The Centre for History is a key component of the University of the Highlands and Islands and is internationally renowned for its teaching and research in Highland, Scottish and wider-world history. In late 2014, it came fifth in Scotland ('a new entry') in The Guardian league table of top UK university departments at which to study History while, in its first entry to the Research Excellence Framework (REF), it was ranked joint eighth of all History submissions across the UK for 'Impact'.

The Centre, a part of the university's Humanities and Gaelic Subject Network and of the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business, continues to be based at Burghfield House in the cathedral town of Dornoch in Sutherland. Established in 2005, it has attracted external funding of more than £2 million, which has been invested in both teaching and research. UHI’s BA (Hons) Scottish History – launched in 2007 – was an early development, created by a Centre-led team and Centre staff are now in charge of the course’s delivery to a growing body of students.

Joint honours degrees such as History and Politics, launched in September 2009 and Scottish History and Archaeology, launched in September 2011. A BA (Hons) History has been available since September 2013, as are a series of joint degrees with other subject areas, nine in total as of 2014.

In addition to the undergraduate degrees, a fully online MLitt History of the Highlands and Islands was successfully launched in September 2011 and has attracted students in Australia, Canada, Kenya and Romania as well as across the Highlands and Islands, Scotland and the UK. This is one of several taught postgraduate degrees available for part-time and full-time-study by distance learning at the Centre.