History

Welcome to the History Department

The History Department provides advanced professional education in preparation for a variety of careers. Traditionally, historians have worked in academic settings as scholars and teachers, or in closely related institutions such as libraries, archives, and museums. Increasingly, however, advanced education in history is being regarded as broad-based humanistic training, equipping students with research capabilities, writing skills, analytical methods, and communications skills that are useful in many fields. The department welcomes students who wish to teach in secondary schools, community colleges, and four-year universities, as well as students who intend to pursue non-teaching careers.

The History Department offers three programs: the MA in History, the MA in History & Archival Studies, and the PhD in History. Faculty members specialize in U.S. and European history while drawing upon faculty in other departments at CGU and throughout The Claremont Colleges, resulting in a faculty equivalent to that of a much larger university. Instruction is carried on in seminars, classes are small, and the favorable student-faculty ratio allows for a considerable amount of individual attention from professors.

Students in the MA or PhD programs may choose one of the following interdisciplinary concentrations: American Studies, Early Modern Studies, European Studies, Hemispheric & Transnational Studies, Media Studies, or Museum Studies. Students work with faculty advisors in planning their course of study. The department encourages breadth of study irrespective of a student’s major field, including transdisciplinary work.

The shared resources of The Claremont Colleges and broader Los Angeles community give our graduate students a competitive advantage to those at other schools. Housing more than 2 million volumes, the Libraries of The Claremont Colleges provide excellent research facilities and resources. The Huntington Library, one of the world’s finest research libraries for English and American history, is in nearby San Marino.

In the spring of 2024, university administrators at campuses across the United States called on local and state police forces to deal with protestors on university campuses. The American History Association (AHA) issued a statement urging everyone involved to learn from history and avoid the often predictable escalation that comes with the use of police to deal with student protests. As a department, we express our support and agreement with the AHA’s position on the rights of students, faculty, and staff to gather, speak, debate, and protest. The full AHA statement can be viewed here: https://www.historians.org/news-and-advocacy/aha-advocacy/aha-statement-on-2024-campus-protests-(may-2024)

Chair: Joshua Goode
143 East Tenth St • Claremont, CA 91711 • 909-607-9327