We are a community of research and teaching faculty, staff, sessional instructors, graduate students, and undergraduates dedicated to understanding and explaining how and why things change. We study the history of places from British Columbia to Africa, China, and beyond; we analyze events from thousands of years ago through to the present day. We write books and articles and build archives of original historical sources. We study everything that humans do, from politics to sexuality to religion to work to war to social movements to science and beyond. Studying history lets us make sense of a complex and changing world; it gives us the tools to dig out the truths beyond the headlines and the sound bites and the simple answers. By understanding the past, we bring hidden perspectives to the present, and shape the future.

We teach our students to practice empathy toward people in the context of their unique historical moments, while emphasizing excellent writing, critical reading, and lively discussion. History students at SFU write theses based on research in field sites around the globe, drawing from a diverse array of sources and methods, including archival research and oral history interviews. After graduating, they go on to successful careers in politics, journalism, social justice, education, business, and more.

You can find us on the sixth floor of the Academic Quadrangle and in classrooms at SFU's Burnaby campus, which is located on the ancestral, traditional, and unceded territories of the Tseil-Waututh, Kwiketlem, Squamish, and Musqueam Nations. We look forward to meeting and learning with you in our classes, lectures, and at public events.