UCLA History Department: A Tradition of Excellence and Innovation
UCLA's History Department stands as a beacon of historical scholarship and education, renowned both nationally and internationally. With a distinguished faculty, a vibrant student body, and a commitment to cutting-edge research, the department offers a rich and diverse environment for the study of the past.
A Faculty of Renowned Scholars and Dedicated Teachers
The department boasts a large and accomplished faculty, comprising over 50 members. These individuals are not only leading scholars in their respective fields but also dedicated teachers committed to nurturing the next generation of historians. The faculty's expertise spans a vast range of periods and geographic contexts, from the ancient Mediterranean to twenty-first-century Los Angeles, early modern China to the modern Caribbean, and colonial America to the Middle East. This breadth of knowledge allows the department to offer a diverse and comprehensive curriculum that explores the complexities of human history.
The faculty's commitment to scholarship is evident in their impressive publication record. In the past five years alone, UCLA history professors have published over 60 books, garnering 29 prizes for their writing. This dedication to research ensures that the department remains at the forefront of historical inquiry, constantly pushing the boundaries of knowledge and understanding.
Despite their scholarly achievements, the faculty remains deeply committed to undergraduate education. Senior faculty members teach freshman survey courses, providing introductory students with the opportunity to learn from some of the most accomplished historians in the field. Moreover, every history major has the opportunity to participate in two or more small seminars, fostering close interaction with faculty and promoting in-depth discussion of historical topics. This commitment to undergraduate education ensures that students receive a rigorous and engaging learning experience.
A Vibrant Community of Students
UCLA's History Department is home to a large and diverse student body, with over 700 undergraduate majors and over 100 graduate students in residence. These students come from a variety of backgrounds and bring a wide range of perspectives to the study of history. The department fosters a welcoming and inclusive environment where students can learn from one another and engage in intellectual exchange.
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The undergraduate program is designed to provide students with a broad and deep understanding of history, as well as the critical thinking and communication skills necessary for success in a variety of careers. In the past five years, UCLA has awarded degrees to an average of 335 undergraduate History majors each year, a testament to the program's popularity and effectiveness. A History major is excellent preparation for a wide variety of careers, including public service, journalism, education, business, law, medicine, and the arts. Students of history at UCLA gain a broad and deep education about our world, helping them to be engaged citizens and informed individuals. They learn to read, write, and speak critically, effectively marshaling historical evidence and weighing conflicting interpretations.
The graduate program is one of the most highly regarded in the country, attracting talented students from around the world. The program offers a wide range of specializations, allowing students to pursue their interests in depth. Graduate students have the opportunity to work closely with faculty mentors, conduct original research, and present their findings at conferences and in publications. The department's graduate program is committed to training the next generation of leading historians.
Curriculum and Resources
The History Department undergraduate program consists of 16 courses in history (six lower-division-the preparation for the major, including the premajor requirements; 10 upper-division-the major). Students are eligible to declare the major after completing the prep for the major, the first three lower-division courses, with a minimum grade-point average of 2.0. Transfer credit for the premajor courses is subject to department approval.
UCLA offers rich resources for graduate study. The Young Research Library is one of the five largest in the nation, and there are additional superb rare book collections in all periods of American history at the nearby Huntington and Clark libraries. Furthermore, UCLA is home to an array of interdisciplinary research centers and programs, many of which run lecture series, hold conferences, sponsor research programs, offer classes, and provide fellowships to graduate students in corresponding fields of study. US history graduate students have been especially active in the Center for the Study of Women, the Institute of Industrial Relations, and the four research centers for American ethnic studies (the Chicano Studies Research Center, Bunche Center for African American Studies, American Indian Studies Center, and Asian-American Studies Center). Students have also interacted with Area Studies research centers (Centers for African Studies, Southeast Asian Studies, Japanese Studies, etc), Environmental Studies, Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century Studies, and more that could not be listed comprehensively.
Rankings and Recognition
The UCLA History Department has consistently been recognized as one of the top history departments in the nation and the world. In 2017, U.S. News and World Report ranked the department among the best in the United States. The department also placed tenth internationally in the World University Rankings. These rankings reflect the department's commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and service.
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Recent Faculty Publications and Activities
The department's faculty members are actively engaged in research and publication. Recent examples of faculty work include:
- Robin D. G. Distinguished Professor of History and Gary B. Andrew Apter published an article titled “Historical Ethnography and the Ritual Archive: The 2024 Jensen Memorial Lectures” in the December 2025 issue of the German anthropology journal Paideuma: Journal of Cultural Anthropology vol.
- Andrea S. approach to Europe and the rest of the world in the UCLA Newsroom piece, “The 360: Greenland, Europe, NATO and a new world order“.
- Sanjay Subrahmanyam gave an interview, titled Indian Temptations, on the current state of intellectual and cultural life in India which was published in Granta (No.
- David N.
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