UTA - History Department

Majoring in History at UTA begins in the classroom, with a wide selection of courses, offered each semester at hours accessible to both traditional and non-traditional students. From introductory survey classes in United States history to specialized upper-division courses, students find a variety of subjects which suit their interests and career goals. Studying History at the University of Texas at Arlington prepares students for a variety of careers, including teaching at the elementary, secondary, or college level, law, public and government service, publishing, museum work, law enforcement, diplomacy, research, and many others. Students may choose one of four specializations within the major as they work toward a B.A. Areas of particular interest (such as minority studies, women's studies, geography, southwestern studies, medieval studies, or classics), may be used as further specializations or minors, in conjunction with a History degree plan. The Masters' Program at UTA is specifically designed to meet the needs of students from a variety of backgrounds with diverse career commitments. The Department offers graduate courses in United States, European, African, and Latin American history. In fall and spring semesters, courses are offered at night and, occasionally, on Saturday mornings; in the summer, day as well as night graduate courses are available. Program in Transatlantic History is unique because it focuses on the interactions of people and regions across the Atlantic from the fifteenth century to the present time. Unlike traditional programs that are often defined by political boundaries, this program explores interactions and cross-cultural developments among Europe, Africa, and the Americas over the last six centuries. Students enroll in a sequenced curriculum of courses in discovery, exploration, intercultural transfers, migrations, colonization, frontiers, transnational social movements, economic interactions and and the history of cartography. The dissertation must be an original, substantial, and significant contribution to this field of transatlantic history. Beyond formal coursework, students may become involved in several history-related activities through the UTA History Department. The UTA chapter of the national History honor society, Phi Alpha Theta, is an award-winning organization which sponsors speakers on historical topics and plans social events for undergraduate and graduate History students and faculty. Each spring semester, the Webb Lectures series brings to campus distinguished historians, whose lectures are attended by undergraduates and other members of the university community. The excellent library resources of UTA, including special collections in the history of the Southwest and the history of cartography, are available to students for their research projects dealing with the history of this region.