Considering The History Major?

Welcome from the Chair of the History Department

History students learn to undertake thorough research, to become effective communicators, and to view the world—past and present—through multiple lenses. Historians are both problem-finders and problem-solvers; they are both methodical and creative, rigorous and flexible. Students often think that studying history is about memorizing facts and dates. While it’s important to get the facts right, studying history at Trinity emphasizes analysis and interpretation.

We refreshed and modernized our major requirements in 2023. Our new requirements encourage students to take a broad range of classes, developing their own thematic concentration as they learn. You can find the major checklist here and the cover sheet for the concentration here.

There are several distinct advantages to studying History at Trinity. First, our faculty expertise spans the globe, and we offer a wide range of courses that can either form their own fascinating course of study or complement other interests in the liberal arts. Second, we have many research resources. The Watkinson Library, in particular, offers opportunities for undergraduates to work with archives and rare books. It’s highly unusual to get hands-on access to such treasures as an undergraduate. Third, the department and Trinity provide many opportunities to support and encourage student research, including history travel funding and summer research fellowships.

History prepares you for a vast range of possible careers. We have majors accepted to top graduate programs in history, but we also have recent graduates working in medicine, law, technology, education, and many other professional fields.

I encourage you to study history at Trinity. Wherever and whenever your historical interest may lie, our department has courses that will appeal to you. Moreover, our mission as scholars and teachers of history is to help you explore and develop those interests in new and increasingly thought-provoking directions.

Professor Jennifer Regan-Lefebvre
Chair of History Department
Professor of History
[email protected]