Santa Clara’s History Department strives to be a community of scholars in which students and faculty engage in vigorous inquiry to study and understand the past.

This is the product of both interpretation of what others have written about the past and original scholarship that expands the boundaries of historical knowledge. Because history is what the present says about the past, it is continuously undergoing reinterpretation. Examination of the construction of history is therefore at the base of learning and scholarship within the department.

Through an integrated approach to teaching, learning, and scholarship, students will become informed about their own and other cultures in a global context, will develop broadly reflective and analytic skills, and will prepare themselves to be engaged citizens serving their societies.

Three images on red background - qualities of History majors, four students at Preview Day, four students at JHU

Primary Sources

Spring 2023

About Our Program

The major program in history provides students with an understanding of the human experience through the analysis of evidence derived from both the recent and more distant past. As history majors, students learn essential skills, understand the breadth and similarities of the human experience, and acquire specific geographical and thematic knowledge. A degree in history provides excellent preparation for careers in education, journalism, media, government, law, business, and international affairs---all of which are careers that utilize the history major's expertise in discovering, organizing, and analyzing the forces that shape the contemporary world.

Academic Program

Why History?