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College of Arts and Sciences

History

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College of Arts and Sciences

Department of History

Study the past to shape the future

USD History students learn how to understand the past and see why it matters today. They practice reading evidence closely, building strong arguments and appreciating different viewpoints. Studying history helps you step outside your own experiences and discover people and places that challenge what you think you know.

Nationally, History majors score highly on the GRE (grad school), LSAT (law school), the GMAT (business school) and even the MCAT (medical school). They work in diverse careers including law and policy, intelligence and national security, publishing and communications, education, business, technology and more.

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Program

Explore Curriculum

Declare a History Major

Explore Our Menu Of Courses

What History Isn't

History Misconceptions

Study Abroad Experiences

History Around the Globe

Participation in a study-abroad program is a special opportunity to see and touch history outside of the classroom. Take a look at the images below from previous USD history courses abroad.

See Study Abroad ProgramsUSD International Center
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Learn From History Experts

Our Faculty Bookshelf

Get to know a few of our History faculty and their publications.

Professor of History Thomas Barton, PhD

Contested Treasure: Jews and Authority in the Crown of Aragon

Dr. Barton investigates how Jewish communities in medieval Spain navigated competing claims of authority from local lords and the crown. Focusing on the Crown of Aragon between the twelfth and fourteenth centuries, the book reveals a complex landscape of legal jurisdictions, resistance, and negotiation that reshaped interfaith relations and royal power in the region.

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Professor of History Colin Fisher, PhD

Urban Green: Nature, Recreation, and the Working Class in Industrial Chicago

Dr. Fisher explores how working-class immigrants and African Americans in early 20th-century Chicago sought out nature and recreation within the city’s industrial landscape. From parks and lakefronts to vacant lots, Urban Green reveals how these spaces became vital for community building, cultural expression, and resistance to urban inequality.

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Professor of History Michael J. Gonzalez, PhD

This Small City Will Be a Mexican Paradise: Exploring the Origins of Mexican Culture in Los Angeles, 1821–1846

Dr. Gonzalez offers a fresh interpretation of life in Los Angeles during the Mexican era, challenging romanticized views of the “California Pastoral.” Drawing on underused archival sources, he reveals how Los Angeles residents—shaped by fear of Indigenous resistance and admiration for Mexican liberal ideals—crafted a distinct regional identity rooted in both conflict and cultural aspiration.

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Professor of History Molly McClain, PhD

Ellen Browning Scripps: New Money and American Philanthropy, 1836–1932

Dr. McClain chronicles the life of Ellen Browning Scripps, a pioneering journalist and philanthropist who helped shape the cultural and educational landscape of Southern California. Drawing on rich archival sources, the book explores Scripps’s role in founding institutions like Scripps College and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, offering a compelling portrait of a woman who redefined the power of wealth and civic responsibility.

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Professor of History Kenneth P. Serbin, PhD

From Revolution to Power in Brazil: How Radical Leftists Embraced Capitalism and Struggled with Leadership

Dr. Serbin traces the journey of Brazilian leftist militants from armed resistance under dictatorship to leadership roles in a capitalist democracy. Drawing on decades of research and interviews, the book explores how former revolutionaries navigated the challenges of power, compromise, and democratic governance in post-authoritarian Brazil.

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Professor of History Kathryn Statler, PhD

Replacing France: The Origins of American Intervention in Vietnam

Dr. Statler explores how the United States gradually replaced France as the dominant foreign power in Vietnam following World War II. Drawing on diplomatic archives and international perspectives, the book traces the political, economic, and ideological motivations behind early U.S. involvement in Southeast Asia.

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Professor of History Yi Sun, PhD

East Asia and the West: An Entangled History

Co-authored by Dr. Sun, this textbook offers a comprehensive look at how China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam evolved through complex interactions with Western powers. Covering topics from early encounters to Cold War rivalries, the book highlights how East Asian societies responded to imperialism, modernization, and global conflict.

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Associate Professor of History T.J. Tallie, PhD

Queering Colonial Natal: Indigeneity and the Violence of Belonging in Southern Africa

Dr. Tallie examines how British colonial rule in nineteenth-century Natal enforced racial and gender norms to control indigenous populations. Blending queer and postcolonial theory, the book reveals how colonial power shaped ideas of identity, belonging, and resistance in southern Africa.

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See All History Faculty
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Paving The Way With History

Hear From Our History Community

Sam Deddeh, '18

Alumna, Fulbright Fellow

"It was truly one of the most rewarding events of my life, and I would have never reached this point had I not taken the chance on the Fulbright. And that chance would not have materialized without the unwavering support of the USD History department, for whom I am forever grateful."

Read Sam's Story

Graham Hendrick, '20

Alumnus, Corporate Transactional Attorney

"I fondly remember the tight knit community we had, especially in our thesis classes with all of our fun discussions and varied community events."

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Rebby Onken, '22

Alumna

"The history department at USD always encouraged me to experiment by searching out new ideas and applying them to my work."

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Robert Justice, '23

Alumnus

"Throughout my undergraduate program, I gained invaluable lessons and support from faculty which truly is immeasurable when looking back to how this has shaped my current trajectory."

Read Robert's Story

Abigail Stallard, '24

Alumna, PhD Candidate at UC Davis

"The History Department gave me the experience of pursuing research and being in a scholarly environment with enthusiastic staff and students; but most important to me was the community."

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Bethany Harris, '20

History Major, JET Fellow

USD history major Bethany Harris '20 is hoping that COVID-19 won’t impact her plans to teach in Japan this fall. Harris is the recipient of the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program fellowship and will begin working as an assistant language teacher in September.

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