Student Organizations
Get Involved in History!
There are great opportunities to get involved while you're a student in history, including events, clubs, collaboration research projects with faculty, study abroad, career-building opportunities, and more.
Undergraduate Student Associations
The Department of History has a lively and dynamic community of undergraduate majors and minors who participate in one or both of two student organizations, the undergraduate History Student Association and Phi Alpha Theta, the professional society for undergraduate students of history. Check them out and get involved!
History Student Association (HSA) members are students majoring or minoring in History or History Teaching. Follow HSA on instagram @uofu_hsa to stay up to date on events and socials.
2024-25 HSA President
Hannah Salas
HSA organizes a number of yearly events in conjunction with the History Department. Some of these are:
- The Futures in History Social
- The History Halloween Cemetery Stroll
- Monthly Faculty-Student History Socials
- The Annual Book Sale
- Book Club
- Movie Nights
Membership in HSA fosters countless skills such as networking, teamwork, leadership, and organization. To join HSA, please fill out the HSA Membership Form and email it to: shavauna.munster@utah.edu or deliver it to: CTIHB 310. Paper copies of the form are available in CTIHB 310.
Phi Alpha Theta (www.pat-ar.org) is a professional society whose mission is to promote the study of history through research, good teaching, publication, and the exchange of learning and ideas among historians. They seek to bring students, teachers and writers of history together for intellectual and social exchanges, which promote and assist historical research and publication by our members in a variety of ways.
With over 700 chapters across all 50 states, and with nearly a quarter of a million members since its founding in 1921, initiates become part of a large and well-connected organization. In addition to networking opportunities there are also several potential financial and career benefits. Phi Alpha Theta awards nine scholarships annually and gives several cash awards for both graduate and undergraduate papers. There are numerous financial incentives and rewards for work in an historical field after graduation. Perhaps most prominently: members enjoy 'fast track' status in the civil service hiring process. Membership Phi Alpha Theta also includes both an official certificate and a subscription to the Society’s official quarterly journal, The Historian.
Once initiated into the honor society, membership and its benefits are life-long. Perhaps the most important benefit for the majority of students is national and regional conferences that bring together faculty, students, and outstanding historians from across the spectrum of historical inquiry. These conferences offer students the enriching experience of sharing their work in a supportive atmosphere. Conferences also bring the opportunity to meet students from other institutions who share similar goals and interests. Whether you are a relatively new undergraduate student or someone who is well along in their academic career, if you are a serious scholar with a love of history we encourage you to consider membership in Phi Alpha Theta.
Membership in Phi Alpha Theta requires 12 hours college of level history, a 3.0 overall GPA, a 3.1 GPA in history courses, and a $50.00 initiation fee (subject to change). If you are interested in joining the local chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, please stop by Department of History to fill out a membership form or print the application form and deliver it to the Department with your membership fee.
All questions related to Phi Alpha Theta and HSA can be directed to our faculty advisor, Professor Rachel Mason Dentinger.
