University of Central Oklahoma

What you'll study

The programme combines core history training with specialised modules on medieval and early modern Europe. You will study political, religious, social and intellectual developments across the period, learning to analyse primary texts, interpret material culture and place European change in global context.

• Core historical skills: historical methods and historiography, research design, oral history and public history techniques.
• Medieval Europe: modules on medieval society and economy, kingship and governance, church and monastic life, and medieval legal and cultural practices.
• Early modern Europe: modules covering the Renaissance, the Reformation and confessionalisation, early modern science and thought, state formation and warfare, and cultural life in the sixteenth–seventeenth centuries.
• Source skills: palaeography and diplomatic, working with manuscripts and printed sources, and training in archival research methods.
• Language and context: opportunities to study Latin and modern European languages (for example French or German) to support primary-source work, plus comparative modules that situate Europe in wider global and Atlantic contexts.
• Digital and public history: training in digital tools for historical research, museum and heritage practice, exhibition development and community engagement.
• Capstone project: a senior research seminar or honours thesis that requires independent research, use of primary sources and a substantial written output.

Entry requirements

Applicants should hold a high-school diploma or equivalent; prospective students are expected to have a solid academic record and readiness for university-level work in humanities. Admissions typically consider overall GPA, official transcripts and the applicant's preparation in history and writing. Prior study of a modern language and coursework in English or social studies are advantageous.

Applicants may be asked to submit a personal statement outlining their interest in medieval and early modern history and, where relevant, letters of recommendation. Transfer students should provide college transcripts; students without prior language experience can begin introductory language study as part of the degree.

Career prospects

Graduates gain transferable analytical, research and communication skills valued across many sectors. Typical career routes include:

• Secondary school teaching (with appropriate teacher certification or postgraduate training).
• Work in museums, archives and heritage organisations, including curation, collections management and public programmes.
• Library and information services, including special collections and research librarianship (often with further qualifications).
• Public history roles in historic sites, cultural organisations and community engagement projects.
• Careers in publishing, journalism, cultural resource management, and non-profit organisations.
• Progression to postgraduate study in history, medieval studies, museum studies, library science or related fields, leading to careers in research and higher education.
• Employment in government, policy analysis, law, and other fields that value critical thinking and strong written communication.

Why study at University of Central Oklahoma

The University of Central Oklahoma offers a liberal-arts environment with small class sizes and close faculty mentoring, which supports intensive reading, discussion and one-to-one supervision for research projects. History faculty include scholars with expertise in medieval and early modern Europe, enabling specialised seminar options and guidance in languages and palaeography.

Students benefit from hands-on opportunities through local archives, museums and cultural partners, as well as study abroad pathways to pursue intensive language and on-site historical study in European settings. The department emphasises practical training—archival methods, digital history tools and public-history skills—preparing graduates for both professional and academic careers.