University of North Dakota

What you'll study

This degree combines a broad grounding in historical methods with specialised study of medieval and early modern Europe. Core modules cover world and European history survey courses, historical research methods, and historiography, while advanced options focus on topics such as:

• Medieval Europe: political structures, feudal society, the Church, crusading movements and everyday life.
• Late Medieval and Early Modern Cultural History: the Renaissance, Reformation, confessionalisation, printing and the circulation of ideas.
• Intellectual and Religious History: scholasticism, mysticism, humanism and the formation of confessional identities.
• Material and Visual Culture: artefacts, manuscripts, book history, art and architecture as sources for social and cultural history.
• Language and Source Skills: introductory Latin and palaeography for reading original documents, plus training in archival methods.
• Comparative & Interdisciplinary Topics: gender and family, law and society, economic change, and the interaction of Europe with neighbouring regions.

Students typically complete general education requirements, a history major core, elective seminars, and a senior capstone or honours thesis that emphasises primary-source research. Opportunities exist for independent study, internships with local archives or museums, and study abroad to work directly with European sources and sites.

Entry requirements

Admission to the University of North Dakota undergraduate programmes normally requires a high school diploma or equivalent and submission of official transcripts. Typical expectations include a solid academic record with strengths in humanities and social sciences. The university has a holistic admission process and may consider standardised test scores where provided; prospective students should consult the Admissions office for specific guidance.

For the History major, departmental recommendations often include coursework in history and English; students who plan to specialise in medieval and early modern studies are encouraged to pursue introductory Latin or another relevant language and to demonstrate interest through essays or prior research where possible. Transfer students will need to provide transcripts and descriptions of previously completed coursework for credit evaluation.

Career prospects

Graduates with a BA focusing on Medieval and Early Modern European Cultural History pursue a broad range of careers. Common pathways include:

• Archives and special collections: working in university, regional or national archives, assisted by training in palaeography and source handling.
• Museums and cultural heritage: roles in curatorial work, education, collections management and interpretation.
• Teaching and education: secondary-school teaching (with additional certification), museum education and outreach.
• Public history and cultural resource management: historical research, exhibit development, and community heritage projects.
• Publishing, journalism and communications: research, editing and content creation that draw on writing and analytical skills.
• Further study and professions: many graduates progress to MA and PhD programmes in history or related fields, law school, library and information science, or other professional training.

The programme emphasises transferable skills — critical thinking, archival literacy, research design, foreign-language competence and written communication — that employers in many sectors value.

Why study at University of North Dakota

The University of North Dakota offers a History programme within a liberal-arts environment that promotes close faculty mentoring and hands-on experience. Students benefit from access to the Chester Fritz Library's Special Collections & Archives, local museums and regional historical repositories in Grand Forks, where they can develop practical skills with original documents and artefacts.

UND faculty conduct research across a wide array of historical fields, enabling students to join faculty-led projects, independent research and seminar-style courses focused on primary-source work. The university supports study-abroad and exchange opportunities that are particularly valuable for students concentrating on European history, and provides pathways to internships with cultural institutions to prepare graduates for careers in public history, museums and archives.