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Our Mission

The mission of the Department of History at Purdue is to produce and disseminate historical knowledge and nurture the next generation of scholars and citizens.

  • Historians produce knowledge through research and writing, and Purdue's faculty and graduate students do original research on Indiana, the United States, and the world. 

  • Historians disseminate knowledge to our peers through scholarly publications and presentations, to our students through teaching, and to a wider world through popular writing, textbooks, public lectures, and consulting. 

  • Historians nurture the next generation of scholars by cultivating the interest of undergraduates, training students for careers in research and teaching, and serving as editors and reviewers to professional and grant-funding agencies.

We are deeply involved in educating Purdue students across the university to think critically.  Our courses teach not only what happened in the past but also how the past informs the present.  We offer students opportunities for archival research, archaeological field work, and internships in museums and other settings.  Our award-winning and dynamic teaching sparks the imagination of our students to become responsible, informed citizens and lifelong learners.