History - Lewis & Clark College Quick Links Apply Visit Alumni Library Giving The Source Newsroom Majors Art (Studio) Art History Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Biology Chemistry Classics Computer Science Computer Science and Mathematics Data Science Economics English Environmental Studies French Studies German Studies Hispanic Studies History International Affairs Mathematics Music Philosophy Physics Political Science Psychology Religious Studies Rhetoric and Media Studies Sociology and Anthropology Student-Designed Major Theatre World Languages Minors Art and Art History Artificial Intelligence Asian Studies Chemistry Chinese Classics Computer Science Cybersecurity Dance Data Science Earth System Science Economics Education English Entrepreneurial Leadership and Innovation Environmental Studies Ethnic Studies French Studies Gender Studies German Studies Health Studies Hispanic Studies History Japanese Latin American and Latino Studies Law and Policy Mathematics Middle East and North African Studies Music Neuroscience Philosophy Physics Political Economy Political Science Religious Studies Rhetoric and Media Studies Russian Theatre
Reiko Hillyer, associate professor of history, teaches her popular Crime and Punishment course at the Columbia River Correctional Institution in Northeast Portland.
Home / Academics / History History Historians study the past as a way to make sense of the present. Both in and out of the classroom, our faculty will work with you to discover and interpret historical materials with rigor and insight, allowing you to draw well-reasoned conclusions of your own. You will earn a bachelor’s degree in history while gaining expertise in writing, researching, critical analysis, and public speaking. Majors Art (Studio) Art History Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Biology Chemistry Classics Computer Science Computer Science and Mathematics Data Science Economics English Environmental Studies French Studies German Studies Hispanic Studies History International Affairs Mathematics Music Philosophy Physics Political Science Psychology Religious Studies Rhetoric and Media Studies Sociology and Anthropology Student-Designed Major Theatre World Languages Minors Art and Art History Artificial Intelligence Asian Studies Chemistry Chinese Classics Computer Science Cybersecurity Dance Data Science Earth System Science Economics Education English Entrepreneurial Leadership and Innovation Environmental Studies Ethnic Studies French Studies Gender Studies German Studies Health Studies Hispanic Studies History Japanese Latin American and Latino Studies Law and Policy Mathematics Middle East and North African Studies Music Neuroscience Philosophy Physics Political Economy Political Science Religious Studies Rhetoric and Media Studies Russian Theatre Why Choose a Degree in History? We believe research is not just the collection of evidence, but a process of discovery that challenges us to question our assumptions and critically assess those made by others. You will become a historian in your own right, producing theses supported by the kind of intensive research, critical analysis, and careful writing that prepare you for a career in a wide array of fields, ranging from library management to foreign service, journalism to teaching. Apply Visit What You’ll Study We offer a major and minor. Our curriculum is global in scope, inviting students to compare the traditions of various cultures and countries.Our courses push students to develop sophisticated knowledge of the modern and premodern history of regions including the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Moreover, our emphasis on research and writing equips our students with skills appropriate to a wide range of pursuits. We also believe in collaborating with students on research projects—whether through classes during the academic year, a paid humanities research summer program, or both—and helping them find and secure internships or practica in Portland and beyond. Credit has been awarded for mentored work in such places as the Oregon Historical Society, the Nikkei Legacy Center, Oregon Public Broadcasting, Oregon Humanities, and Oregon Health & Science University. Many of our students earn course credit while on an overseas program. In addition to general cultural programs that are open to all students, the England humanities program and the Greece program enable students to study the rich history and culture of these places on site. Outside the classroom, our department offers a course at a nearby prison as part of the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program, in which Lewis & Clark students learn alongside minimum-security prisoners. For the Lewis & Clark Oral History Project, students interview alumni, creating recordings that are archived in Watzek Library’s Special Collections. The Throckmorton Lecture brings a renowned historian to campus each year to give a public lecture, visit classes, and have dinner with students. Curriculum Connect With Lewis & Clark! After you hit submit, we will follow up with information about L&C, and you will have the opportunity to share a bit more about yourself. Loading...
Favorite Class
Immigration & Asylum Law with Professor Elliott Young
We were given the opportunity to understand the asylum process in the United States through work with current asylum cases, assisting Professor Young in his role as an expert witness. Not only did I gain better insight into immigration and asylum law in the United States, but I was also able to help actual individuals in a meaningful way.
Historical Materials with Associate Professor Mo Healy
This course is devoted entirely to writing research papers—my favorite thing to do in college—and is notoriously one of the hardest courses at L&C. The final project was a monumental task that involved picking a primary source document and to annotate 100 terms. The whole project was like one big archaeological excavation through books and web sources.
Minor: Middle East and North African Studies (MENA)
Favorite Class
Electronic Music with Jeff Leonard
Jeff shows enthusiasm and commitment to all of his students, those who are involved in music, and those who are taking it as a fun elective. The class teaches you great skills for music production and lets you make professional quality music
I took this class my senior year and I really enjoyed the multidisciplinary approach to a fascinating topic that straddles history, literature, science and belief. I loved learning about medieval and early modern approaches to health and healing.
Immigration and Asylum Law with Professor Elliott Young
We not only learned about the history that has contextualized the current immigration and asylum legislation, but we also learned about real asylum cases and worked to write expert witness statements about those cases throughout the semester.
Perspectives in Environmental Chemistry with Barbara Balko
I have always been fascinated by how the world works, so this was such a great class to dig into the details. We learned about renewable energy, air pollution, mineral extraction, and measures to prevent climate change. This class was also incredibly fun because it was so hands-on both in the classroom and in the lab.
Ancient Cities with Assistant Professor of History Joel Sweek
The class was demanding, but Professor Sweek is a true expert in his field. The class had the kind of academic rigor and seriousness that I’d hoped to find in college. Professor Sweek’s lectures were brilliantly engaging and pushed me to think like a historian. The class left me in awe of the ancient world and inspired me to fully commit to pursuing a history major at L&C.
Complement Your Education With One of These Minors The most popular minors for our history majors are Middle East and North African studies , philosophy , and rhetoric and media studies . What Students Are Saying About Lewis & Clark My favorite class has been Ancient Cities with Professor Joel Sweek. The class had the kind of academic rigor and seriousness that I hoped to find in college, and Professor Sweek’s lectures pushed me to think like a historian. I was left in awe of the ancient world and inspired to declare history as my major. Mateo Kaiser BA ’23 History and international affairs (double) | Political economy | Mountain View, California More about Mateo I believe my summer research with Professor Campion will give me greater insight into what career options may look like for me as a history student. Maddie Selby BA ’25 History | Religious Studies | Portland, Oregon More about Maddie The L&C history major is widely interesting and hard, and I highly suggest it to those who like to read and want to hone writing and analytical skills. Blaise Harrison BA ’25 History | Entrepreneurial Leadership and Innovation | Oakland, California More about Blaise What Can You Do With a Degree in History? Our alumni use their BA in history to pursue a wide range of careers within academia, nonprofits, historical societies, and beyond. While many of our graduates pursue advanced degrees in the field, others apply their critical thinking, research and writing skills, creativity, and literacy to areas other than history. Dedicated Faculty Our expert professors are your expert mentors. You will learn directly from faculty (no graduate assistants here!) that are nationally recognized in their fields of study and who love to work with and learn from their students. Your professors will inspire you to be a thoughtful and passionate participant in a diverse world. Your small classes will support you as you explore new ideas, find your voice, and speak your truth. Our faculty members have been recognized for excellence in teaching and have won some of the country’s most prestigious writing awards. Meet the Professors L&C students are truly engaged in learning and intellectually curious, and they want to make a difference in the world. Professor of History Elliott Young More about Elliott The liberal arts literally refers to freedom. It is a way of learning that never ends and in which the sum is greater than its parts. Dr. Robert B. Pamplin Jr. Associate Professor of History David Campion More about David The liberal arts take students (and professors) outside their academic comfort zones and encourage them to engage the world from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. Professor With Term of Classics and Chair of the Classics Program Gordon Kelly More about Gordon 16% first-generation students at Lewis & Clark College 96% Within six months of graduation, 96% of the Lewis & Clark Class of 2024 was already changing the world through employment (71%), continuing studies (22%), and service work (3%), like the Peace Corps. U.S. News Lewis & Clark is on U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 “Best National Liberal Arts Colleges” list . Top Lewis & Clark earned a spot on Princeton Review’s 2026 “Best Colleges” list . 47 U.S. states represented in our undergraduate student body Invest in Yourself A private liberal arts education is often more affordable than you think . Last year, Lewis & Clark distributed over $74 million in assistance from institutional, federal, state, and private sources. Additionally, we’re so confident that our first-year students will graduate with their bachelor of arts degree in four years that if you don’t, we’ll cover the extra semester of tuition . Find Your People Students produce an annual newsletter, Footnotes , that updates fellow students, alumni, and others about department-related events both on and off campus. Project Runway: Historical Edition is a popular annual event in which student teams design fashion-forward outfits inspired by historical phenomena. Where Lewis & Clark Will Take You I’ve always been interested in public policy, research, and community work, so it’s incredibly rewarding to be working in those fields now. Even more fulfilling is getting to do that work back home. My academic and work experiences in college definitely helped me get to where I am now. Eva Love BA ’19 History More about Eva I began a yearlong student teaching and Masters program in the Bay Area. After that, I began my first year of teaching high school history and have now been teaching for four years. Hannah Exler BA ’18 History | West Lake Village, California More about Hannah Lewis & Clark prepared me to think critically, engage meaningfully with my peers, and fostered my love of historical research which led me to my career path in Special Collections and Archives. Zoë Maughan BA ’19 History | Gender Studies More about Zoë History Events April 24 Music Colloquium: Dr. Kerry McCarthy Life as a professional singer in 16th-century England involved a lot of travel, and this talk explores what that looked like in the everyday lives of musicians. May 13 4 at 5 Lecture Series Featuring Pamplin Professor Emeritus Stephen Dow Beckham – The Pig War and Series Closing Reception Join us for the 4 at 5 Lecture Series Featuring Pamplin Professor Emeritus Stephen Dow Beckham , an exciting collection of four history lectures presented at 5:00 P.M. the second Wednesday of each month. This series offers an historical deep dive into people and events associated with a variety of geographical regions with the aim of bringing our community together from across the nation to embark on a journey of discovery, bridging the past and present through the expert guidance of one of our institution’s most cherished academic luminaries. Featured News Ethnic Studies and Gender Studies Teach-In Read the story More News and Events → Reiko Hillyer Professor of History and Department Chair rhillyer@lclark.edu 503-768-7407 Admissions Academics Financial Aid Alumni
