Department of History

Welcome! Building on more than a century of distinguished scholarship and teaching, our faculty and staff serve over 400 undergraduate majors and nearly 250 certificate students, along with many other students passionate about history. We are also home to a vibrant community of more than 100 graduate students in both History and the History of Science, Medicine, and Technology.

Department News

UW-Madison Puerto Rican Studies Hub Launches
December 1, 2025
Florence Hsia and Devin Kennedy Help Achieve NEH Grant for a New Center for Humanistic Inquiry Into AI and Uncertainty
November 23, 2025
Brandon Bloch Publishes Book: Reinventing Protestant Germany: Religious Nationalists and the Contest for Post-Nazi Democracy
August 3, 2025
Marla Ramírez Receives 2025 Mentor Award
July 10, 2025
Gloria Whiting’s New Book, Belonging: An Intimate History of Slavery and Family in Early New England continues to receive awards
July 1, 2025
Allison Powers Useche Interviewed and Publishes Article in Diplomatic History Journal
May 15, 2025
Day of the Badger 2025
March 20, 2025
More History News posts

Upcoming Events

Jan

23

History of Science Medicine and Technology Colloquium with Honghong Tinn Honghong Tinn (University of Minnesota) January 23, 2026 @ 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm Curti Lounge (5233 Mosse Humanities)
Jan

29

“Depicting the Holy War: Crusader Imagery in Medieval French and English Murals” Elizabeth Lapina (UW-Madison) January 29, 2026 @ 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm Curti Lounge (5233 Mosse Humanities)
Feb

26

“Cultural Life in Constantinople during the Siege of 1453” Anthony Kaldellis (University of Chicago) February 26, 2026 @ 6:00 pm TBD
Mar

19

2026 Doria Dee Johnson Lecture: "Fear and Fury: Bernie Goetz, White Rage, and the Long Reach of the Reagan 80s" Heather Ann Thompson (University of Michigan) March 19, 2026 @ 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm Pyle Center, Vandeberg Auditorium, Room 121
Mar

23

"Survival at Treblinka: Geography, Gender, and Social Networks of Jewish Resistance" Chad S.A. Gibbs March 23, 2026 @ 11:30 am - 1:00 pm Zoom

All Events

Madison History Club

The Madison History Club brings UW–Madison alumni together with people across Madison who are curious about the past and eager to learn and discuss history with others.

Faculty Bookshelf

Listing of books written or edited by current History Department faculty.

Department Newsletter

The 2024-25 History Department newsletter, “The Past In The Present” is available now!

Courses

The History Department offers a wide array of undergraduate and graduate courses under two subject headings: "History" and "History of Science". Many of our undergraduate courses are open to Senior Guest Auditors.

The History Lab

Attention Students! Let us help you with your paper or research project, no matter your stage in the process.

The History of The History Department

Highlights benchmarks in the department’s institutional history and key changes in its curriculum, faculty, and students.