History | College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Why Iowa?

With the geographical breadth of our courses, our students develop a global consciousness along with key transferable skills such as critical thinking, communication, and empathy.

Study Here

History students listening in class at their desks, some are wearing hawkeye sweathsirts

Build a foundation

Students of history learn how to locate, verify, and interpret many kinds of evidence in order to understand the causes and effects of changes over time.

Build a foundation

students in special collections with history professor

We are a small, selective program offering students individually tailored study in a range of historical fields alongside opportunities to closely work with faculty on research, teaching, and public engagement at the MA and PhD levels.

Expand your horizons

Tyler Priest interacting with students in his History of Oil class

Learn from experts

In addition to teaching, our faculty members do cutting-edge research in their fields of specialization.

Learn from experts

See Yourself Here

Share our enthusiasm for the study of past societies and cultures to unlock important insights into the world we inhabit.

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Everything has history behind it

History is the centerpiece of a humanities education. It's about problem solving, gathering evidence, and fitting that evidence together to understand what happened in past societies – and why those things happened.

Write Your Story

Become an expert in analyzing and contextualizing the past to guide decisions for today and future. With our programs in history, you’ll find intellectual satisfaction and wisdom in understanding the past on its own terms.

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Iowa Native Spaces

Until recently, Iowa Native history was not a big part of social studies curricula in Iowa’s public schools. That is changing, and the University of Iowa is helping drive the change.

History Writing Center

The History Writing Center is available to any student in a history course needing assistance with a writing assignment.

History Corps

History Corps is a graduate student-led, online digital and oral history project based out of the Department of History at the University of Iowa.

News and announcements

Associate Professor Mariola Espinosa receives prestigious NEH grant

Thursday, January 30, 2025

Mariola Espinosa, associate professor of history, was awarded a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) grant, the nation’s most prestigious humanities scholarship.

Assistant Professor Shane Bobrycki discusses new book

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

"The Crowd in the Early Middle Ages" examines the importance of collective behavior in early Middle Age Europe.

Associate Professor Rosemary Moore reflects on service, teaching and research

Tuesday, November 26, 2024

Associate Professor Rosemary Moore was on active duty in the U.S. Navy for five years. She uses this experience in both her courses and research on the Roman military.

Upcoming events

Science, the State, and the Public Trust: Historical Perspectives. A Panel Discussion

Saturday, April 5, 2025 10:45am

Phillips Hall

A discussion of historical perspectives on science, the state, and the public trust with Department of History faculty Viridiana Hernández Fernández, Shane Bobrycki, Robert Rouphail, Nicholas Yablon, and Beth Yale This event is part of Iowa City Darwin Day Science Fest, a celebration of science and its many contributions to humanity, which takes place on April 3, 4 & 5. The 2025 speakers are Tyrone Hayes (UC Berkeley), Chris Jones (Iowa Driftless Water Defenders), and David Cwiertny (Civil...

From Silent Spring to Silent Night: A Tale of Toads and Men. A public talk by Tyrone B. Hayes

Saturday, April 5, 2025 11:30am

Phillips Hall

Tyrone Hayes is the Judy Chandler Webb Distinguished Chair for Innovative Teaching and Research and a professor in the Department of Integrative Biology at UC Berkeley. His research focuses on the role of steroid hormones in amphibian development and he conducts both laboratory and field studies in the U.S. and Africa. The two main areas of interest are metamorphosis and sex differentiation, but he is also interested in growth (larval and adult) and hormonal regulation of aggressive behavior...

Graduate History Society Book Sale

Tuesday, April 8, 2025 9:00am to 4:00pm

Rapid Response History

Tuesday, April 8, 2025 5:00pm to 6:50pm

Schaeffer Hall

Rapid Response History offers historical and scholarly perspectives on current events. This spring, we examine the implications and historical background of “Project 2025” as a blueprint for political transition, and for the policies of the second Trump Administration. Scholars will examine a range of topics, including social policy, the federal civil service, immigration, native policy, energy and the environment, reproductive rights, and antisemitism. All sessions are open to the public...

Iowa Bibliophiles Spring Meet Up

Wednesday, April 9, 2025 5:00pm to 7:00pm

University of Iowa Main Library

Iowa Bibliophiles is back and ready to showcase some of the new acquisitions from the last year. Come get a close-up look at fantastic items, talk to curators about their collections, and discover something new to inspire you. Unique artist's books, medieval manuscripts, comics, manuscript collections, and so much more will be on display for researchers, educators, and the curious to enjoy. This event will be April 9 and held on the third floor of the Main Library from 5 to 7 p.m. It is free...