Skip to main content

Department of History

The History Department employs ten full-time faculty members with a wide range of expertise in the United States, Germany, England, Latin America, Japan, Russia, and Renaissance Italy. This allows you to take a wide range of courses in African, Asian, European, Latin American, and U.S. history. In our classes you’ll wrestle with interpreting primary sources, engage in discussion and debate and, most important, hone your skills in critical thinking, writing, and public speaking.

Programs of Study

Undergraduate

Major

History students at John Carroll develop contextually responsible and critical interpretations of the past that help us better understand the course of human experience and help to shape our future.

Learn More

Interested in history but want to enter the business or nonprofit management world after graduation? The Department of History has a five-year B.A. / M.B.A. program.

Learn More

History students at John Carroll develop contextually responsible and critical interpretations of the past that help us better understand the course of human experience and help to shape our future.

Learn More
Minor

It’s easy and helpful to minor in history. The skills you’ll learn in these courses — analytical writing, critical reading, and public speaking, — are important for success in nearly any field.

Learn More

Department Highlights

female student

The History Major is structured to allow students to pursue research projects in areas of their interest. It is also manageable enough (39 credits, or 13 courses) to easily double major or minor in one or more fields. That reasonable size also makes it easy to participate in JCU’s Full-Time MBA program.

The History Department takes special care to prepare our majors for the world after John Carroll. Pretty much anything. Our graduates have gone on to pursue a dizzying diversity of careers in the law, business, education, government, community service, politics — and a lot more. The History Department at John Carroll has established a mentoring network with our graduates. We put our alumni in the law in contact with students interested in legal careers so they can help mentor them through the law school application process. Alums in business fields, many of whom have earned MBA degrees, assist students seeking entry into the business world. And alumni who have gone on to graduate school — in all kinds of fields — work with our students to allow them to put their best foot forward. If you love history but fear that majoring in it will hamper your career prospects, have no fear — our alumni have you covered. For accounts from some of these alumni, click on the Success Stories tab. For more information on possible employment opportunities, career guidance and graduate schools, check out the National Council on Public History.

Naturally, the History Department is on social media. Follow us on Facebook , on Instagram at jcu_historydepartment and on Twitter @JCUhistory.

On April 20, 2023 the Department held its Majors and Alums Banquet. Thank you to alum, Rory O'Neil, '06, '08G who was the guest speaker.

The Department also presented the following awards to History Majors and would like to congratulate them:

The following students were awarded the Rev. Howard J. Kerner Scholarship:

Abigail Birch

Rebecca Kilmer

Lydia Lane

Audrey Sadd

Robert Soucek

 

The 2023 Outstanding Senior Award:

Anthony M. Falbo

 

2023 Sr. Madeline Muller, HM - Dr. Marian Morton Women Historian of Greater Cleveland:

Quinn Williams

 

Please mark April 25, 2024 on your calendar as we will be holding the next  History Department Majors and Alumni Banquet. More information on this event will be forthcoming.

Please direct questions to klerch@jcu.edu

 

 

Dr. Maria Marsilli was highlighted by The Carroll News in it's segment "Meet the Professor."  Listen to this insightful podcast here.

Dr. Matthew Berg was selected for the Fulbright Senior Fellow in Cultural Studies to Austria for spring semester 2024.  He will be affiliated with the International Research Center for Cultural Studies in Vienna and the Institute  of Contemporary History at the University of Vienna, and will be working in various archives and libraries as he completes his book manuscript Renewing Red Vienna: The Reconstruction of a Social Democratic Milieu, 1945-1959.

 

 

 

Below find the links to the latest and greatest Department Newsletter.  Find out about upcoming courses, department events, faculty and student news.    Please contact the department (historyjcu@jcu.edu) with any questions.

Fall 2021 - Vol. 1

Spring 2022 - Vol. 2

Fall  2022 - Vol. 3

Spring 2023 - Vol. 4