Salisbury University

What you'll study

The programme combines a broad foundation in historical methods and survey courses with specialised seminars in medieval and early modern Europe. Core subjects typically include the study of medieval and Renaissance political, social and cultural developments; the history of the Church and religious reformations; early modern urban and economic change; intellectual and artistic movements; and the social history of gender, family and everyday life.

• Historical Methods & Historiography – training in source criticism, argument construction and current scholarly debates.
• Medieval Europe – topics such as kingdoms and empires, feudalism, monasticism, crusading, and manuscript culture.
• Early Modern Europe – courses on the Renaissance, Reformation, state formation, exploration and the cultural transformations of the 16th–18th centuries.
• Primary-Source Seminars – close reading of chronicles, legal documents, letters, art, and material culture; practice with translation and palaeography where available.
• Language Study – emphasis on reading competence in relevant languages (commonly Latin and one modern European language) to support primary-source research.
• Capstone/Research Project – a senior seminar or independent research project that produces a sustained piece of original work, often incorporating archival research or digital tools.
• Practical Experience – opportunities for internships with museums, archives, historical societies, and digital-history projects in the region or through study abroad.

Entry requirements

Admission is to the undergraduate university and to the major; typical expectations include a high school diploma or recognised secondary credential with a competitive GPA and a strong record in humanities and social-science coursework. Candidates should demonstrate strong reading and writing skills. Transfer applicants are assessed on completed college coursework and GPA. International applicants must present equivalent secondary qualifications and evidence of English proficiency.

Applicants who seek admission to an honours pathway or to supervised independent research may be asked for a sample of academic writing, a personal statement, or letters of recommendation. Prospective teacher-candidates should check the teacher education requirements if they plan to pursue secondary social-studies certification alongside the degree.

Career prospects

Graduates leave with analytical, research, communication and foreign-language skills valued in many sectors. Common career directions include:

• Museums, historic houses and cultural heritage organisations — curatorial work, interpretation, collections management and education.
• Archives and libraries — archival processing, reference, digitisation and preservation roles.
• Education — secondary teaching (with appropriate certification), educational programming and curriculum development.
• Public history and cultural resource management — community history projects, interpretation planning and grant-funded initiatives.
• Government, law and policy — research, analysis and roles that require rigorous writing and argumentation.
• Publishing, journalism and communications — editorial, research and content-creation positions.
• Further study — graduate research in history, medieval/early modern studies, museum studies, library and information science, public history or related fields.

Why study at Salisbury University

Salisbury University offers a liberal-arts-focused environment with relatively small class sizes and direct access to faculty for mentorship and undergraduate research. The History Department emphasises hands-on engagement with primary sources and provides chances to complete internships and public-history work with regional museums, archives and cultural organisations.

Students benefit from a flexible curriculum that supports language training and study abroad — both important for medieval and early modern research — plus campus advising that connects historical study to career preparation. For those interested in teaching, the university provides pathways to teacher preparation alongside the major. Overall, the programme balances rigorous academic training with practical experiences that prepare graduates for diverse careers or advanced study.