{"id":626,"date":"2021-12-06T15:20:15","date_gmt":"2021-12-06T15:20:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cahcms.smca.ucf.edu\/history-draft\/?page_id=626"},"modified":"2025-06-27T00:36:42","modified_gmt":"2025-06-27T04:36:42","slug":"welcome","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/cah.ucf.edu\/history\/welcome\/","title":{"rendered":"Welcome from the Chair"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome to the Department of History at the University of Central Florida!<\/p>\n

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It is my honor and privilege to serve as the Department Chair. I am brand new to UCF and Florida, having moved here from California. As someone who grew up in Pennsylvania, it is great to be back on the East Coast and I am especially excited to be here at UCF. I was a bit of a history nerd kid, who used to play Civil War in the backyard with my brother and sister. We also visited numerous historical sites all over the country, including on our family vacation to see the Mouse in the 1990s (as we stopped at 6 different battlefields and museums before and after Orlando). My research and teaching interests focus on the Civil War Era, especially when it comes to the memory of the conflict and how it has been portrayed in popular culture and media. I have authored a couple of books, including a biography of John Bell Hood<\/a>\u00a0and an exploration of the ramifications of amputation on the South during the Civil War<\/a>. I am currently working on an exploration of Disney and Civil War Memory, especially when it comes to his iconic World\u2019s Fair Attraction, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln<\/em>, which you can still see today at Disneyland.<\/p>\n

So, you may be asking yourself, why should I consider a history degree? History serves as a discipline that provides all the skills that many of the Fortune 500 Companies are seeking in their new employees:\u00a0 critical thinking, working with others, and a grasp of how to write and offer verbal expressions about a vast array of topics. A history degree can lead you to becoming a professional historian. It can also lead you to a career in journalism, teaching, law, archival work, and work in many other corporate industries. In fact, the heads of several companies, from YouTube to American Express to IBM, as well as Martha Stewart, are all History majors<\/a>. Our major allows you to select from a wide range of courses that explore the entire globe across the span of time.<\/p>\n

So, you may be asking yourself, why should I study history at UCF? Well, I am happy to tell you that our outstanding faculty are recognized across the country and around the world for their innovative research and historical exploration. Our faculty have received major grants, edited journals, published books and articles, been interviewed on major radio and television stations, and have delivered lectures to audiences all around the world. More importantly, they are committed and engaged educators, who are primarily here to mentor and showcase their knowledge about the past to you, our students.<\/p>\n

As a student majoring in history, you will have the opportunity to potentially work on research projects in conjunction with our faculty. The Department of History houses the Florida Historical Quarterly<\/a>, the state\u2019s official history journal, and RICHES<\/a>, an interdisciplinary project that documents regional history with innovative technology and methodology. We also support the UCF Community Veterans History Project<\/a>, archeological and spatial projects in Armenia<\/a>, an exploration with the National Cemetery Association in Florida<\/a>, and award-winning documentary filmmaking that explores the forgotten history of Florida<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Our department offers an undergraduate degree in History that can be pursued either face-to-face here at our Orlando campus or online. In 2024, our online history program<\/a> was named the best in the country. This is an honor that reflects our department\u2019s deep commitment to excellence in teaching and learning, research and publication, and service to our university, our community, and our profession. Our department also offers a Master of Arts Degree in History and Public History, as well as supporting several minor fields in a wide variety of interdisciplinary explorations around the world. Please explore our academics tab on this page for more information on our programs.<\/p>\n

Our department has several events that are taking place throughout the year. Please check out our event calendar <\/a>to see the latest on our lectures, conferences, and historical events that are making our campus an exciting place to explore the study of history.<\/p>\n

Please feel free to stop by my office on the Third Floor of Trevor Colburn Hall if you have any questions or want to learn more. The Department\u2019s excellent staff are here to help, and I look forward to meeting you.<\/p>\n

I wish you a great academic year ahead! Go Knights, Charge On!<\/p>\n

Sincerely,<\/p>\n

Dr. Brian Craig Miller (he\/him\/his)<\/p>\n

Professor and Chair of History<\/p>\n\t\t

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