Welcome to the Calvin College History Department
Historic places from around the world

 

 

"[H]istorians, therefore, are the most useful people and the best teachers, so that one can never honor, praise, and thank them enough."

-Martin Luther

Explore the World The Classical World. The Twentieth Century. Medieval Europe. The Modern Middle East. U.S. History. Chinese History. African History. Gender Studies. Eastern European Studies. African-American Studies. Archeology. Secondary Education. International Development. These are just a sampling of the specialties of the twenty faculty members in our History department. Educated at some of the best universities in the U.S. and abroad and experienced in both teaching and research, our faculty empower students to explore the world, look closely, think critically, understand broadly, and prepare for a variety of vocations.
Go Deeper

Our programs and centers enable students to minor in diverse areas including Archaeology, African Studies, Asian Studies, Gender Studies, Latin American Studies, Medieval Studies, and International Development Studies.

Calvin also hosts the H. Henry Meeter Center, North America’s premier research collection devoted to the writings of John Calvin and early Calvinists; the Colonial Origins Collection, a rich store of materials pertaining to Dutch emigration, the Christian Reformed Church, and related institutions; and the new Mellema Program in Western American Studies for studies in the American and Canadian West.
Where History Happened

Through association with a number of off-campus programs, Calvin students are able to study around the world. Upcoming opportunities include York, England and an archeological dig at Umm el-Jimal, Jordan. Recent opportunities have included interim trips to Vietnam, Guatemala, and Ethiopia; and semesters in China, Great Britain, and Ghana.

 
We are hoping to compile a list of alumni email addresses so that we can notify them of important events. Please send us your email address (as well as an update, if you'd like).