Bachelor of Arts Major in History

Program overview

The social changes of our era are part of a longer, more complex process; the study of history puts current issues and events into context. The history program at Athabasca University will help you

• see contemporary events in broader historical contexts
• explain changing social attitudes as the result of specific contexts and events
• recognize the ways knowledge is socially constructed and sanctioned
• interpret historical evidence, assessing for possible bias

AU offers a wide variety of history courses, with strengths in Europe and North America, and a growing number of courses on global history and the history of Africa.

Why take the Bachelor of Arts?

The Bachelor of Arts strengthens critical and creative thinking through a broad range of social, political and cultural studies. The program is designed to

• broaden your perspective on local and global affairs
• encourage community and social involvement
• prepare you for lifelong learning and occupational diversity

Routes and options

The Bachelor of Arts, History Major is an online degree program, with both a 3-year and a 4-year option. There are no set start dates – you can enrol at any time and register for courses right away.

Bachelor of Arts, History Concentration (3-year online degree)

• A 3-year degree is a well-respected and marketable credential in Canada and the United States.
• It does not provide direct access to graduate-level studies.
• You can extend your 3-year degree to a 4-year degree at a later date, if you wish. Learn more about degree conversion.

Bachelor of Arts, History Major (4-year online degree)

• A 4-year degree fully prepares students for most graduate programs.
• The 4-year BA program allows you to pursue either a double major or a minor.
  • Double majors must meet the requirements for both majors, which may restrict course selection or require additional credits above the 120 required for the BA.
  • You should talk to an academic advisor about your program and courses if you’re considering a double major.
  • To earn a minor you must complete 30 credits in that subject area.
  • List of minors
    • Anthropology 
    • Canadian Studies 
    • English 
    • French 
    • Global Studies 
    • Humanities 
    • Inclusive Education 
    • Labour Studies 
    • Philosophy 
    • Political Economy 
    • Political Science 
    • Psychology 
    • Public Administration 
    • Sociology 
    • Women's and Gender Studies
• AU does not offer an Honours BA.

Completion times

Admission requirements

How to apply

You can apply to AU online, anytime. Once you’ve completed the online application form and paid the one-time general application fee (and transfer credit evaluation fee, if applicable), you’re officially an AU student and can start registering in courses.

• How to enrol in an undergraduate program

Make sure we get your transcripts if you want us to consider your previous post-secondary education for transfer credit.

Transfer and advanced credit

If you have previous post-secondary education or significant life and work experience that relates to this program, you may be eligible for transfer credit or Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR). This could mean fewer courses to get your AU degree.

If you transfer credit, you must complete a minimum of 30 credits at AU.

• Learn about transfer and advanced credit at AU

Program requirements

To complete the program you will need to fulfill all the general requirements of the Bachelor of Arts, plus those specific to your major, minor or concentration.

• Requirements: Bachelor of Arts – 3-year
  • Requirements: History Concentration
• Requirements: Bachelor of Arts, History Major

Our program plans can give you an idea of what courses you need to finish this program, and how to plan the order you’ll take them in. If you’re feeling stuck, our academic advisors can help.

• Program plan: History Concentration
• Program plan: History Major

Required courses

Detailed information about courses in this program can be accessed using the following links:

Tuition and fees

Once you have paid the initial application fee, tuition is pay-as-you-go for each course registration. Course fees vary depending on your location and other factors.

• Calculate your course cost

You can estimate your total program cost by multiplying the cost of a 3-credit course by the number of courses you need to take for the program. Remember that tuition costs may increase each year.

Program learning outcomes

By the end of the program, students will be able to:

• Interpret past and contemporary events in broader historical contexts to explain the complex processes by which societies have evolved.
• Identify patterns of continuities and change over time to reveal structures within which human societies operate.
• Investigate the ways in which knowledge is created, deployed, enforced, and reinforced, as well as how it is resisted.
• Employ and contextualize a wide variety of historical sources to make sense of complex, richly textured, diverse, and sometimes disparate materials, and to identify biases, ambiguities, and uncertainties in primary and secondary historical sources.
• Conduct research that is accurate, critically analytical, comprehensible, and thorough to efficiently and effectively produce historical research.
• Communicate research results cogently, clearly, and logically in written form that correspond to professional standards of doing history.

Possible career options

• Historic Interpreter
• National/Provincial Park Interpreter
• Parks Canada Service Supervisor
• Researcher
• Probation Officer
• Museum Technician/Assistant
• Museum Interpreter
• Volunteer Co-ordinator
• Travel Agent
• Employment Recruiter
• Management Trainee
• Customer Service Agent
• Heritage Assistant
• Preservation/Restoration Assistant
• Immigration Officer
• Foreign Service Officer
• Events Co-ordinator
• Writer
• English as a Second Language (ESL) Teacher
• Lobbyist
• Collections Manager

Continuing education

At Athabasca University:

• Master of Arts – Interdisciplinary Studies
• Master of Business Administration
• Master of Education in Open, Digital and Distance Education
• Graduate Diploma in Distance Education Technology
• Master of Counselling
• Post-Master's Certificate in Counselling

At other educational institutions*

• graduate studies in history/interdisciplinary studies
• library science
• law
• police studies
• social work
• education: bachelor/master
• English as a second language (ESL) teacher training

* Some universities will not accept a 3-year degree for admittance into a graduate program. An additional year of study may be required. Entrance requirements vary among educational institutions. It is the students’ responsibility to research the entrance requirements of other universities.