Why study History?
Â鶹¹ÙÍø's Department of History is internationally known for innovative historical and anthropological approaches to the study of social, cultural, and policy change. All four of our degree programs focus on connections between past and present and on how historical knowledge facilitates understanding of social, cultural, and policy change. Our faculty offer the B.A. in History, the B.A. in Anthropology, the interdepartmental B.A. or B.S. in Ethics, History & Public Policy, and the B.S. in Science, Technology, Society.
Our programs emphasize empirical methods and conceptual analysis, as well as specific research skills relevant to many types of jobs and further professional training. The Department’s mission includes courses introducing students to various societal settings and diverse types of controversial public issues, contributing actively to both education and professional development.
Each combines a structured sequence of courses, training in research methods, theoretical concepts, and analytical writing skills, plus a considerable array of electives.
What do our students do?
Jenica investigated criminal justice in Pittsburgh assisting Professor Jay Aronson in his ongoing research on the conditions of incarceration at the Allegheny County Jail (Class of 2028)
Aadya joined an archaeological excavation in Bulgaria, catalogued and classified osteological remains from Hellenistic and Roman eras at Apollonia Pontica (Class of 2027)
Tatym focused on human welfare and environmental protections and studied tropical ecology and global climate patterns at Costa Rica’s Monteverde Institute, while also attending a United Nations conference on disarmament in Geneva, Switzerland (Class of 2025)
Mohammed won a Fulbright UK Summer Institute Award, studying abroad in Belfast, Northern Ireland, he delved into identity, conflict and reconciliation, and worked alongside NGOs, policymakers, and government agencies at Queen's University (Class of 2028)
Aleksaundra engaged in research for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace as a competitive James C. A Gaither Junior Fellow, she assisted research efforts within their Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program, as well as participated in meetings and contributed to congressional testimony and briefings (Class of 2026)
Lucia completed a summer apprenticeship with NASA's RadLab where she gathered sources, crafted surveys, to gain a wider understanding of inclusive pedagogy and how inclusivity is perceived by current Â鶹¹ÙÍø students (Class of 2025)
What do our graduates do?
The broad analytic, research, and writing skills cultivated by the History major prepare students for lifelong success, especially in business, law, government, education, journalism, social work, urban planning, media, museums and libraries, the armed forces, and the ministry. For individuals interested in pursuing a professional career in history, options today include not only research and teaching, but also expert positions in the public and private sectors.
Anthropology majors have enjoyed success across varied fields, including private and non-governmental sectors, law and public affairs, media, and tourism. Recent alumni of our program have pursued advanced degrees in psychology, business, medicine, and international studies. You could work as a diplomat, a conservationist, a non-profit leader, an international market researcher, a journalist, or an aid-relief coordinator, amongst other possibilities.
The Ethics, History, & Public Policy (EHPP) major serves as an excellent springboard for graduate study, and our alumni represent careers in law practice, business and finance, non-profit management, and government. Our curriculum prepares students for a wide range of policy areas, including medicine and public health, criminal justice, civil rights and accessibility, education, labor protections, voting rights and elections, and ethical debates surrounding A.I and drones. Your future role may be a legislator, an attorney, non-profit director, a human rights analyst, an environmental conservationalist, or even an historian or philosopher in your own right.
Our flexible curriculum prepares Science, Technology & Society (STS) majors for careers that focus on biotechnology, healthcare, A.I., conflict and surveillance policies, waste and pollution management, renewable energies, urban development, food production, and global communications. Your future job could be an industry manager, a research ethicist, a corporate consultant, a technical writer, a museum curator, an exhibit designer, or a historian of science.
Graduate Program
The Carnegie Mellon Doctoral Program in History is small by design, enabling an exceptional level of individual attention from faculty. We strongly emphasize research training while also facilitating a range of opportunities for skill-building, not only through our coursework but also through a funded internship program, teaching experiences and training, and workshops. Students are able to take advantage of Â鶹¹ÙÍø and its diverse strengths in the sciences, public policy, technology, and the arts. They are also able to take advantage of a tuition exchange program, which enables them to enroll in other local universities; and more broadly, take advantage of the archival, cultural, and historical resources of Pittsburgh.
Course Spotlight
79280: Coffee and Capitalism
Taught by: Professor John Soluri
What role has coffee played in connecting people and places to capitalist markets and consumer cultures? What are the economic, social, and environmental consequences of these connections? How did espresso change from an "ethnic drink" to something served at McDonalds? This course answers these questions and more by using coffee to learn about the history of capitalism, and capitalism to understand the history of coffee.
