Our Department

Welcome to the Department of History

History encompasses the whole of human experience, helping us understand ourselves in the context of our times and traditions through the study of times and traditions other than our own. History means not only the record of the past but also the discipline of investigating and interpreting the past. The study of history develops habits of critical thinking and effective writing, as well as it cultivates the careful analysis of various types of quantitative and qualitative evidence. It should be of value not only to undergraduates who intend to pursue advanced degrees in the field, but also to students interested in exploring the diversity and complexity of the human past, even as they hone their analytical and expository skills.

Explore the Site

Interested in taking a history class?

Check out our Courses and Curriculum section, including the course directory, past syllabi, and advice on which classes to take based on your experience and interests.

Considering majoring?

Explore our Major and Minor Requirements section to learn about course requirements, history seminars, and the wide range of concentrations offered within the History Department.

Already a major?

Our Student Resources section is full of information for current and past students, whether you're looking for links to related departments, history-related undergraduate journals, or advice on applying to jobs and graduate schools.

Celebrate Barnard History Students' Stories with the History Student Blog!

Barnard College History Department Celebrates the 2021 Public History Projects Produced in the Newest Senior Thesis Seminar Option, “Histories of the Present”!

Barnard College History Department’s newest senior thesis seminar option, “Histories of the Present” track, celebrates the 2020-2021 cohort’s public history projects! This year’s students have produced three types of projects: podcasts, policy briefs, and op-eds. The “Histories of the Present” track was taught by Professor Nara Milanich and Professor Lisa Tiersten and trained students to bring historical analysis to bear on our understanding of the present.

Alumnae Spotlight: Shreya Sunderram on Activism in the High School Classroom

Shreya Sunderram (Barnard, B.A. in Political Science and Urban Teaching Certificate, 2019) currently teaches 9th grade Global History and 12th grade Government and Economics at the Urban Assembly Maker Academy in NYC. In 2018, she founded the inaugural Barnard Bold Conference which facilitates dialogue between students and faculty. BarnardHistoryBlog invites Shreya to share her insights on high school teaching and how history classrooms can be unique spaces of activism to empower and validate diverse experiences.

Student Initiative: Hyphenated Americans Making Hyphenated America

In the summer of 2020, Sophia Houdaigui (B.A. in History, Barnard 2021) and Maria Castillo (B.Sc. in Environmental Science, SEAS 2021) drew from their background as children raised by immigrants and identity as hyphenated Americans to put forth a community resource to unpack immigration policies.Hyphenated America offers short guides and fact sheets that make policies like DACA and family separation easily digestible, a podcast that features experts such as reporters, lawyers, professors, and activists in the immigration field, and a weekly breakdown to bring attention to related news, activists, and organizations.

Barnard College History Student Blog