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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Forbes Names Burke Magnus ’88 No. 11 on “Most Powerful People in College Sports” list
Answering the question “Who are the most powerful people in college sports?” Forbes released a list of 25 college sport giants. College of the Holy Cross graduate Burke Magnus’88, was No. 11 on the “Most Powerful People in College Sports” …
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Holy Cross Professor to be Featured in CSPAN’s ‘Cities Tour’ of Worcester
The City of Worcester will be featured on C-SPAN’s “Cities Tour” Saturday, Dec. 19 and Sunday, Dec. 20. As part of the “Cities Tour,” C-SPAN travels to mid-size cities across the country and features select history and literary life in …
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The Holy Cross Community Comes Together in the Wake of Violence Around the World
As the world has seen violence in all forms unfold in the past week around the world—from Paris  and Beruit, to Bagdhad and Nigeria—the College of the Holy Cross community has come together to try to make sense of recent …