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.

Build a foundation

Expand your horizons

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.

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.

Stephen Warren working with a student

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.

Writing Center staff member and student

History Writing Center

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

Old Capitol

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

Ashley Howard 2025

UI professor named a 2026 Mellon Emerging Faculty Leader

Thursday, September 10, 2026
Ashley Howard has been recognized among the next generation of leaders and scholars in the humanities and social sciences.
University of Iowa professor Alyssa Park smiles at the camera.

CLAS's top stories from summer 2026

Thursday, August 13, 2026
CLAS's most popular articles from the summer of 2026 share a theme: people and ideas thrive with the right support. From humanities research funding to and mathematics outreach, these stories show how expertise, mentorship, and community create new possibilities across CLAS and beyond.

Upcoming events

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