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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‘At Notre Dame, a door closes, but many more are opening across Catholic higher ed’
Joanne Pierce, professor of religious studies at College of the Holy Cross and a University of Notre Dame alumna, reflects on the legacy of Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, president emeritus of Notre Dame, in a piece for The Conversation. She writes, …
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College Community Joins Together to Listen, Learn, Converse in Solidarity
For three hours, Rehm Library was standing room only as members of the College community listened intently. The beautiful space in Smith Hall — so often the scene of intellectual discussions, critical thinking, thought-provoking questions, personal reflections, and emotional discernment …
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Holy Cross History Professor to Be Featured on C-SPAN3’s American History TV
A lecture by Edward O’Donnell, associate professor of history at the College of the Holy Cross, will  be featured on C-SPAN3’s American History TV (AHTV) this Saturday, Nov. 8, at 8 p.m. ET. For on-campus viewers, or others in the …