Students come to the UT History department for a wide range of reasons.  Some are curious about the origins of their families, hometowns, or religious and cultural traditions, while others want to learn more about the current state of the world—how it came to be the way it is today. 

Still others like to read about the grand sweep of human history, with all its attendant drama driven not only by fascinating individuals and big ideas, but also by the choices of ordinary people and the imperatives of everyday life.