History
Historians study the past to understand the present. History at Waikato will inspire you to understand current events in light of historical context and give you a first-rate history education from a top 200 QS-rated programme.
You'll explore connections to previous generations, how they influence today, and if they were really all that different. History isn't just what happened before, but is also an investigation into, and use of, reliable research methods. We'll challenge you to ask questions, use critical enquiry into historical evidence and consider new ways of looking at the past in light of that new evidence.
When you study History, it isn't just for the classroom either. New Zealanders are keen to gain new perspectives on the "hidden history" of the pre-Waitangi Tribunal. People are also fascinated to learn their family's story and the circumstances that surround their ancestor's immigration to New Zealand.
Key themes of our research and teaching are Māori and Indigenous history, Pacific history, gender in history, research methods and theory, and US history. You'll gain a broad perspective of what goes into the correct historical analysis as well as analytical and critical thinking skills that employers value in other fields.
Key information
| Study Locations: | Hamilton, Online Papers offered differ by location. The Catalogue of Papers has full location info. |
|---|---|
| Area of Study: |
Study History in these qualifications
Study History as a specialisation of
- Bachelor of Arts
- Bachelor of Climate Change
- Bachelor of Communication
- Bachelor of Computing and Mathematical Sciences with Honours
- Bachelor of Laws
- Bachelor of Media and Creative Technologies
- Bachelor of Music
- Bachelor of Science
- Bachelor of Science (Technology)
- Bachelor of Social Sciences
- Certificate
- Diploma
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Graduate Certificate
- Graduate Diploma
- Master of Arts
- Master of Arts (Applied)
- Master of Laws
- Master of Management Studies
- Master of Philosophy
- Master of Science
- Master of Science (Research)
- Master of Science (Technology)
- Master of Social Sciences
- Postgraduate Certificate
- Postgraduate Diploma
Career opportunities
- Archivist
- Documentary Researcher
- Historian
- Journalist
- Museum or Gallery Curator
- Political Speechwriter
- Tour Guide
Papers
Available History papers
100 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Points | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| HISTY107 | New Zealand Histories: Fresh Perspectives | 15.0 | 23A (Hamilton) |
| This introductory paper provides students with an overview of Aotearoa New Zealand's histories through hundreds of years of Maori and Iwi history and British Colonial invasions, to the present. Students explore popular overarching myths and narratives of Aotearoa NZ history, key events, peoples and leading scholarship in the field.... | |||
| HISTY117 | Global Indigenous History | 15.0 | 23B (Hamilton) |
| Indigenous historians ask critical questions about how we understand the modern world. With a focus on Indigenous peoples' scholarship, activism, and art this paper introduces central concerns in global Indigenous history over the past century. Students will explore histories of sovereignty, land and water protection, decolonial ac... | |||
200 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Points | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| HISTY200 | Pacific History | 15.0 | 23B (Hamilton) |
| This course introduces students to the history of the Pacific from first settlement through to World War II, focusing on how indigenous peoples and diverse newcomers have engaged with each other and the Pacific's oceanic environment. | |||
| HISTY206 | History in Practice: Historical Methods and Research | 15.0 | 23A (Hamilton) |
| The paper focuses on the fundamental and accepted practices in academic historical scholarship and surveys a variety of significant historical and theoretical approaches to the discipline. | |||
| HISTY235 | Māori and Treaty History in Professional Practice | 15.0 | 23G (Hamilton) |
| This paper examines the application of Maori and Treaty history to professional practice. It explores how these histories are relevant to historical work in the private and public sectors today. | |||
| POLSC201 | Modern Political Thinkers | 15.0 | 23A (Online) |
| This course examines the ideas of a number of modern political thinkers such as Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Hegel, and Marx. | |||
300 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Points | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| HISTY300 | Gender in History | 15.0 | 23B (Hamilton) |
| Gender in History examines the role of gender in society, culture, and the lives of individuals by introducing students to a range of historical case studies and methodologies. | |||
| HISTY301 | Sugar and Spice: Commodities in Global History | 15.0 | 23B (Hamilton) |
| An examination of key commodities that have reshaped diets, economies and societies across the globe since the early modern period. | |||
| HISTY302 | Blood, Land, DNA: Contemporary Indigenous Histories and Archives | 15.0 | 23A (Hamilton) |
| This paper explores critical questions about power, sovereignty, and belonging in contemporary Indigenous history, focusing on Aotearoa, the Pacific, and North America. Students will work with diverse archival sources to develop independent research questions. | |||
| HISTY380 | Special Topic | 15.0 | 23A (Hamilton) |
| This paper introduces students to a specific field of historical enquiry while encouraging the development of professional-level skills in research and presentation. | |||
| INTLC317 | French Culture from Versailles to the Revolution | 15.0 | 23B (Hamilton) |
| A study of France's literary, social, and historical movements from the Golden Age of Versailles through to the Enlightenment and the Revolution it inspired. | |||
500 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Points | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALPSS590 | Directed Study | 30.0 | 23X (Hamilton) |
| This paper allows students from the Division of Arts, Law, Psychology and Social Sciences to undertake research on a specific topic related to their major under the guidance of academic staff. | |||
| HISTY501 | Private Lives in the Archives | 30.0 | 23B (Hamilton) |
| This paper examines how and why the personal lives of individuals are recorded and preserved in archives, and engages with practical, ethical, and intellectual questions about historical research. | |||
| HISTY512 | Environmental History | 30.0 | 23A (Hamilton) |
| Environmental History explores the ways in which human societies, cultures, and economies have imagined and shaped, as well as been shaped by, the natural world across time and place from the development of agriculture to 20th century environmental movements. | |||
| HISTY516 | History and Theory | 30.0 | 23A (Hamilton) |
| This paper prepares students for professional historical practice and higher study through an investigation of relevant historiographical theories and methodologies. | |||
| HISTY591 | Dissertation | 30.0 | 23A (Hamilton), 23B (Hamilton) & 23D (Hamilton) |
| A report on the findings of a theoretical or empirical investigation. | |||
| HISTY592 | Dissertation | 60.0 | 23X (Hamilton) |
| A report on the findings of a theoretical or empirical investigation. | |||
| HISTY593 | History Thesis | 90.0 | 23X (Hamilton) |
| An externally examined piece of written work that reports on the findings of supervised research. | |||
| HISTY594 | History Thesis | 120.0 | 23X (Hamilton) |
| An externally examined piece of written work that reports on the findings of supervised research. | |||
800 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Points | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| HISTY800 | History MPhil Thesis | 120.0 | 23X (Hamilton) |
| No description available. | |||
900 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Points | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| HISTY900 | History PhD Thesis | 120.0 | 23I (Hamilton), 23J (Hamilton), 23K (Hamilton) & 23X (Hamilton) |
| No description available. | |||
Scholarships and prizes
New to Waikato? The International Excellence Scholarship is worth up to $10,000.
Visit our Scholarship Finder for information about possible scholarships
Graduate study options
Expand to see graduate study options
Potential PhD, MA or Honours Dissertation Candidates
All potential PhD, MA or Honours dissertation candidates must contact a current History staff member to discuss their Honours, MA or PhD dissertation topic before enrolling.
Staff may already have full supervision workloads or be away on research leave, so the sooner candidates contact staff the better. Potential candidates who wish to enrol in an Honours 591, MA programme or PhD thesis should take time to check whether current staff are available and have expertise in their chosen preferred topics.
Subject links
Subject Requirements
For more information about subject requirements please refer to the Catalogue of Papers for the most up to date information.
For more information about subject requirements please refer to the Catalogue of Papers for the most up to date information. If you have any questions and need more advice contact one of our friendly student advisors phone:
Please note: For all graduate subject requirements check the information provided in the Graduate Study Options section above.
Contacts
School of Social Sciences
Phone: 0800 800 145 or +64 7 838 4030
General and Undergraduate Email Enquiries: [email protected]
Graduate and Postgraduate Email Enquiries: [email protected]