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

From left to right: Xinmeng (Brenda) Duan '22, Claudia Davila '20, Zicong (Chris) Li '21 and Jinze Mi '23.
Students Share What It Was Like Living Through the Pandemic at an Empty Holy Cross
Nearly all Holy Cross alumni have experienced life on a bustling campus, from noisy, packed dining spaces to hilly paths teeming with foot traffic. But when the pandemic forced students to return to their homes last March, a small group …
HC mask. Photo by Avanell Chang
Holy Cross Student Project Documenting the Pandemic Featured on GBH’s ‘In It Together’
Last spring, a group of 12 Holy Cross students launched “COVID Chronicles,” a project seeking to document on- and off-campus life during the pandemic. Under the guidance of history professors Cynthia Hooper and Lorelle Semley, the students gathered information, oral …
SGA Co-Presidents Noah Sisk '21 and Victoria Tara '21 on campus in early 2020.
SGA Co-Presidents Reflect on a Year Unlike Any Other
Noah Sisk ’21 and Victoria Tara ’21 campaigned successfully for co-presidents of the Student Government Association (SGA) with the slogan, “Let’s get real.” Fresh off a semester in Washington, DC, through Holy Cross’ Semester Away Program, the pair used the …