Program Details

Why Study History?

In a sense, history is all people have. The future has yet to exist and the present slips away moment by moment. When a person asks you how your day was, he or she is asking a question about history. When you think about how well you did on an examination, you are thinking about history. Your thoughts about the future are based on what you have learned from the past. Newspapers and newscasts tell us about recent history. History includes everything that has been thought, said, and done up until the present moment. History encompasses business, law, medicine, psychology, art, politics, theological study, and the development of modern media.

What Good is a History Degree?

In a competitive marketplace, employers seek a few hard-to-find skills. They want employees who can communicate well in written and spoken form. They want employees who are trustworthy and reliable. They want employees who have good judgment and can solve problems. They want employees who understand what is going on in their world. In other words, they want employees who are educated.

When directed by professors who care about students and learning, the study of history helps young people develop these important skills. It gives them an opportunity to both study other people's writing and develop their own writing skills, improving their talent as they gain experience. Students of history can see what kind of things have made life better for people and what kind of things have not. This understanding sharpens their ability to make moral, political, personal, and theological choices. Current news makes sense to history students because they can place events in their historical contexts. And since history includes everything that has happened in the past, students can bring their own interests to it.

In addition to being a good thing in itself, learning about history complements many other courses of study. For example, computer science majors can study how technology has affected other societies. And business majors can study business practices in ancient Rome, the Middle Ages, Renaissance Venice, or Japan during the Great Depression. Undergraduate study of history also helps prepare students for graduate work in many fields, including theology and linguistics.

JBU's history department is especially equipped to assist students interested in pursuing careers in law, international relations, and politics.

What Kind of Student is JBU's History Department Looking for?

JBU's professors of history are committed to the cause of education because they know it is a gift from God that should never be taken lightly. They seek bright, motivated young people who are interested in the world around them and who desire to work toward becoming reflective, thoughtful and well-rounded Christians.

Course Requirements

For specific course requirements, detailed class descriptions and sample 4-year plans, visit the current JBU Catalog.

Local Opportunities

Research independent topics and submit academic papers to national conferences
Have the chance to study Egyptian hieroglyphics or medieval Latin inscriptions
Volunteer with the local literacy council in Siloam Springs
Tutor local high school students or elementary students
Join a CAUSE ministry on campus and serve local areas

International Opportunities

You can spend a summer working with an archeological excavation in Jordan, uncovering the ancient city of Abila of the Decapolis, scuba diving in the Red Sea, camping in the desert of Wadi Rum, and more! For more information, visit our International Programs Office.