Harvard University Department of History

The Department of History at Harvard University (also known as the Harvard History Department)[2] is a department of history located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. The school offers bachelor's degrees in history, master's degrees in history, doctorate degrees in history, and a certificate in digital history.[3] The department ranks as one of the top history departments in the United States and the world.

Harvard University Department of History
Academic staff
approx. 50 professors
Students150-200 undergraduates and 100-130 graduate students[1]
Location
Cambridge
,
Massachusetts
,
United States
Websitehistory.fas.harvard.edu

Academics

The Harvard University Department of History is home to some of the world's leading and most renowned scholars in history. The department focuses on multiple areas within history "including social life, the economy, culture, thought, and politics. Students of history study individuals, groups, communities, and nations from every imaginable perspective."[4] The department also runs the History of Science program, which "deals with important questions about the rise and impact of science, medicine, and technology, both east and west, and at all periods, including the very recent past."[5]

Undergraduate students can concentrate in history and receive an A.B. degree. Students are also able to take courses in joint-degree programs, including the Joint Concentration in Ancient History (Greek and Roman), the Joint Concentration in East Asian History, and the Joint Concentration in Near Eastern History.

Graduate students can work towards a M.A. or Ph.D. in history. Students may also work towards a joint J.D. / Ph.D. degree.[6]

The department is affiliated with a number of research centers and programs at Harvard, including:[7]

Harvard and Slavery

The Harvard and Slavery initiative was established in 2006 in order to recognize and "research the historical connections between Harvard University and slavery". The program began as Harvard and Slavery: Seeking a Forgotten History, which summarized undergraduate research linking the history of slavery to local history. According to professor of history Sven Beckert, "We want to inspire others to dig deeper into this history, but even more so we want to encourage a broader debate on what this history means for us today."[8] A report on the findings of this research (Full Report of the Findings of History 84G) was subsequently published in 2011.[9] They found that Harvard was supported by donations from a slave-based economy, affiliated with scholars who promoted ideas of scientific racism, and hired professors and students who owned slaves.[10]

In 2016, then Harvard University President Drew Gilpin Faust and Congressman John Lewis unveiled a plaque dedicated to the memory of four enslaved people, Titus, Venus, Bilhah, and Juba, who worked at the university.[11] Scholars described this ceremony as an important step in recognizing the historic legacy of slavery.[12] In 2017, a memorial was built at Harvard Law School to honor “the enslaved whose labor created wealth that made possible the founding of the Harvard Law School."[13] The next University President, Lawrence S. Bacow, announced another $5 million would be invested to continue investigating Harvard's ties to slavery, led by Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study Dean Tomiko Brown-Nagin.[14]

Rankings

The Department of History is frequently cited as one of the premier institutions for the study of history.[15][16] U.S. News & World Report ranks the department at #4.[17] According to the QS World University rankings in history, Harvard has consistently ranked first among history faculties worldwide from 2020 to 2023.[18]

Notable faculty

References
  1. "About the Department". Harvard History Department. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
  2. "Harvard University - History Department". History.fas.harvard.edu. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  3. "Digital History at Harvard". History.fas.harvard.edu.
  4. "Undergraduate Program". History.fas.harvard.edu. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  5. "About History of Science & Science Studies". History.fas.harvard.edu. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  6. "Graduate Program". History.fas.harvard.edu. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  7. "Affiliated Programs & Centers". History.fas.harvard.edu. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  8. "About". Harvard and Slavery.
  9. "Full Report of the Findings of History 84G" (PDF). Harvard and Slavery.
  10. "Harvard Must Acknowledge and Address Its History". The Crimson.
  11. Walsh, Colleen (28 February 2017). "Understanding Harvard's ties to slavery". The Harvard Gazette.
  12. Kilson, Kashann. "Harvard's Slave Legacy Admission Is a Step Forward in the History Department". Inverse.
  13. "Examining the History and Legacy of Slavery at Harvard". Harvard University.
  14. "Harvard Must Acknowledge and Address Its History". The Crimson.
  15. Benjamin M. Schmidt, Princeton University; Matthew M. Chingos, Harvard University. "Ranking Doctoral Programs by Placement : A New Method" (PDF). People.fas.harvard.edu. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  16. "2019 Best Colleges for History". People.fas.harvard.edu. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  17. "Best History Programs | Top History Schools | US News Best Graduate Schools". Archived from the original on 2017-06-10. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  18. "QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022: History". QS Top Universities. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
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