The Department of History offers students the opportunity to work intensively in the classroom and with individual faculty to discover the richness and complexity of history. The department emphasizes European history, United States history, and the histories of Africa, Latin America, and China.
Undergraduates begin with general courses, but progress quickly to courses that explore topics in depth and provide experience in researching, analyzing, and writing about the past. Graduate students work independently and with faculty advisers on reading and research in their fields of interest, while departmental seminars bring them together to discuss their research, forging a collegial intellectual culture.
History at Hopkins is both a social scientific and humanistic discipline, and for this reason history courses are coded both "H" (for humanities credit) and "S" (for credit in the social sciences). In practice, students will find that the "hard" side of history (demographic and economic history, and certain aspects of social history as well) mixes quite well with the "soft" side, with its emphasis on cultural and intellectual history.
What can you do with your degree?
The history major offers strong preparation in writing, reading, and the critical analysis of inconsistent information and data. Our graduates find these skills valuable for a variety of careers, including business, law, public service, and teaching.
Related Programs and Centers
- Center for Africana Studies
- Institute for Applied Economics, Global Health, and the Study of Business Enterprise
- Arrighi Center for Global Studies
- Leonard and Helen R. Stulman Program in Jewish Studies
- Program for the Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality
- Program in East Asian Studies
- Program in Latin American Studies