Bachelor in History

Your bachelor’s program begins with a general introduction to history, art history, and archaeology. You will explore the various historical periods: Antiquity, the Middle Ages, the Modern Era, and the Contemporary Era.

Throughout your program, you will learn to master discipline-specific methods (bibliographic methods, historical criticism, analysis of iconographic documents, etc.).

To understand documents from the past and present, you will develop your knowledge of several ancient (Latin, Greek) or modern (English, Dutch, German, etc.) foreign languages.

To understand the human experience, you will also be trained in philosophy, literature, art history, as well as human geography, economics, political science, and law.

It is in Block 3 that you specialize in one of the major periods of history. You select your track of study from among the ancient, medieval, modern, or contemporary periods.

• you are passionate about historical events and their implications for the present;
• you are curious and persistent in finding the documents where information is hidden;
• you express yourself with rigor and precision, both verbally and in writing;
• you have a critical and analytical mind to understand and interpret documents.

Lectures, hands-on exercises, visits to libraries and archives… we do everything we can to help you learn how to analyze and make use of the written and visual records, oral accounts, and artifacts left to us by our ancestors.

Technical Courses

Technical courses (heuristics, bibliography, paleography, etc.) always include a practical component: you are therefore constantly assessing your understanding of the subject matter and the quality of your study methods. Individual interactions with professors and teaching assistants help you make progress.

Introduction to Historical Research

From the start of the bachelor’s program, you are trained in the methodology of historical research and engage with sources and documents.

How do you interpret, analyze, and make use of written documents, audiovisual sources, and landscapes transformed by human activity? How do you find studies or original documentation on a subject?

Throughout the year, you combine these technical courses to address original research questions. You conclude this methodological introduction by writing an academic paper. The Art of Communication

Once their research is complete, historians must share and communicate their findings. You will therefore be trained in the art of communicating orally and in writing, for example by curating an exhibition, creating a guided tour, or producing a podcast, depending on your target audience.

Languages

To understand the traces of the past and the work of modern historians, you will take a Latin course (required) and a second language (of your choice). Beyond the first year, the choice of two languages is generally unrestricted, but it may be influenced by your choice of specialization (Antiquity, Middle Ages, Modern Era, Contemporary Era). Throughout the year, language courses are accompanied by regular assessments.

A week-long immersion in the past

A study trip allows you to explore museums, heritage sites, cities, and historical locations from each period to deepen your knowledge and broaden your horizons.

In the second year, this field week also exposes you to various methods of communicating history (guided tours, audio guides, museum tours, etc.). You build connections with fellow students and lay the groundwork for your future professional network. 

The varied and constantly updated selection of visits helps you put the knowledge gained during class periods into perspective.

Succeeding in a year of university studies involves many challenges. 

To help you overcome them, UNamur supports you in developing your academic, methodological, and interpersonal skills—with the help of many professionals. 

Preparatory courses, personalized assistance…  

Discover the resources available to support your education. 

In the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, a bachelor’s degree in history automatically qualifies you for a master’s degree in history.

During this second cycle, you choose a Master’s program that specifically prepares you for teaching, research, or another professional specialization, such as archival science, library science, or communication.

The objectives of the Master’s in History are to deepen your understanding of methodology and critical analysis in the identification and use of information, and to apply these skills to a specific period (Antiquity, the Middle Ages, the Modern Era, the Contemporary Era) or a specific field of history, with the aim of producing a personal synthesis on a chosen topic (Master’s thesis).

If you wish, you can supplement your studies at UNamur by enrolling in the Bachelor’s program in Art History and Archaeology, for which you will receive numerous course exemptions (including all first-year courses, which are common to the Art History and History programs), allowing you—by adding Art History courses to your second- and third-year History curriculum—to earn this second degree in one additional academic year.