’s in history.

Perfect for the job

A Bachelor of Arts in History opens so many doors to you. Our history degree students have obtained jobs locally here in Iowa, regionally, nationally, and internationally in the following careers:

  • Archivist
  • Baseball coach (yes, a Clarke grad is the coach of a minor league baseball team)
  • Business analyst
  • Conservator
  • Content strategist
  • Developer
  • Editor
  • Exhibit designer/content creator
  • Guide at historic sites and presidential libraries
  • Historic preservationist
  • Journalist
  • Law enforcement and juvenile justice worker
  • Librarian
  • Museum curator
  • Middle school and high school teacher
  • Museum technician
  • Public relations manager
  • Researcher and analyst

So many more!

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Meet Our Faculty

When our history degree graduates speak about the Clarke moments that helped shape them, there’s always a professor in the story. That’s because being a faculty member at Clarke University requires a deep passion for educating, encouraging, and empowering students. Here, your professors will know your name. They will push you to develop your full potential, and then they’ll ask for more. And, they’ll be right there to congratulate you when you exceed even your own expectations. Often, it’s a relationship that lasts a lifetime.

View Our Faculty & Staff
Michael Knock, Ph.D.

Michael Knock, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of History

It is the teacher’s job to share his or her passion for the subject and to show the student why the material is worth their time.

History books for students to study
There’s more to college than going to class.

The Classroom and Beyond


But don’t take our word for it…

Our Students & Alumni

Nate Monson

History '07

Through Clarke’s Bachelor’s degree in History program, I know how to research bills and issues, write publications or grants, and can understand the importance of other voices in global history.

Ashley Gloeckner

History and Secondary Education '15

The history degree program professors are wonderful and very student-centered. Class sizes are small and engaging.


$60,320
Median annual wage

The median annual wage for high school history teachers with a BA History degree, according to the 2018 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

1:1
Student to faculty ratio

One-on-one instruction from Ph.D.-level faculty.

100 %
Job placement

The high placement rate of Clarke graduates attests to the quality of the history department.

Other Programs to Explore

Experience Clarke History for Yourself

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