Faculty of Arts

Department of History

History is the interpretation of the past through the questions of the present. Historians are like detectives; they examine how individuals, groups and human systems shaped past events and ideas, and they draw on a wide range of sources in their investigations. In undergraduate and graduate history courses at UM, students work with faculty members whose expertise is internationally recognized.

Our faculty and staff
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News and events

  • Female wearing red top, white pearl necklace and white scarf smiling directly at camera.

  • Asamoah wins Association of Canadian Archivists' Award

    Congratulations to Gifty Asamoah, a student in the Joint Masters' program (archival studies stream) for winning the 2024 Association of Canadian Archivists' Ancestry Continuing Education Award. 

    "While the importance of community archives for cultural preservation is recognized, there remains a lack of understanding regarding how individual migrant perceptions influence data collection and archival practices. My project seeks to adopt a case study approach to explore migrant perceptions on how archives and record-keeping can contribute to preserving culture and maintaining identity, particularly among Ghanaian immigrants in Manitoba."

  • The Honourable John Norquay Events book cover

  • The Honourable John Norquay Events

    By Dr. Gerald Friesen, Distinguished Professor Emeritus

    This spring, Canadian historian Gerald Friesen will tour his upcoming biography, The Honourable John Norquay, which delves into the life of Manitoba's fifth premier. In this major study, Friesen sheds welcome light on a neglected historical figure once described as Louis Riel’s alter ego.

    Tour Dates

    Read more in UM Today

  • Book cover with black and white photo of lineup of children and teachers outside of a residential public school.

  • Lessons in Legitimacy: Colonialism, Capitalism, and the Rise of State Schooling in British Columbia

    By Dr. Sean Carleton

    Congratulations to Dr. Carleton on the publication of his latest book. 

    "Lessons in Legitimacy" combines insights from history, Indigenous studies, historical materialism and political economy to present different histories of education for Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples together. In the process, this important study reveals how an understanding of the historical uses of schooling can inform contemporary discussions about the role of education in reconciliation and improving Indigenous–settler relations.

    Buy the book

Programs of study

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Bachelor of Arts in History

Our program provides students with opportunities to discover, understand and assess past times and changes over time. Students can work directly with sources used by historians in their research and may visit local archives as part of coursework. Studying history provides an essential background for many disciplines and professions where research analysis, communications skills and an understanding of how past events influence the present are important. A co-op option is available.
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Joint Master’s Program in History

The University of Manitoba offers this program with the University of Winnipeg, with courses and supervision offered at both schools. Students gain in-depth knowledge of at least two areas of study and enhance their ability to undertake independent research. Choose from four streams: the major research paper MA or course MA (one-year programs) or the thesis MA or archival studies MA (two-year programs).

Undergraduate student resources and opportunities

UM History Students Association (UMHISA)

UMHISA is a student organization that offers events, student resources and opportunities for history students.

Visit the UMHISA website

Follow UMHISA on Instagram

Follow UMHISA on Twitter

Follow UMHISA on Facebook

Explore your career options in history

An undergraduate degree in history is not designed as preparation for a particular profession. Instead, the study of history provides training for any type of work where research and communication skills are important.

Use this guide to map out your career pathway from the start of your academic journey. Get the information you need for academic planning and connect with experiences to develop the knowledge, skills and attributes that employers are seeking.

View the History Career Compass

The Canadian Historical Association showcases a variety of history career paths through the personal profiles of Canadian history grads. 

View "What can you do with a history degree?" by the CHA

Undergraduate research awards (URA)

Undergraduate students have the opportunity to work with our leading faculty researchers and gain valuable experience.

Learn more and apply for an UM URA

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Graduate student resources and opportunities

History Graduate Students' Association (HGSA)

This student organization represents history graduate students at both the University of Manitoba and the University of Winnipeg. The group offers workshops, events and more.

Visit the HGSA website

Follow HGSA on Instagram

Finding a graduate advisor

Before submitting your application to the UM Faculty of Graduates Studies for the Joint Master’s Program, you are encouraged to contact at least one potential advisor from among the members of the UM and/or UW Departments of History.

In an email, please let the potential advisor know the following:

  • your area(s) of interest (e.g. Indigenous history, Canadian history, archival studies, etc.),
  • a brief summary of your undergraduate education (e.g. the history seminars you have taken or are currently taking),
  • a description of your prospective research topic (if known), and/or your specific interests within your chosen area,
  • how to best contact you.

Be sure to mention any correspondence with a potential advisor in your Statement of General Interest and Intent.

Please note that tentative acceptance from an advisor does not guarantee admission into the program.

Past theses

Recent MA theses

  • Luke Miguez: Reverse redlining: the financialization of redlining and the effects of the housing bubble in Cleveland, Ohio (2022).
  • Eleanor Thompson: Class, gender, race, and resistance: the United Farm Women of Manitoba,1916-1936 (2022).
  • Laura Elise Garinger: Flora and fonds: activating herbaria as archives (2021).
  • Cody Hodge: Vigilantism in Minnesota, 1850-1920 (2021).
  • Krystal Payne: Archival harm reduction: utilizing public health harm reduction concepts for reconciliatory power shifts in archives (2021).

Recent PhD dissertations

  • Anne Lindsay: “especially in this free Country:” Webs of Empire, Slavery and the Fur Trade (2021).
  • Karen Froman: The white man’s camera: the national film board of Canada and representations of Indigenous peoples in post-war Canada (2021).

View past history and archival studies theses on MSpace.

Fort Garry Lectures

The Fort Garry Lectures is an annual student colloquium and dissertation workshop, organized by students in the Joint Master's Program at the University of Manitoba and University of Winnipeg. Guest lectures and roundtables are also hosted throughout the academic year.

Learn more about the Fort Garry Lectures

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Contact us

Department of History
Room 403 Fletcher Argue Building
15 Chancellors Circle
University of Manitoba (Fort Garry campus)
Winnipeg, MB  R3T 2N2 Canada

history@umanitoba.ca
204-474-8401