The study of history involves the study of all human thought and action, ranging from the economic and the political to the psychological and the artistic. Combining the perspectives and methods of the social sciences and the humanities, it seeks to comprehend the problems and challenges faced by individuals and societies in the distant and recent past, nearby and far away. This understanding of the human experience provides the necessary historical perspective to explain the present.
The Department of History at Sonoma State University offers courses in US, European, Asian, and Latin American history in addition to courses with regional and thematic approaches. The department offers a BA and MA in history and a minor in history. After completing their degrees in history, undergraduates enter careers in a variety of fields including law, government, teaching, journalism, business, academia, and the non-profit sector. Graduate students pursue careers in education, museum curatorship, librarianship with some continuing their historical studies on the PhD level.
We welcome inquiries about our undergraduate and graduate programs, and we appreciate your interest in the study of history at Sonoma State.
Annoucements
In this timely lecture, Dr. James Mestaz (Department of History and Politics) explores the historical relationship between imperial power, oil, and U.S. intervention in Venezuela. The talk examines how decades of energy interests, strategic concerns, and domestic political pressures created an entangled history that still shapes relations between the two countries today. Join us to better understand recent events, cut through misinformation, and gain clearer insight into debates over U.S. policy and political influence in Venezuela.
Pizza and snacks provided. All are welcome!
In his chapter “Social Conflict in Late Antique Rome” in A Companion to Rome (c. 400–c. 1050), edited by Caroline Goodson and Julia Hillner, Samuel Cohen examines patterns of social conflict in Rome from the fourth through the seventh centuries. His chapter focuses on food insecurity, urban entertainment, and divisions within the Roman church, particularly during contested episcopal elections, and traces how long-standing civic frameworks centered on the urban prefect were gradually supplanted by a Christian social order structured around the authority of the bishop. More information about the volume: https://brill.com/display/book/9789004738782/BP000022.xml
Professor Amy Kittelstrom’s review of Nicholas Boggs’s ambitious biography Baldwin: A Love Story appears on the Society for U.S. Intellectual History blog. In the review, she situates this new major work on James Baldwin within ongoing scholarly and popular interest in Baldwin’s life and writing. Read the full review here
The History Master’s Degree is accepting applications for Fall 2026. Interested students can apply here. To learn more about the MA program, please visit our History MA webpage.
SSU Department of History summer research project has unearthed new historical data on slavery in Sonoma County. Read more about it!
Coursework includes six elective courses from History. Learn more
SSU History students led by Professor Amy Kittelstrom team up with NAACP, Sonoma County to establish the Sonoma County Slavery Historical Project. Read more about it!
The BA in history I earned at SSU has helped me in my career as a systems administrator and soon-to-be software developer by developing critical thinking skills and encouraging me to look at multiple viewpoints.
The scholarly guidance and mentorship I received in the SSU History Dept not only cemented my love for and dedication to the historical discipline, it provided me with a suite of valuable intellectual tools and professional skills.
In an era of “fake news” and increasingly myopic world views, history teaches us to carefully consider multiple viewpoints and the validity of our sources. I have used my skills as a historian to tell a wide variety of impactful stories.
My history degree has been an advantage throughout my career. The research I had to do for my degree has helped me stand out when researching current economic affairs that may impact the bank.
My experience with the SSU History Journal helped me to serve as editor-in-chief of the Ohio State Journal on Dispute Resolution. My senior seminar course helped provide a foundation to succeed in labor and employment law.
Earning my BA in history at SSU has been incredibly useful in my job as an archivist, where I need to evaluate information, make informed decisions, do background research, and write reports to senior leaders and other stakeholders.
The History Dept at SSU taught me the value of highlighting untold stories and including marginalized voices in interpretations of the past. While working for the National Park Service, I have the opportunity to do so every day.
Learning the stories of humanity’s resilience in the past inspires patience in the present and hope for the future. The professors in the SSU History Department excel at telling these stories.
SSU is dedicated to students and their scholarship. I found lifelong mentors that helped me become an educator. Studying history at SSU, you’ll find a community, not a department.
The History M.A. offered the freedom to further explore my academic interests, and the guidance to apply my course studies to a career in museum studies. The internships I participated in during the program have proved invaluable in my professional growth.
My graduate studies at the SSU history department enabled me to ultimately realize my professional objectives. Our seminar course acquianted me with the discipline of 'public history' which I pursued as my career.