Welcome to the History Department! We house two majors (History and American Studies) as well as four minors (History, American Studies, Asian Studies, and Latin American Studies). To support these majors and minors, we offer a diverse array of courses—everything from classes about ancient Greece to contemporary America. At the same time, the programs in American Studies, Asian Studies, and Latin American Studies are all interdisciplinary, meaning that students can take courses from a variety of other departments beside History, including Economics and Business, English, Fine Arts, Modern Languages, Philosophy, Politics, Sociology, and Theology. All programs of study offered by the History Department are flexible. Although they must meet well defined requirements, students are allowed to take courses in whatever order they choose. This flexibility allows students to double-major, study abroad, pick up additional minors, and fulfill requirements in the Honors program with ease.

The major and minor courses of study we offer provide excellent preparation for entry into the professional and post-graduate world. The History Department stresses reading, thinking, writing, and speaking. We also offer a large number of opportunities for qualified students to participate in faculty-led research projects. In just the last couple of years, these projects have covered a wide array of topics: the experience of Civil War soldiers from New Hampshire, the nature of law and justice under totalitarian regimes, President Jimmy Carter, the story of student activism at Saint Anselm College during the Vietnam War, the use of pesticides in francophone Africa during the middle of the 20th century, biographies of militant suffragists, the changing role of guns in American society and culture, and the intricacies of royal taxation of church property in 16th-century Spain. The department’s course of study provides majors and minors with high-level analytical skills, a capacity to synthesize large amounts of information, expertise in research, and an ability to present logical arguments in a persuasive fashion. The training we offer students also gives them the tools to understand their world so that they can become better citizens of that world.

A number of our graduates teach while others find history-related positions, such as archivists, curators, and museum staffers. But the great majority of our students go on to work in a wide array of other fields, including law, politics, business, public relations/marketing, law enforcement, healthcare, the military, software, filmmaking, social work, journalism, and the hospitality industry. Our alumni are everywhere, doing every kind of work. Recent surveys of our alumni reveal that 100% of recent graduates are either employed, volunteering, or attending graduate school full-time.

Learn More

  • Internship Information

    The history department encourages its majors to do internships. Internships can help you make informed decisions about your career, form important connections, obtain valuable experiences, and apply your academic knowledge to real world problems. The History Department offers a variety of internships listed below.

    History majors are also encouraged to explore the extensive internship opportunities available through the Internship Office and to seek out internship opportunities on their own.

    Students interested in history department internships, or history credit for Internship Office and self-located internships, must contact Professor Hugh Dubrulle early in the semester PRIOR TO when they wish to do an internship.

  • History Internships

    Lawserve Manchester NH
    LawServe is a global multilingual immigration law firm in Manchester, NH. Interns perform immigration law research, work on client applications, complete translations, correspond with clients, and have opportunities to observe court and jail visits, as well as USCIS interviews.

    Manchester Historic Association
    The MHA collects, preserves, and shares the history of Manchester, NH. Interns have cataloged the photograph collection, done research for upcoming museum exhibits, helped conserve artifacts, and done museum education, publicity, and membership relations.

    New Hampshire Historical Society
    The NHHS is located in Concord, NH and has curatorial, archival, and museum education internships. Interns have researched information for upcoming exhibits, transcribed diaries and letters for web publication, created teaching materials for visiting school groups, and learned curatorial skills related to historic objects.

    Catholic Diocese of Manchester Archives
    The Archives Office exists to collect, preserve, and make available materials related to the Catholic Church of New Hampshire. Interns create inventories and finding aids, do research for publication, and work with art, artifacts, and correspondence. Relevant collections include Catholic war veterans, bishops, clergy, devotions, laity, men and women religious, missions, parishes, priestly formation, and Catholic schools.

    Currier Museum of Art
    The Currier Museum is an internationally renowned art museum in Manchester, NH. Interns have helped catalog new acquisitions, researched material for exhibitions, learned visitor services and fundraising skills, given tours, and worked with school groups.

    Goffstown Main Street Program
    The Goffstown Main Street Program, located 15 minutes from campus, is committed to the promotion, preservation, and economic vitality of the historic business district. Interns work on specific projects geared toward their interests including economic development, historic research, marketing and special events.

    New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
    This branch of the New Hampshire state government focuses on protecting and restoring the environment and preserving public health. Interns work on research, education, and legal projects.

    Saint Anselm College Archives
    The College Archivist takes interns interested in doing research on campus history, or learning archival, records management, and preservation skills. Interns have inventoried collections, provided research for exhibits, and digitization projects.

    Chapel Arts Gallery
    Chapel Arts is the campus art gallery with its own extensive art collection and exhibition space. Interns have helped to curate exhibits, researched art in the collection, learned presentation and museum outreach skills, and written gallery publication text.

  • Internship Spotlights

    Eric Boumil, Class of 2014, Manchester Historic Association
    "My internship at the Manchester Historic Association was both incredibly useful and enjoyable. I loved being able to take part in preserving Manchester's history through cataloging their ever-growing collection of photographs. I feel having that experience working with the photo collection at the Research Center and working with visitor services at the Millyard Museum helped build something that got me to my current job at the Sports Museum in Boston. The staff at the MHA gave me tips on where to look and how to stand out when applying for jobs in the museum field. They also really seemed to care about making sure I was getting what I wanted to get out of my internship. My experience there is something I still reflect upon and talk about with my fellow colleagues in my line of work."

    Sabrina Fahy, Class of 2016, Chapel Art Center
    "While interning with the Chapel Art Center, I worked closely with the curatorial team to complete the various tasks involved in exhibition preparation. Aside from exhibition work, I prepared, manipulated, and managed extensive permanent collection databases. I also took on general museum maintenance responsibilities, including the documentation process for updating, as well as the accession and deaccession of pieces. Various history courses had provided me with the chronological and thematic organization skills, as well as the comprehensive vision needed when working in a museum setting. I then completed two other internships in Boston over the summers. My internship tasks demanded careful research skills, the ability to articulate my research in reports, and the ability to be perceptive of past and future connectedness, all skills I developed in history classes."

    Alexandra Madsen, Class of 2015, Currier Museum of Art
    "At my internship, I created educational teaching tools be used by the Head Educator in docent training sessions for a Smithsonian Museum traveling exhibition. I also developed presentations, learned web archiving, and attended a day long training session on visual thinking strategies. Working in the education department at the Currier altered my graduate school choices, and helped cement my desire to pursue a career as a professor. I am now a graduate student at the University of Texas at Austin working towards my PhD."

    Joseph Donahue, Class of 2013, Upton and Hatfield Law Firm
    "I have had four internships during college to help figure out a career path for myself. My internship with Upton and Hatfield helped me decide whether to go to law school. Among the benefits of a liberal arts education are the development of skills such as critical thinking, analysis, research and communication, all of which are applicable to a variety of careers. I used my internship experience to practically apply these skills in a workplace setting as I was discovering which profession I wished to pursue upon graduation. My internships helped me realize my passion for working in higher education and my desire to work in that particular field. I encourage all students to seek internships during their time as undergrads in order to help them discern what their skills are and how they can best be utilized as they join the workforce. Currently, I am working as an Administrative Assistant for the First Year Experience Program at Boston College."

    Aleesha Griffin, Class of 2014, Manchester Historic Association
    "I loved my internship. It had helped narrow down what type of museum work I was interested in pursuing. I found the internship to be one of the most valuable experiences I had in college. It not only allowed me to apply my research skills, it also allowed me to explore different career options. It has also been helpful as a talking point on resumes and as a valuable reference in my job search."

katie-muzzy_100x126.jpg

Law School and Activism - Katherine Muzzy, Class of 2015

Katherine (Katie) Muzzy started at Saint Anselm College as a politics major, excited about the opportunities that the New Hampshire Institute of Politics could provide. However, on the first day of freshman orientation she switched her major to American Studies. She explains that the SAC Passages trip that allowed her to explore the history and culture of Gettysburg inspired her to change her major.