History (BA)

The current challenges facing humanity – and how we approach these challenges – are grounded in historical events. The history program at our Brantford campus will introduce you to the people, events, and ideas that have shaped our reality. Learn how historical artifacts are collected, preserved, and displayed, and gain certification in collecting oral history interviews to tell the stories of your ancestors and local community members. This program will also equip you with skills valuable for careers in education, museums, and archival work. 

pile of old photographs on a table

Program Details

Degree Highlights

Your future professors work hard to make sure your academic experience is current, complete and designed to open doors in your career. Here are a few things you can count on:

  • Career-Ready Curriculum: Develop strong analytical skills and learn how to discover and analyze historical records and objects in archives, libraries, and private collections.
  • Community Involvement: Go behind the scenes of local museums and historic sites in Brantford, Brant County, Six Nations of the Grand River, Hamilton, and Toronto to learn how historic artefacts and documents are collected, preserved, and displayed.
  • Conquer Practical Skills: Delve into essays, podcasts, local and digital exhibits, theatre and film, blogs, conference presentations, and reports.
  • Certification Opportunities: Get certified to collect oral history interviews and tell the stories of your ancestors and local community members.
  • Pathway to Teaching: Looking ahead to a career in education? Apply to the History with Teaching Option program for a direct pathway into Laurier's Bachelor of Education 

Top Experiences

Here are just a few of our students’ favourite ways to apply their learning in the real world throughout their degree (check out the Experience Guide for even more!):

  • Field Placement: As part of the course HI323: Memory, Monuments, and Museums, you'll participate in a placement with a local heritage organization. You'll work alongside professionals and volunteers in the heritage community and develop public history skills and networks.
  • Hands-on Learning: Participate in the bi-annual People Make History lecture series, which brings the participant of a major historic event to campus to share their story. Meet with the speaker in small groups and learn from their experiences.
  • Events & Experiences: Become a leader by joining the Brantford Campus History Students' Association (HSA), and help organize events and mentor incoming students.   
  • Study Abroad: Earn your Bachelor of Arts (BA) in History from Wilfrid Laurier University and Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of Sussex (United Kingdom) in only six years through our new pathway! 

Courses, Options and Pathways

Sample First-Year Courses

  • Ancient History In a Global Context  
  • History Detectives 
  • History of Popular Culture
  • Great Battles in History 

Sample First-Year Electives

  • Introduction to Indigenous Studies 
  • Literature and Crime 
  • Studying Youth and Children: An Introduction  
  • The Engaged Citizen: Social and Environmental Justice  

Sample Upper-Year Courses

  • Crime, Sex and Scandal in 19th-Century Britain 
  • Memory, Monuments and Museums 
  • Local and Family History 
  • Popular Cultures of East Asia 

Specializations

Honours History majors can opt to specialize in Public History, which includes a Community Service-Learning placement in a local heritage site, archive, or museum.

Options and Minors

These are a few of the many popular academic opportunities which allow you to dive deeper into your major area of study or broaden your knowledge:

  • Game Design and Development Specialization
  • Leadership Minor/Option
  • Psychology Minor
  • Computer Science Minor
  • Teaching Option
  • Politics and Public Policy Option 

Check out other options to enhance your degree.

Teaching Option

This is a path to the Bachelor of Education program (BEd). Students applying on OUAC for an honours degree with the Teaching Option will be considered for admission directly into the BEd program. The Teaching Option is designed to provide you with a variety of courses and hands-on learning opportunities. 

Pathways

  • Law School Pathway: In this direct entry program, apply on OUAC to the BA + Sussex Law pathway to earn an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree from Laurier and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the University of Sussex, United Kingdom (UK) in six years.

Admissions

  • Format: full time or part time
  • Duration: four years
  • Start: September (fall term), January (winter term) or May (spring term)

Your Career Awaits

It’s not only about the journey; it’s about the destination. Let us help you get to where you’re going.

Here are just some examples of our graduates' destinations. What’s yours?

Sample Career Options

Note: Additional training and education may be required.

  • advertising and promotions manager
  • archaeologist
  • communications specialist
  • curator
  • immigration officer
  • journalist
  • lawyer
  • management consultant
  • political aide
  • project manager
  • social policy researcher
  • teacher

Explore more careers.

Support After Graduation

Alumni for life means that you have access to Career and Employment Support offered at Laurier for your entire career.

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Tuition and Scholarships

Getting a university education is an investment in your future.

At Laurier, we take financial health seriously by providing a wide variety of funding opportunities for you throughout your degree, such as scholarships and bursaries, and by equipping you with the skills to manage your finances effectively in the years to come.

 

Laurier is among the top 6 percent in the Global 2000 World University Ranking

 

Laurier students engaged in hands-on learning in 2023

 

Laurier graduates employed or in post-graduate studies in 2023

Brantford Campus

The Brantford campus is woven into the downtown core of the City of Brantford and is home to more than 3,000 students. Close to great walking and biking trails, you get the best of both worlds.

There are many ways to tour our Brantford campus, whether that's on a guided tour with one of our Laurier student ambassadors, on your own using virtual reality, or even on-demand through one of our pre-recorded tours. See our campus spaces and start to picture yourself at Laurier.

Chat with Current Students

Want to know what it’s really like to be in this program? U Community is our Discord server where future Golden Hawks like you can connect with current students to get their first-hand stories and tips on living and learning at Laurier.

Connect with Us

Questions? Email chooselaurier@wlu.ca, call 548.889.8888 or see all contact information.


You Belong Here

Think this program might be the perfect fit for you and your future?