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.
History isn’t just for patriots
"We teach students how to understand the U.S., not to love it — or hate it." Read the Washington Post's article on the importance of teaching students all aspects of history.