Everything has a history. From a national constitution to modern consumer culture, from the rise of empires to global environmental crises, from the human species to your family: history interrogates the forces that have made the world in which you live. It helps you to understand the present by understanding the past. Beyond exploring societies of years gone by, history teaches students how to investigate the more abstract elements of studies of the past by questioning how history has been produced, and how it informs our approach to the challenges of the future.

History and Classical Studies at ANU encompasses History (North American history; Australian history; biography; British history; and European history), as well as Classical Studies (the history, culture, literature, and languages of Ancient Greece and Rome). History at ANU explores the evolution of modern nations including Australia, the United States, Asia and Europe, tracing themes such as empire, terrorism, revolution, war, gender, race, technology and the environment. Classical Studies explores topics such as Greek and Roman mythology, politics, imperialism, gender, slavery, material culture, religion, and memory, allowing students to engage with the fascinating and complicated societies of Greece and Rome and their impact on the contemporary world. Students can also study Ancient Greek and Latin at all levels, from beginner's to advanced.

Check the School of History website for more information on the faculty, research, projects, latest news, upcoming events and more.

*QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025

^Times Higher Education - Global University Employability Ranking 2025