This unique program is not a traditional high school history class—you will explore the past and present to see how the study of history is always changing and to understand how history influences the world around us today.

Career Opportunities

  • Documentary Editor
  • Archivist
  • Records Manager
  • Librarian
  • Museum Curator/Guide
  • Lobbyist
  • Tourism Bureau Manager
  • National Park Ranger
  • Paralegal/Legal Assistant
  • Archeologist
  • Congressional Aide 
  • Demographer
  • Foreign Service Officer 
  • Genealogist
  • Peace Corps/Vista worker
  • Intelligence Analyst

Study Format

  • On Campus
  • Online

History Program and Degree Overview

Your learning experience will be greatly enhanced by talented faculty who are engaged in the study of history along with you. 

All of the full-time History Department faculty members hold terminal degrees in the field of history and have numerous years of teaching experience. A liberal arts degree in history can help you recognize the origins and purpose of government, the law, religious beliefs, forms of worship, political choices and ways of living. Through the study of history, you’ll learn how to develop a coherent and sophisticated mental map that orients you to the time, place, and circumstances of your own existence. By analyzing history, you’ll also enhance your critical thinking skills as you search for the relevance and meaning of historical events.

If you major in history at Concordia University Chicago, you will take writing and researching history, senior seminar and history topics courses. You will be required to select one course in American History, European History and Non-Western History.

You may choose from many electives to fulfill degree requirements, including world history, U.S. Women’s History, 20th Century Europe, Illinois history and many more. 

If you are choosing to minor in this program, you can select from a variety of history courses to fulfill requirements. Often, students with a philosophy, education, or political science major choose to minor in history.

For details about required courses and course descriptions, please visit our online catalog.

History Major Opportunities

Concordia has an active chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, the national history honor society.

The society is led by student leaders who plan each semester’s activities. Two or three field trips are scheduled each semester, allowing members to gain exposure to public history through visits to museums in downtown Chicago, architectural tours of the city, a weekend excursion to Springfield and the Abraham Lincoln museum, and trips to Wheaton’s Cantigny Park.

Our location near downtown Chicago gives you an opportunity to experience a diverse and historically rich culture. You will have access to the Chicago History Museum, The Field Museum, Jane Addams-Hull House Museum, Historic Pullman Foundation, Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, as well as numerous historical societies and associations.

Students wishing to broaden their experiences can study in Washington, D.C. through the Lutheran College Washington Semester (LCWS). Participating in this small, personalized program allows you to live, study and intern (for credit) in Washington, D.C. You may also consider enrolling in our study abroad program, in which we partner with universities around the world to offer unique experiences.