History
Welcome to the Department of History
The Department of History offers students a challenging yet flexible program of study that emphasizes both the distinctiveness and the utility of the historian's craft. Our program is distinctive in that all history courses focus not only on the past's exciting events and developments, but also on the manner in which historians gather their evidence and reach their conclusions.
Successful Americans have long understood that a knowledge of history offers opportunities to make better decisions today. A history background can provide important advantages in analyzing contemporary events and trends. Whether in business or in service, good solutions today depend on a clear understanding of yesterday. By learning from the past, we can improve the future. Even in daily life, history not only informs but instructs. The skills of the historian – critical thinking and the ability to conduct documentary research – can influence the way we read a newspaper, shop for a car, trace our family lineage or evaluate the performance of our institutions.
University of Dayton historian David Darrow’s latest book was inspired by his graduate school roommate, who created a database from census information, in hopes of discovering insights about the population.
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The U.S. Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps program at the University of Dayton is among the oldest operating programs in the country — and with so much history, a local student decided to bring it to life.
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University of Dayton historian Haimanti Roy will spend the 2019-2020 academic year in India with support from a senior research fellowship from the American Institute for Indian Studies. She will study the impact of travel and identification documents on migration and citizenship in colonial and post-colonial India.
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