History

History is the study of the contested past. In Aotearoa, exploring our colonial history and understanding centuries of foundational, ongoing Māori histories is crucial.
History in a cup

Why study History?

Studying history develops critical skills: locating and analysing sources, formulating research questions, and effective writing. These skills are relevant to careers in the media, education, business, and policy, as well as professional work as an historian.

In Aotearoa New Zealand and internationally, the teaching and delivery of the past through multisensory forms such as oral history, art, and performance is providing opportunities for Historians to work in an array of exciting areas such as music, gaming, and film.

Key themes of our research and teaching are Māori and Indigenous history, Pacific history, gender in history, environmental history, research methods, and US history. Together, we investigate how history is produced, challenged, and maintained.

Career Opportunities

  • Archivist
  • Documentary Researcher
  • Historian
  • Journalist
  • Museum or Gallery Curator
  • Political Speechwriter
  • Tour Guide

Scholarships and prizes

Visit our Scholarship Finder for information about possible scholarships.

Graduate study options

Potential PhD, MA or Honours Dissertation Candidates

All potential PhD, MA or Honours dissertation candidates must contact a current History staff member to discuss their Honours, MA or PhD dissertation topic before enrolling.

Staff may already have full supervision workloads or be away on research leave, so the sooner candidates contact staff the better. Potential candidates who wish to enrol in an Honours 591, MA programme or PhD thesis should take time to check whether current staff are available and have expertise in their chosen preferred topics.

Subject Requirements

For more information about subject requirements, please refer to the Subject Regulations below for the most up-to-date information.

If you have any questions or need more advice, contact one of our friendly student advisors at phone: 0800 800 145 or +64 7 838 4080, or by email: alpss@waikato.ac.nz

Please note: For all graduate subject requirements check the information provided in the Graduate Study Options section above.

History papers

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