Breadcrumb
Department of History
Look to the past to imagine a new future
In the Department of History at Cal Poly Humboldt, we prepare our students with all the tools of the historian: critical thinking, high-tech research, project development, and excellent writing and presentation skills.
Our concentrations in either General History, History of Religions or History Education provide a thorough understanding of U.S., European, Asian, and Latin American history through a variety of academic lenses.
Program Options
History, B.A.
The Bachelor of Arts in History program offers a comprehensive study of global histories, combining courses in various regions with hands-on experiences like internships and archival work. It emphasizes critical thinking, research, and communication skills and offers three concentration areas:
- General History
- History Education
- History of Religions
Minors
Hands-On Experience
Our History Internship program places students with local museums, libraries, parks and government offices to gain valuable experience with public history.
Academic Rigor
History Club students were the first undergraduates to attend the American Historical Association meeting, and the club’s consistent attendance led the AHA to start supporting undergrads with a reception, poster presentations, and a career fair.
Cultural Immersion
History of Religions concentration students will immerse themselves in Buddhist, Jewish, Christian, Yogic, and other practices through a series of Experiential Weekends, which can be taken multiple times for credit
Place-Based Learning Community: Dreamscapes
As a History freshman, you’ll participate in hands-on activities with your peers before classes even start and in some cases, have the opportunity to live in the same residence halls with your peers. History students will join four other departments for Dreamscapes, which examines the problems of today from the perspective that radical change is possible.
Career Options
A degree in History fosters a deep contextual understanding of our world, and prepares students for a wide variety of careers.
Achievements
Find out what our students, faculty, and staff are being recognized for.
Ryder Dschida
History
On February 28, the Humboldt County Office of Education and the Cal Poly Humboldt History department ran the annual county-level History Day competition on the Cal Poly Humboldt campus. Well over 300 local school children, from 4th grade through high school seniors, present their History Day projects in numerous locations across the campus. The awards ceremony was held in Forbes Gym, where many of the projects were on exhibit for all to inspect. Cal Poly Humboldt has been hosting this event since the 1990s and is the only university that hosts a county-level event in the United States.
Vincent Biondo
History
Vincent Biondo served as Visiting Fellow at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies for Trinity Term, 2025, and presented new research on the history of waqf, or charitable trusts, and the implications for Christian-Muslim relations, Church-State relations, and Moral Economy.
Vincent Biondo
History
Vincent Biondo presented his paper "Baseball Religion in the United States" at the American Academy of Religion Annual Meeting in San Diego on November 23, 2024.
