Colorado State University

What you'll study

The programme combines broad historical foundations with specialised courses on medieval and early modern Europe. You will take survey courses that introduce major developments from the fall of Rome through the Enlightenment, alongside focused modules on topics such as medieval kingdoms and polities, religious reformations, Renaissance intellectual culture, gender and family in pre-modern Europe, early modern urban life, and the cultural history of science.

• Core skills and methods: historical methods, palaeography and archival research, historiography, quantitative and qualitative approaches to sources.
• Language training: competency in a relevant modern language (commonly French or German) and opportunities to study Latin; language study supports primary-source research.
• Seminars and research: small seminars on specialised topics in medieval and early modern history, independent research projects, and a senior capstone or honours thesis option for students pursuing an intensive research experience.
• Electives and interdisciplinarity: courses from related fields such as art history, religious studies, classics, and archival studies to contextualise cultural history.
• Experiential learning: internships with museums and archives, undergraduate research with faculty, and study-abroad opportunities in Europe to work directly with collections and sites.

Entry requirements

Admission to Colorado State University’s undergraduate programmes requires a completed secondary-school qualification or equivalent with a competitive academic record. Applicants typically need strong grades in humanities courses; successful candidates often present coursework in history, literature and languages.

• High-school diploma or equivalent with evidence of academic preparation in the humanities.
• Recommended preparation: classes in history, English composition, and at least one foreign language.
• Supplementary materials: personal statement demonstrating interest in historical study, and letters of recommendation are commonly considered. Portfolios or writing samples may strengthen an application for applicants seeking research-focused supervision.
• International applicants should demonstrate English language proficiency through recognised tests or prior instruction in English; language study in French, German or Latin is advantageous for the medieval and early modern specialism.

Career prospects

Graduates with a concentration in Medieval and Early Modern European Cultural History enter a wide range of careers that value research, writing and critical thinking. Career paths commonly followed include:

• Museum and heritage work: curators, collections managers, exhibitions staff and education officers in cultural institutions.
• Archives and libraries: archivists, special-collections technicians and digital preservation specialists.
• Education and outreach: secondary-school teaching, adult education and public-programme development (teacher certification or further qualifications may be required for classroom teaching).
• Public history and cultural resource management: roles in historic preservation, interpretive planning and consultancy for cultural projects.
• Publishing, journalism and communications: research editors, writers and content specialists for academic and general audiences.
• Law, public policy and business: graduates often pursue professional training or roles that draw on analytical and research skills; many also continue to postgraduate study (MA/PhD) in history or related fields.

Why study at Colorado State University

Colorado State University offers a history programme with active faculty research in European history and strong mentoring for undergraduate researchers. Students benefit from small seminars focused on medieval and early modern topics, opportunities to work with the university’s special collections and archival holdings, and language instruction that supports primary-source study.

• Research and collections: access to campus special collections and opportunities for supervised archival research prepare students for careers in museums and archives.
• Study abroad and fieldwork: programmes and faculty-led travel provide direct contact with European archives, monuments and museums, enriching cultural-historical understanding.
• Undergraduate research and internships: structured placements with regional cultural institutions and funded research opportunities help build practical experience and professional networks.
• Interdisciplinary strengths: collaboration with departments such as art history, classics and religious studies allows students to explore cultural history from multiple perspectives.