History is the study of how and why the past has meaning in the present.
History moves like tectonic plates: both imperceptibly, and with astonishing ruptures. What counts as historical truth in a world of 'fake news' and 'alternative facts'? Studying history provides students with a deep sense of the ways time has shaped today's complex world, and the intellectual tools to tackle an appealing array of professional and career challenges.
2026 Michael King Memorial Lecture
We are delighted to announce our 2026 Michael King Memorial Lecture, “The storyteller’s challenge: Making the pre-colonial and colonial past resonate today”, to be delivered by Dr Monty Soutar ONZM.
Public lecture
Date: Wednesday, 23 September 2026
Time: 5:30pm–7:00pm
Venue: Burns 1 Lecture Theatre, Arts Building
In 2021 Monty was awarded the Creative New Zealand Michael King Writer’s Fellowship to write the Kāwai series. He has published two books in the series. For Such a Time as This was published in 2022 and Tree of Nourishment was released in 2024. Both novels went straight to number one on the NZ fiction bestsellers list. He is presently working on the third book in the series, Scent of Water.
Career opportunities
History graduates enter a wide range of professions, including government service, industry, all levels of teaching, journalism, broadcasting, museum and library work. Our graduates have the ability to collect and analyse data and write clear, coherent and balanced assessments, together with the ability to think independently, flexibly and objectively. As artificial intelligence takes over much mundane work, these unique 'humanities' skills are increasingly sought after by high-quality employers.
We specialise in the histories of New Zealand, the Pacific, Asia, Europe, Britain and Ireland, and North America.
Qualifications
Postgraduate and research
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Contact us
- Address
- 2nd Floor Arts 1 (Burns) Building
History programme
University of Otago
PO Box 56
Dunedin 9054
New Zealand - Tel
- +64 3 479 8606
- history@otago.ac.nz