History
A study of history helps us understand how past events influenced what we are today. Learn from the past to create a brighter future.
History, B.S./B.A.
The History Department offers a broad and diverse program of historical study that emphasizes the value of historical thinking. In the classroom, you will study everything from ancient Egypt to the Soviet Union. Many classes include experiential learning that takes students into the community for hands-on experiences or that challenges students to role-play major events in history. Outside the classroom, you'll meet nationally known historians through the department's Strickland Scholars program and can study abroad on faculty-led programs to Scotland, Senegal, Vietnam, and other locales. You will also have access to a range of scholarships available only to History majors at MTSU.
The History Department offers teacher licensure programs in coordination with the College of Education. Our hands-on approach to learning is perfectly suited to the type of skills-based, student-centered teaching necessary for today’s classroom. With an excellent placement rate in schools across Middle Tennessee and the nation, MTSU is the perfect place to pursue a career in History Education in grades 6-12.
News Briefs
MTSU history alumnus secures Nashville historical marker for icon Bettie Page
MTSU history alumnus Ben Wilkinson channeled his passion for history into action by successfully proposing a new Nashville historical marker for pinup icon and Nashvillian Bettie Page. "Her importance in our pop culture history is immeasurable," he said. "Everyone from artists, actors, photographers, models and musicians have sung the praises of the impact Bettie has had on pop culture. She deserves the recognition," he said. Wilkinson thought for years that Nashville needed to formally recognize itself as Page's hometown. When he decided to act, he leaned on his MTSU education to complete the proposal process for the Nashville Historical Commission. "I had to collect all the (required) facts and ensure that they were properly cited. I had written many research papers during my time at MTSU, so this came naturally," he explained. The marker is located at Page's alma mater Hume-Fogg Academic High School.
MTSU professor sees fast-paced Saudi music industry from front-row seat
The sound of Saudi Arabia is changing at breakneck speed, and an MTSU professor is an eyewitness to it all. With help from Grammy Award-nominated sound engineer John Merchant from MTSU's Department of Recording Industry, history professor Sean Foley organized a concert and academic symposium on the emerging independent music scene in Saudi Arabia. "Saudi Arabia has a conservative religious tradition, and, for a variety of reasons, music was not as much a part of public space until the last couple of years," Foley said. "It is moving very, very quickly." Singer-songwriter Ghada Sheri; Moe Abdo, a Sudanese musician born and raised in Saudi Arabia; R&B artist Ahmed Amin; and singer Hamza Hawsawi, winner of the 2015 "X-Factor Middle East" competition, were the entertainers. Foley said he feels that this musical transformation is moving so quickly that his essays and research papers could become outdated by the time they are published. Foley is the author of "Changing Saudi Arabia: Art, Culture and Society in the Kingdom." He has written about modern changes in Saudi culture for years, including a July 2021 article published by The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington that mentioned Wall of Sound, the first independent music label in the kingdom.
News Briefs
MTSU history alumnus secures Nashville historical marker for icon Bettie Page
MTSU history alumnus Ben Wilkinson channeled his passion for history into action by successfully proposing a new Nashville historical marker for pinup icon and Nashvillian Bettie Page. "Her importance in our pop culture history is immeasurable," he said. "Everyone from artists, actors, photographers, models and musicians have sung the praises of the impact Bettie has had on pop culture. She deserves the recognition," he said. Wilkinson thought for years that Nashville needed to formally recognize itself as Page's hometown. When he decided to act, he leaned on his MTSU education to complete the proposal process for the Nashville Historical Commission. "I had to collect all the (required) facts and ensure that they were properly cited. I had written many research papers during my time at MTSU, so this came naturally," he explained. The marker is located at Page's alma mater Hume-Fogg Academic High School.
MTSU professor sees fast-paced Saudi music industry from front-row seat
The sound of Saudi Arabia is changing at breakneck speed, and an MTSU professor is an eyewitness to it all. With help from Grammy Award-nominated sound engineer John Merchant from MTSU's Department of Recording Industry, history professor Sean Foley organized a concert and academic symposium on the emerging independent music scene in Saudi Arabia. "Saudi Arabia has a conservative religious tradition, and, for a variety of reasons, music was not as much a part of public space until the last couple of years," Foley said. "It is moving very, very quickly." Singer-songwriter Ghada Sheri; Moe Abdo, a Sudanese musician born and raised in Saudi Arabia; R&B artist Ahmed Amin; and singer Hamza Hawsawi, winner of the 2015 "X-Factor Middle East" competition, were the entertainers. Foley said he feels that this musical transformation is moving so quickly that his essays and research papers could become outdated by the time they are published. Foley is the author of "Changing Saudi Arabia: Art, Culture and Society in the Kingdom." He has written about modern changes in Saudi culture for years, including a July 2021 article published by The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington that mentioned Wall of Sound, the first independent music label in the kingdom.
MTSU graduates are hired by universities and school systems, historic sites, state agencies, private consulting firms, historical agencies, historic preservation organizations, exhibit design firms, Main Street programs, museums, archives, and planning commissions throughout the nation. Public historians work in a wide range of professional settings with public audiences of all ages.
Employers of MTSU alumni include:
- National Trust for Historic Preservation
- National Park Service
- Tennessee State Library and Archives
- Belmont Mansion
- Rutherford County Archives
- Special Collections Research Center at North Carolina State University
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Important Links for History Majors
MTSU offers a History teacher licensure program.
Requirements are located in the Requirements drop-down on this page.
Professional Licensure Disclosure
MTSU discloses that the Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Bachelor of Science (BS) in History, Teacher Licensure is a teacher licensure preparation program accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and approved by the Tennessee Department of Education. Admission to an undergraduate teacher licensure preparation program does not guarantee that students will obtain a teacher license. Successful program completion meets the educational requirements to apply for a practitioner teacher licensure in Tennessee.
The BA and BS History, Teacher Licensure disclosure provided on MTSU’s professional licensure disclosure website indicates the states and territories where MTSU has determined, through reasonable and good faith effort, that the program does or does not meet the educational requirements for other US states and territories. Licensing authorities for each state set and enforce their own requirements and standards, which are subject to change. Current and prospective students not located in Tennessee or who plan to seek licensure or certification outside the state of Tennessee should contact the appropriate state licensing agency or board and discuss their plans with an advisor and the MTSU Office of Teacher Licensure before enrolling in the program to ensure they have the most up-to-date information and guidance regarding licensure requirements.
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