Baseball at Gonzaga College, c.1901. Gonzaga University Archives and Special Collections.

History

What You'll Study

The Department of History offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and four minors: History, Asian History, Latin American History, and History of Race & Ethnic Communities. Courses cover the ancient through modern worlds, consider people from all parts of the globe, and take diverse approaches to understanding the past. Our interdisciplinary offerings, internship opportunities, and award-winning professors prepare students for meaningful and successful futures.

What Can I Do With a History Degree?

A focused study of the past helps you broaden your perceptions of the complexity of the contemporary world and cultivate a subtle understanding of humanity. In addition, history students develop the research, analytical, and communication skills necessary for successful and fulfilling careers.  Gonzaga history students attend graduate school, law school, and volunteer after graduation. Recent graduates have successful careers in:

  • Advertising
  • Archives
  • Armed Forces
  • Editing
  • Education
  • Government
  • Journalism
  • Legal Fields
  • Library Sciences
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Medicine

  • Museums

  • Non-Profit

  • Politics
  • Publishing
  • Research
  • Sales
Two Gonzaga History students stand next to a colorful Expo ’74 Legacy banner at Spokane’s Riverfront Park during the 50th anniversary celebration. Banner features iconic fair imagery including flags and pavilion design, highlighting the History Department’s donor-supported Reader’s Theatre project.

History at Gonzaga:
New Issue Available

The newest edition of the Gonzaga History Department Newsletter features student research, faculty scholarship, public history projects, and alumni updates. This issue highlights how historical inquiry at Gonzaga supports deeper understanding of global and local challenges and strengthens student learning across disciplines.

Read the History Newsletter

Alumni Achievements

History Alumna Kori Baker

Kori Baker '94

Alumni Relations Officer, Gonzaga University

Kori’s History degree opened doors in finance and beyond. After three decades in the corporate world, she’s now helping young alumni connect and thrive through Gonzaga’s Alumni Relations Office.

History Alumna Mary Cate Babcock

Mary Cate Babcock '22

Registrar, Cascadia Art Museum

After earning an M.A. in Museum Studies in Ireland, Mary Cate worked at historic sites before returning to Washington as Registrar at Cascadia Art Museum, focusing on Northwest art and history.

Nathaniel Shaffer with Dean Jacquie Van Hoomissen of the Gonzaga University College of Arts and Sciences holding an award at the 2025 Academic Honors and Magis Student Achievement Awards

Nathaniel Shaffer '25

Master’s Student at Harvard Divinity School

Nathaniel is pursuing a Master’s in Theological Studies at Harvard Divinity School, focusing on American history and religions, including U.S. Evangelicalism and Indigenous histories.

Portrait of Bridget Wilson

Gonzaga Students Making History

An internship provides an invaluable learning experience, an opportunity to explore a potential career field, a chance to learn and teach history beyond the classroom, and a vehicle for gaining hands-on experience that will enhance any resume, graduate school application, or law school application, regardless of the nature of the internship itself.

Learn more about how Gonzaga students are making history through internships.

Visit Students Making History

Want to connect with the History Department?

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502 E. Boone Ave.
Spokane, WA 99258
(509) 313-3687
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