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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107 Holy Cross Students Conduct Original Research Across Disciplines This Summer
This summer, 107 Holy Cross students conducted original, cutting-edge research through the Weiss Summer Research Program: 71 students in the natural sciences; 30 in the humanities, social sciences, and fine arts; and six in economics. The far-ranging research projects gave …
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Holy Cross Student Interning at NBC Nightly News Reports: ‘Has It Ever Been This Bad With North Korea? Yes, Actually’
During a summer internship with NBC Nightly News — and while national tensions are running high between the United States and North Korea — James O’Connor ’18 reports that this hostility is nothing new, in an article he wrote for …
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Holy Cross Bids Farewell to Three Beloved Faculty Members
As the campus tipped its hat to the class of 2017, it also bid farewell to three faculty members who retired at the end of the academic year: Blaise Nagy, Karen Turner and Helen Whall. These faculty members, who have …