Department of History Records

The University of Denver has offered history courses are early as 1891 as part of the College of Liberal Arts. At the time, there were no tenured professors in history, but D. T. Wilson served as Associate Professor of History as the only professor in the discipline. By 1912, students could major in History and Sociology, and this is the first recorded year that freshmen were required to take at least one history course. By 1930, students could major in history as well as several interdisciplinary “focuses,” including political science, sociology, and international relations. At this time, history courses were also offered in economics programs.

Five years later, in 1935, David Shaw Duncan, who had served as the Dean of the History Department and the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts since arriving at the university in 1916, was elected Chancellor of the University of Denver. Duncan served as Chancellor until 1940 and passed away several months later in March 1941. He was regarded as “beloved by students and alumni alike as a friend and teacher.”

In 1942, a restructuring of university departments moves the history department to the College of Arts & Sciences, under the Social Sciences Division. By 1944, the first scholarships in history are available.

In 1983, the University celebrated the establishment of a Master of Arts in History & Preservation. This diversified the understanding of the history field and broadened career opportunities for DU graduate students. In 1984, the College of Arts and Sciences under which the history department operated was dissolved. There is no documentation to indicate that the history department was organized under another entity for 34 years.

Moving into the millennium, the study of history became more flexible, more innovative, and more interdisciplinary, and in 2018, the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences was established to unite a variety of departments under one title. This decision served to honor the interdisciplinary nature of history and its ever-changing position within academia. At the same time, CAHSS also launched their Keystone Strategic Plan, which focuses on interdisciplinary, inclusive education in the humanities and social sciences that integrates college with community.