A word from the Chair
By its very nature, history provides access to a whole range of professional possibilities. The study of history promotes a better understanding of the way in which societies work, the factors that bring them together and set them apart, the events that have shaped their development. It is a subject that helps to explain how different political and legal systems came into being and how economic and geographical conditions have determined the way in which countries have developed. It is a discipline that allows us to get to the very heart of the way people and nations think and act. A good background in history is an indispensable condition for a successful career in a variety of areas: law, journalism, administration, teaching, communications, the public and diplomatic services.
A particular interest in social history, North American, and French Canadian history marks the Department of History of the University of Ottawa. However, students may sample almost all types of history and most geographical and chronological areas: intellectual history, social history, political history, economic history, cultural history, medical history, technological history and native history, the history of international relations, the history of women, native peoples and ethnic groups, the history of Canada in general, European history, American history, Chinese history and Latin American history.