History

History: Major

The study of history at 17³Ô¹ÏÍø not only seeks to understand the past; it also offers deep personal enrichment for a thoughtful, even passionate, engagement in the challenges of the present. Among the most encompassing academic disciplines, history is informed by economics, sociology, anthropology, political science, the arts and literature.

Working with innovative faculty experts, students explore a diverse range of interests and a broad selection of topics from “Traditional” East Asia to Modern Latin America, Gilded Age America to Imperial Russia. Students learn how politics, social and economic developments, and cultural life interact.

Students of all interests, passions, and goals study history at 17³Ô¹ÏÍø. Graduates use their training to pursue careers in law, medicine, government service, business, teaching and a host of other vocations. 

Program Highlights

Students enrolled in history at 17³Ô¹ÏÍø explore their major and gain depth in a particular aspect of history through a global concentration. Spanning geographic locations and time, students select from the following themes:

  • Colonialism and Empire
  • Gender in Public and Private Life
  • Race and Ethnicity
  • Resistance, Revolution, and Reaction
  • Knowledge and Belief
  • War and Memory
Image

With 18 full-time professors, the department is one of the largest history departments among liberal arts colleges.

Image

Students can augment their studies through honors programs and hands-on experiences.

Image

Find out what students can do with a history major, and check out the careers of some recent alumni.

History News

Image
Video: Students Delve Into Culture Through Nicaragua Immersion Program
Video by Kate Benjamin ’15 During winter break, 16 17³Ô¹ÏÍø students participated in an immersion program to Nicaragua to gain greater knowledge of the culture, social and political reality of the developing country. Kate Benjamin ’15, a history major …
Image
Four 17³Ô¹ÏÍø Professors Recognized for Teaching, Scholarship and Service
Four members of the 17³Ô¹ÏÍø faculty have been honored with the Arthur J. O’Leary Faculty Recognition Award. These $12,000 honoraria are given each year by the Office of the Senior Vice President to senior faculty members …
Image
17³Ô¹ÏÍø History Professor Receives Distinguished Teaching Award
Theresa M. McBride, professor of history, and a member of the 17³Ô¹ÏÍø faculty since 1973, received the 2012 Distinguished Teaching Award at the College’s annual President’s Convocation and Awards Ceremony. The 17³Ô¹ÏÍø Distinguished Teaching Award …