• A degree in history provides students with the ability to understand the past, as well as to fully engage in the present. The ongoing popularity of history in popular culture, from TV to film to best-selling books, points out the importance of the field. The history department offers degrees in three fields: history, historic preservation and social studies teacher education.

• As a history or historic preservation major at Southeast, you will have outstanding opportunities to gain first-hand experience through internships and practicums in your field, including internships with national, regional and local parks, museums, historic sites, historical societies and government agencies. Examples of student internships include: Jamestown, Mastodon State Historic Site, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Gettysburg National Military Park, Mingo National Wildlife Refuge, Sporting News Archives, Nebraska State Historical Society, Eugene Field House and Toy Museum, and the Missouri Department of Transportation.

• Our ongoing relationships with local and state parks, museums, historical sites and historical societies will help you to develop contacts with expert researchers in their field of study, thus enhancing your networking opportunities and professional knowledge. 

• Southeast’s historic preservation program is one of only a few such programs in the United States. The program is a member of the National Council for Preservation Education.

• As a history or historic preservation major at Southeast, you will be able to gain real-life field experiences by working with the University’s museum as well as its Center for Regional History. The museum includes both prehistoric and historic collections, with special focus on Native American artifacts and Civil War weaponry. The Center for Regional History and Cultural Heritage serves the University and the region through its work in documenting, preserving, and presenting various aspects of local and regional history; architectural trends; archaeology; ethnic and folk traditions. Students who work at the center have the opportunity to work with an interdisciplinary staff of consultants that cooperate with other museums, historical societies and government agencies. 

• A summer field school is offered annually in historic Ste. Genevieve, Mo., giving historic preservation students hands-on field experience with standing structures and historic sites. Authentic 18th and 19th century buildings in the Felix Valle State Historic Site serve as learning laboratories and acquaint students with a broad array of skills and techniques.
  

• Southeast history and historic preservation majors have access to research databases, allowing ample opportunities to conduct research.  In fact, Kent Library houses the Missouri State Records Depository and the Special Collections and Archives which houses documents, photographs, artifacts and oral history interviews from throughout the area. 
  

• History student organizations give you additional opportunities to further your experience and be involved with numerous professional activities, including seminars and conferences, hands-on projects and network opportunities. The student organizations hold monthly meetings and sponsor a variety of events on and off campus. These include guest speakers, panel discussions and field trips to historic sites. 
  

• Students in Southeast’s history and historic preservation programs are exposed to experienced faculty that are recognized for their vast geographical and educational backgrounds as well as their own writing, training, professional affiliations, publications and expertise in a variety of disciplines. Department faculty, the majority of whom hold a doctorate degree,  teach and research in a variety of fields, including United States and local history, Latin America, modern Europe, women’s history, social studies education and historic preservation. These seasoned faculty members have written books, articles and grants, as well as served as assistant curators, supervisors, board members and board presidents for many organizations.

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