Travel Courses in the Department of History
Discover study abroad and study USA opportunities designed to expand your learning experiences beyond the classroom.
Expand Your Horizons with Study USA and Study Abroad
The Department of History offers many opportunities for students interested in broadening their horizons via travel and study both inside and outside the United States.
The locations and courses chosen for these excursions grant our students a more holistic view of the field of history beyond our classrooms on campus.
Students who enroll in a CLA-faculty led study abroad or Study USA course may be eligible for a Brooks Family Travel Scholarship from the College of Liberal Arts.
Study USA
Go beyond textbooks and lecture halls. Study USA’s travel courses combine academic learning with hands-on, real world experiences. Every class maximizes its unique location with immersive activities.
You’ll earn academic credit, apply what you’re learning directly to your surroundings, and engage in lively class experiences—all guided by Ole Miss faculty.
For opportunities away from the University of Mississippi but within the United States, visit the Study USA office.
Study History in Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland
On Hallowed Ground: War and Memory on Civil War Battlefields
Spend a week following the movements of Civil War armies, walking some of the war's most significant battlefields, and considering the conflict's legacies for the present.
What You'll Learn
• How Civil War soldiers lived and fought.
• Military tactics and strategy that shaped the war and how these translated to the battlefield.
• How civilians endured and experienced the Civil War.
• How Americans remember the Civil War through the creation of National Military Parks and the establishment of Civil War monuments.
For more information about this (May) Summer Intersession course contact Dr. Robert Colby.
Arlington National Cemetery
Grave stones at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington DC at sunset.
Petersburg National Battlefield
Three cannons known as "brass Napoleons" stand within the ramparts of Fort Stedman, an important Union position in the siege lines at Petersburg National Military Park in Petersburg, Virginia. The fort's garrison was involved in a major battle in early spring 1865, during the American Civil War.
The U.S. Capitol
Ford's Theatre
Engraving from 1886 showing John Wilkes Booth assassinating President Lincoln.
Antietam National Battlefield
Manassas, VA - The Sunken Road, known as Bloody Lane, saw some of the fiercest fighting between Union and Confederate forces at the Battle of Antietam.
Manassas National Battlefield Park
Study History in Salem and Boston, Massachusetts
Salem Witch Trials
Spend 6 days between Boston and Salem, MA studying one of the most famous and mythologized events from early American history: the Salem Witch Trials.
What You'll Do
• Learn the European foundations of with trials, and the New England context for the period.
• Travel to Boston and Salem to make site visits to better understand the “little communities” that made up Massachusetts Bay Colony, and colonial New England as a whole.
• Tour historic site such as Plimoth Plantation, Boston Common, the House of Seven Gables, the North End, and Copp’s Hill Burying Ground.
• Visit sites with direct ties to the Witch Trials, such as Balch House, Hale Farm, and Johnathan Corwin’s home.
• Understand how different historians have interpreted the fascinating historical puzzle of the Salem Witch Trials.
Rebecca Nurse Homestead 1678
The Rebecca Nurse Homestead sits on over 25 acres of an original 300 acre estate occupied by Rebecca Nurse and her family from 1678-1798. The property holds the traditional saltbox home lived in by the Nurse family. This is the only home of a person executed during the trials open to the public.
Copp's Hill Burying Ground
Copp's Hill Burying Ground cemetery in Boston Massachusetts USA.
The Jonathan Corwin House, known locally as The Witch House in Salem, Massachusetts, USA
Probably from 1642, now a museum, it is the only structure still standing in Salem with direct ties to the witch trials of 1692.
Plimoth Plantation
Plimoth Plantation is a living museum in Plymouth, Massachusetts that shows the original settlement of the Plymouth Colony established in the 17th century by English colonists, some of whom later became known as Pilgrims.
House of Seven Gables
Salem, MA, USA - The House of the Seven Gables is one of the oldest houses in the United States, the subject of a famous book by Nathaniel Hawthorne, and a well-known tourist attraction.
More Course Opportunities
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WRIT 398 / MUSE 360: Justice Made of Stone: Public Memory, Memorials, and Memorial Museums
A Full Spring course with one week of travel over Spring Break to Montgomery, AL. Connect the rich historical context of Montgomery to larger conversations about memory and rhetoric.
Justice Made of Stone: Public Memory, Memorials, and Memorial Museums -
POL 391: Applied Politics
Spend 5 days in Washington, D.C. learning about applied politics as it relates to political campaigns and elections.
Washington, D.C.: Applied Politics -
SST 598: From Field to Fork in New Orleans
Discuss the study of food, and the connections between food and place. Consider and critique narratives of Southern food and Creole/Cajun food. Visit Whitney Plantation to experience a connection to the enslaved population of the American South and their impact on Southern foodways. Tour the Crescent City Farmers Market to get closer to the source of food. Take a cooking class and prepare a meal at the New Orleans School of Cooking. Explore the Southern Food and Beverage Museum.
New Orleans, LA: From Field to Fork in New Orleans -
ANTH 337 / AAS 337: Anthropology of the Blues
Explore the Blues as a genre with a glorious past that continues to evolve today. Use the Blues as a reflection of wider societal values and political conditions. Study the organizational, technological, and economic forces that have shaped the Blues as a commodity. Examine how the Blues reflects broader attitudes about religion, politics, and sexuality.
Clarksdale, MS: Anthropology of the Blues
Study Abroad
Studying abroad is a life-changing experience. You'll broaden your horizons, meet new people, and enhance your academic experience in a unique way. Our Study Abroad office is dedicated to making sure you have this opportunity. Our staff will be your support system as you learn and grow in your home away from home.
With 1,136 programs in 80 countries, you're sure to find the right destination. And we're here to guide you along the way. Contact Professor Josh First (jfirst@olemiss.edu) for more information about study abroad.
Applications for study outside the USA are available from the University of Mississippi Study Abroad office.
Study Abroad in Switzerland
“I studied abroad in Fribourg Switzerland for five months this spring. I was able to see many fantastic historical sights such as Pompeii, the Berliner Dom and countless other beautiful cathedrals. I was even able to stay in a Benedictine Monastery of Einsiedeln over Easter break which gave me a much better understanding of the monastic life I have learned about in class and helped my German greatly due to speaking it and hearing service in German while there. My favorite place I visited was Pompeii due to its historical significance, but my personal favorite was likely the town of Thun because of its beauty."
Griffin O'Neil
Expand Your Horizons
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Students interested in Foreign Policy
Study international cooperation in Vienna and learn about how intergovernmental organizations facilitate progress and relations in areas such as governance, cultural exchange, and diplomacy. Participants will be given unprecedented access to the United Nations Office at Vienna, where they'll observe proceedings and visit with diplomatic and IGO officials. You'll also have a a full slate of enriching cultural excursions that will help you to better understand the rich heritage of Austria's capital.
Study Abroad in Switzerland and Austria: Swords into Plowshares: International Organizations and Security Politics -
Students interested in African History
The purpose of this course is to examine the Rwandan genocide through the eyes of those who participated in it with a particular focus on the survivors and their recovery. Specifically, we will identify what contributed to the genocide occurring as well as the subsequent peace, community well-being, and ultimately social and individual healing and restoration that has emerged in the years since the genocide in 1994. Within these topics, we will highlight the processes of forgiveness, hope, and resilience required for constructive reconciliation and community well-being. We consider these topics from individual and collective perspectives.
Study Abroad in Rwanda: Forgiveness, Reconciliation, and Peace Education -
Students interested in European History
In this course, we will tour gardens in and around Paris, visit museums, and discuss readings to help us situate these green spaces in their historical context. We will also learn about the current work of environmental organizations in the Paris region and will participate in a green volunteer project.
Study Abroad in Paris: Green Paris, Past and Present
Study Abroad in England
“The most rewarding part of my study abroad experience was being able to meet people from all across the world, and the ability to explore some of the more historic sites in Western History."
Ellen Simmons
B.A. in History, '19