In addition to the coursework that makes up the History and American Studies Majors, our students have a variety of other academic opportunities available to them during their time at Saint Anselm. Our students’ readiness for a job after graduation comes from their course work and other experiences on campus, including internships, research projects, public presentations, or study abroad.

Many of our students choose to complete internships through the History Department. These internships, which help students find their passions within the field of history, have included work at local museums, historic organizations, and state offices. Internships also give students real-world skills and experiences that can translate into job opportunities and professional success. Students in the History Department also have access to a broad array of other internships through the Career Development Center. Please see our internship page for more information about the internships available through the department, and spotlights on some of students’ experiences.

The History Department also offers many opportunities for students to conduct original historical research. In addition to research-based projects and assignments in our classes, students can participate in collaborative research with our faculty or paid research positions in the History Department. Every student also has the opportunity to write their own History or American Studies thesis exploring a topic of their choice. Please see our student research page for more information including some of our students’ recent research activities.

History department students have access to the full array of study abroad programs offered at Saint Anselm College and the flexibility to pursue them.  The History Department also offers a short-term study abroad trip to Cuba every two years, usually in conjunction with the team-taught Cold War class.

Both History and American Studies majors are eligible for induction into the Saint Anselm chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, the national history honor society. Members of Phi Alpha Theta receive a one-year subscription to The Historian and are eligible to apply for graduate school fellowships. They can also present their research at the Phi Alpha Theta New England Regional Conference. In recent years, several Saint Anselm students have won “best paper” awards at these conferences. To be inducted, students need to take four courses in history, maintaining a 3.1 grade point average or above.

Each year, the History Department recognizes a senior who has achieved academic excellence in the history major, shown a deep interest in multiple fields of history, and engaged in thoughtful discussion of history both within and outside the classroom. Click here for a list of recent award winners. Many of our recent recipients have been featured on the History Department Blog One Thing After Another. Click the link to their respective blog posts to learn more about them!