Department of History
The Department of History is a community of scholars who seek to understand the past
and strive to introduce students to the process of historical thinking. With course
offerings that cover much of the globe, from the ancient world to the present, the
department offers the foundation of a broad-based education for an informed citizenry.
History courses at York University are designed to:
- Introduce students to a wide range of cultural achievement
- Expose students to the currents and cross-currents of humanity’s social, religious, and intellectual experiences
- Help students see the interrelationships in many major areas of thought
- Develop a continuing awareness of the richness and variety of human experience
Request Information Apply
A degree in History provides the skills necessary to pursue rewarding careers in:
- Research
- Writing
- Teaching
- Government Service, including National Park Employment
- Historian for the Private Sector
- Living History Interpretation
- Museum Curation
- Politics
Some of the courses you may take include:
- History of the United States
- Western Civilizations
- African American History
- Civil War Era
- The American Frontier
- Colonial and Revolutionary America
- The Early National Period
- Modern U.S. History
- Medieval and Renaissance Europe
- Special Topics in History
- History of Native America
- Europe, 1648 to 1815
- Emergence of Modern Europe, 1815 to 1914
- Writing and Research in History
-
The learner will apply his/her understanding of history and
historically-based topics and communicate those insights through
his/her writing. -
The learner will be able to analyze and evaluate historical writing, both primary and secondary, using critical thinking skills.
-
The learner will develop an understanding of the reasons for studying history and of the relationships between the past and the present.
-
The learner will analyze the sometimes complex cause-and-effect relationships of ideas and events, recognizing also the effects of the accidental and irrational on history.
History Faculty
Dr. Tim McNeese
Chair of the History Department
Professor of History
Over the past thirty years, McNeese has published over one hundred books, most for high school and middle school audiences. He has also written for adult readers, as well. His most recent book being William Henry Jackson: How Yellowstone’s Famous Photographer Captured the American West. McNeese was also awarded the Nebraska Book Award in Nonfiction Biography Honor in 2022.
Visit Campus & Meet Your History Faculty
Ready to join our community?
Clayton Museum of Ancient History
Located on the York University campus, the Clayton Museum of Ancient History featuring the Stanback collection includes a wide array of artifacts, with the core of the collection focused around the Roman soldier. This facility offers enhancements for classroom instruction in history and Biblical studies and provides an excellent collection that the college shares with the public. The museum also offers an interactive children’s area, where younger patrons can learn through play.
History majors at York University can gain experience working in the museum as students, learning about the day-to-day of operating a historical attraction, care of artifacts, and the creation of museum displays.