History
About History
Our Program and Courses
By the time you graduate, you will be able to:
- Recognize history as an intellectual process involving selection and evaluation of material and construction of arguments.
- Understand history as a series of major turning points and the process of change over time.
- Read and understand primary, secondary and tertiary sources and identify the place and purpose of each for historical study.
- Develop critical awareness of your own approach to the past.
Learning Outside the Classroom
Research & Independent Studies
Do you want to research Lancaster’s history in World War I? Or maybe you want to uncover the complicated history of the women’s suffrage movement? You can at F&M. As you dive into the intricacies of the past, you’ll discover historical areas or ideas you want to further explore. The good news? You won’t have to wait until graduate school to launch your investigation.Explore research at F&M
Off-Campus Study
At F&M, you’ll find extraordinary opportunities to study abroad. Our history majors have studied in Australia, Austria, China, England, France, Germany, Ghana, Italy, Japan, South Africa, Spain, and Tanzania, to name a few places. You, too, can make study abroad integral to your experiences and research.Explore off-campus study at F&M
The History Club
The History Club, an F&M student organization, is an intellectual and social opportunity to enhance your academic experience. The History Club examines historical events with a critical eye and perspective and provides students the opportunity to discover more about history.Museums & Libraries
F&M’s Phillips Museum of Art and the nearby North Museum, a natural historical collection at the southern end of campus, offer comprehensive materials on historical topics. Additional resources for history students include F&M’s two research libraries: Shadek-Fackenthal Library and Martin Library of the Sciences, which houses F&M’s archives and special collections.Explore the F&M College Library
Success Beyond F&M
Fellowships
It’s not uncommon for history majors to pursue fellowships, which offer often-funded experiential learning opportunities such as advanced study, research, internships, service, travel, and more. Our graduates have pursued teaching and public service fellowships with organizations such as Teach for America and Americorps. They also go on to complete fellowships overseas with the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, for which F&M is recognized as a top-producing institution.Explore fellowships at F&M
Graduate School
Many of our history majors choose to pursue graduate school after F&M, with a significant number enrolling in law school. Our graduates have completed their advanced degrees at the best universities, including:- American University
- Columbia University
- Drexel University
- Johns Hopkins University
- New York University
- Rutgers University
- University of Pennsylvania
- Villanova University
Career Paths
History at F&M provides a strong foundation for many professions. Our graduates hold diverse positions such as:- Attorney
- Business executive
- College professor
- Editor/publisher
- Filmmaker
- Foreign service diplomat
- Government official
- History teacher
- Journalist
- Judge
- Law clerk
- Marketing writer
- Social worker
Student Spotlight
“Every day I think of how lucky I am to be part of a community that is both motivating and exciting.”
History and government major Ethan Grabowski ’26 said that, in a lot of ways, F&M was exactly what he was looking for in a college. “The main thing that led me here was the amazing students and the community they create,” he said. Grabowski added that F&M students strike a unique balance. “They are brilliant, driven, hard-working people, but also prioritize being friendly, welcoming and fun to be around,” he said. “It is hard to find other students that are more well-rounded than they are, and every day I think of how lucky I am to be part of a community that is both motivating and exciting.”Read More »
Faculty Spotlight
“I was writing a book I was looking for.”
Assistant Professor of History Gregory Kaliss recently received the North American Society for Sport History monograph of the year award for “Beyond the Black Power Salute: Athlete Activism in an Era of Change.” Kaliss wanted to write about the general spirit of activism among athletes in the 1960s and ’70s. He read stories on the topic in biographies of individual athletes, and in articles on specific events, but he could not find them collected in a single text. “That’s what ultimately led me to this book—I was writing a book I was looking for that just wasn’t out there, something that synthesized all these different stories and tried to draw out larger patterns,” he says.Read More »
Student Spotlight
A Semester in Paris: ‘Night at the Museum’ Could Never Compare
Ruth Axford ’25 never imagined that she would walk to the Arc de Triomphe to take the metro, intern in the same building complex as the Louvre, or go to the Bastille area for class. But she did all of that and more when she spent a semester studying abroad in Paris. Axford interned at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, a museum dedicated to the exhibition and preservation of the decorative arts. The French and history double major worked on an exhibit for Dutch fashion designer Iris van Herpen. “Going through the finished product on opening night with my colleagues, seeing it all come to life without Tyvek commercial wrap on the floor was crazy,” Axford said. “When we came out, the credits on the wall said all our names, including ‘avec la collaboration de Ruth Axford.’ I may have happily cried walking home along the Champs Elysées, amazed at everything I accomplished in only four months.”Read More »
Related Fields of Study
Africana Studies
Learn to view the world through diverse perspectives, from Africa and the regions of the Diaspora to the lived experiences of Black Americans today. Africana Studies at F&M explores the range of interrelated histories, cultures, and intellectual contributions of Africans and those of African origin, all the way back to the cradle of civilization itself.
American Studies
Engage with the oldest multifaceted major at F&M. As a student of American Studies, you’ll enjoy a true liberal arts experience, exploring several disciplines to develop analytical skills and critical judgment and to examine the range and diversity of American experiences, identities and communities.
Government
F&M’s Department of Government has earned a reputation as one of the finest in the country. Study government at F&M and examine power, politics, justice, equity, and change while developing skills in language, economics, mathematics and philosophy.
F&M History in Action
June 26, 2025
Heading for the Bright Lights
As a first-year at F&M, Samantha Correa ’24 knew she liked working with cameras, writing stories and performing. Now, she is pursuing a master's degree in radio, television, and digital communication at Boston University. “F&M’s liberal arts curriculum allowed me to be part of many things during my time there,” she said.
November 4, 2024
‘I Wanted to Become Better Connected with Lancaster’: Reflections from a Municipal Internship
Ethan Grabowski ’26, a government and history major, spent his summer interning at the Lancaster County Commissioners’ Office. See a day in his life in politics.
October 30, 2024
Jake Lamb ’25: F&M Transfer ‘One of the Best Decisions I’ve Ever Made’
“Becoming a Diplomat has changed me for the better,” said Jake Lamb ‘25. Learn about his experience transferring to F&M and meet other students who made the switch.