Department of History
Why study history at Baylor? Cutting-edge scholarship. Caring community. Dynamic teaching. Research opportunities. Global outlook. Career preparation. Questions that matter. Tools to respond to them.
All in a program where you are known by name.
Undergraduate Programs
History is a versatile major that will develop your critical thinking skills and prepare you for a wide variety of careers or pursuit of a graduate degree. Explore our programs for undergraduates.
Graduate Programs
Our department offers two graduate degrees: a Master of Arts (M.A.) in History and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in History. Explore our programs for graduate students.
News
More NewsThis spring, 23 Baylor students and recent alumni won the prestigious Fulbright awards, including two Baylor History students: recent graduate Mike Ermis and PhD candidate, Rebecca J. Blemur.
Baylor History Department Chair and Associate Professor, Dr. Julie deGraffenried, was recently named a Fellow of the prestigious Royal Historical Society.
We have two new Alumni Awards, and we are accepting nominations. Nominate a fellow alum or yourself today. Submissions are due June 1.
John and Nancy Jackson's support of Baylor University's engagement with the Latin American community—both within the U.S. and abroad—led them to establish the Jackson Family Chair for Baylor in Latin America. Their endowment supports a vision for greater engagement, where academic excellence brings attention to critical issues and fosters meaningful connections. This endowed chair empowers chairholder Felipe Hinojosa, Ph.D., to engage faculty across the University in deeper research, expand understanding, and further Baylor's mission across borders and generations.
Three preeminent scholar/teachers from United States universities have been selected as finalists for Baylor University’s 2026 Robert Foster Cherry Award for Great Teaching, the only national teaching award – with the single largest monetary reward of $250,000 – presented by a college or university to an individual for exceptional teaching.
Baylor University students continue to be awarded the most prestigious – and highly competitive – scholarships and fellowships at the national and international level for critical language study and cultural exploration.
Baylor University faculty members Elesha J. Coffman, Ph.D., professor of history, and T. Philip Nichols, Ph.D., associate professor of English education, have been selected to receive the 2025 Centennial Professor Awards for summer research projects.
Krystal Tan’s paper for Dr. Dan Watkins’s Capstone Seminar in European History, “Thibaudeau’s Paradox: A Revolutionary’s Complicity in Napoleon’s Empire,” was published in the Armstrong Undergraduate Journal of History.