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History
History at university level is concerned not only with the study of the past but also with basic issues of historical knowledge.
Is it possible to discover “what really happened”? Do historians reconstruct or construct the past in the accounts they write? Do the questions we bring to the study of the past determine the kinds of stories we tell about the past? How does language influence, and even limit, what we can know and say about the past? How can we know about the past when it no longer exists?
At present, these questions are sharply debated by historians as the discipline undergoes an exciting phase of redefinition and reconsideration. The History programme at Waikato addresses many of these issues.
Degrees
History can also be taken as a second major or supporting subject within most degrees.
School subjects required
There are no specific subjects you need to study at secondary school to study History at Waikato.
Other subjects that may interest you
Anthropology, English, Geography, Māori and Pacific Development, Political Science, Screen and Media Studies, Writing Studies.
Career Opportunities
- Archivist
- Documentary Researcher
- Journalist
- Museum or Gallery Curator
- Political Speech-writer
- Professional Historian
- Tour Guide
Potential Employers
- Central Government e.g. Archives New Zealand
- Heritage Organisations
- Local Government
- Museums
- Secondary Schools
- Television, Radio and Print Media
Papers
HIST100 World History 600-1900CE
This paper is a historical survey of international commerce and consumption before the modern era.
HIST105 Hyperpower: The United States
A survey of US history from the 17th to the later 20th century.
HIST106 War and Society
This paper explores war across the ages, from the conflicts of the early modern world to the late 20th century, with emphasis on civil wars.
HIST107 New Zealand Histories: Fresh Perspectives
This introductory paper provides students with an overview of New Zealand’s history from first settlement to the present. The paper showcases exciting new developments in local and international historical scholarship and engages with contemporary issues.
HIST117 Global Histories: 1900 – the Present
This paper focuses upon events, issues and change in the 20th century under five major themes: imperialism and decolonisation; war and conflict; health and human rights; environment and technology; and the global economy.
HIST121 Founding Peoples of Britain and Ireland
An introduction to the history and culture of the Gaels, Britons, Saxons, Normans and other founding peoples of Britain and Ireland before c1300.
HIST145 History on Film
An introduction to the academic study of history through analysis of how historical eras, processes and events have been portrayed in film.
200 Level and Beyond
200 and 300 level papers include American history, Australian history, European history, researching iwi/Māori history, social and cultural history, environmental history and digital histories.
