Program overview
History may sound ancient, but it's actually very much alive. Simply put, it's the study of what humans have done in the past—from emperors and generals to ordinary people, from wars and revolutions to daily life. You'll learn how to find historical sources, judge their authenticity, and tell a compelling story. Core courses include General History of China, General History of the World, Introduction to Historiography, Introduction to Archaeology, and Historical Philology. If you love reading, enjoy pondering "why," and are curious about different cultures, this major will suit you well. Chinese universities have unique advantages in history: for example, Peking University, Fudan University, and Nanjing University have strong teams in Chinese and world history; Beijing Normal University and East China Normal University are solid in history education; while Shaanxi Normal University and Northwest University have rich resources in Silk Road and frontier history studies. In addition, China has numerous museums and archaeological sites, and many universities take students on field trips or even involve them in excavations—this kind of "hands-on history" learning opportunity is not always available in other countries.