History

History: Major

The study of history at Holy Cross 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 Holy Cross. 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 Holy Cross 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
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Faculty

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

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Opportunities

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

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After Graduation

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

History News

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Holy Cross Professors Recognized for Outstanding Scholarship and Student Advising

Before the faculty of the College of the Holy Cross who were gathered for her spring address, Margaret Freije, provost and dean of the College, presented Mary Louise Marfuggi Faculty Awards ...

Stephanie Yuhl, professor of history
Holy Cross Professor Weighs in on the Life and Legacy of Robert F. Kennedy for Cape Cod Times
“I think the most compelling lesson from Bobby’s [Kennedy] final years is that, through loss and personal suffering, he found the courage to follow his moral compass to articulate for the country a sense of the common good,” said Stephanie …
Stephanie Yuhl, professor of history, pictured here teaching a class in September 2017.
Professor Stephanie Yuhl Participates in WGBH Discussion on 1960s Social Movements
In February, professor of history and social movements expert Stephanie Yuhl participated in a WGBH BostonTalks event titled “The Sixties,” focusing on movements of the 1960s, including rock ‘n’ roll music and women’s activism. Yuhl presented on the portrayal of …