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History

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History

The Department of History exemplifies Dickinson in the way it covers the world beyond our shores; students may study the regional histories of Africa, East Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East, or they may explore the diversity of American history.  Further, our courses explore a wide variety of approaches that include the history of gender, empires, the environment, medicine, migration, religion, and diplomacy and war in national, comparative, and global contexts.

History majors work closely with the faculty to develop research skills, regularly making use of the rich resources of Dickinsons Archives & Special Collections, the nearby U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center and the Cumberland County Historical Society.  Our newest course to make extensive use of such resources is History 205, Public History, which teaches students about the ways history can be put to work in the world and made relevant and useful in the public sphere.

Contact Info

Chair

Karl QuallsProfessor of History

Department Coordinator

Madeline BrownAcademic Department Coordinator

Phone

717-245-1521

Fax

717-245-1479

Location

219B, Denny Hall Mailing Address

Department Features


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Study Abroad
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Current Courses
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Research Opportunities

Student Outcomes

Where Our Students Go From Here

Jobs:

  • United Way of the Midlands
  • JET Program
  • Cushman & Wakefield
  • Temple University
  • Archaeological Testing and Consulting
  • Smithsonian Institution
  • Peace Corps
  • The Fulbright Program
  • USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
  • Hudson Legal Group
  • SITE Program Lombardia
  • Microsoft Corporation
  • The Democracy Collaborative
  • National Consumer Law Center

Graduate Schools:

  • Yale Law
  • New York University
  • University of Pennsylvania
  • University of Connecticut
  • Columbia University
  • University of Massachusetts
  • George Washington University
  • George Mason University
  • University of Virginia
  • Harvard University
  • Fordham University
  • Georgetown University Law
  • Tufts University
  • USC
  • Johns Hopkins University
  • City University London
Where Students Have Interned
  • Breakthrough Collaborative
  • Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Organization
  • National Museum of American History
  • National Museum of the American Indian
  • National Postal Museum
  • Port Jefferson Historical Society
  • U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center
  • U.S. Army War College - Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute
  • Dickinson College House Divided project
  • Dickinson College Archives & Special Collections
  • U.S Army Heritage & Education Center
  • Art Institute of Chicago

Student Perspective

"The opportunity to mingle with professors and students within the department no matter what concentration or focus you are interested in. The history department really fosters an amazing community of colleagues and students who are there to support one another and bond over our shared love for history."

— Kaileigh McNellis '23


History News

All News Department News
Beneath the News Cycle

Beneath the News Cycle

Professor of History David Commins brings nuanced views of the Middle East to his Dickinson classroom, deepening understanding and empathy.

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Dickinson Grad’s History Honors Project Sheds Light on Discriminatory Housing

Dickinson Grad’s History Honors Project Sheds Light on Discriminatory Housing

Ben Warren '25 brought his history and data analytics expertise together for an impactful project on a painful legacy.

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Presidents of Dickinson

Presidents of Dickinson's College Republicans and College Democrats Share a Room—and a Friendship

The presidents of opposing political clubs at Dickinson—College Republicans and College Democrats—are also best friends and roommates.

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History Major Jobs and Graduate School Acceptances 2025

History Major Jobs and Graduate School Acceptances 2025

Graduating history majors launch careers in data reporting, archives and leadership development, and are accepted into graduate programs at Oxford University, the University of Pennsylvania, and more.

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Five Dickinson Students Heading to Oxford’s Mansfield College

Five Dickinson Students Heading to Oxford’s Mansfield College

Dickinson's long-running success with students being accepted into the prestigious program continues.

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Behind the Mic: Red Devil Sports Network Elevates Student Broadcasting 

Behind the Mic: Red Devil Sports Network Elevates Student Broadcasting 

Dickinson's hands-on training ground for students looking to break into sports media has been going strong since 2013.

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Organizing your Own by Say Burgin book cover

Newest Faculty Book Publication

Congratulations to Say Burgin (Assistant Professor of History) on her new book Organizing Your Own: The White Fight for Black Power in Detroit, which was recently published by NYU Press! The book is a fascinating history of white solidarity with the Black Power movement.


 

Alumni Spotlight

APRIL 2024: 

Congratulations to Dickinson History Dept alum Elizabeth Price ’22, who will be starting a graduate program in history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison next term!  Elizabeth, who was a double major in History and Russian while at Dickinson, will be researching Soviet involvement with African wars of liberation and anti-colonial movements, interests she developed in Dickinson classes with history professors Jeremy Ball and Karl Qualls.