Student Opportunities
Beyond the Classroom
Every semester, our students study, conduct research, and intern across the nation and the globe in pursuit of their historical interests. Our faculty and the Director of Undergraduate Studies guide history students through the process of finding the funding and opportunities that will support their path of discovery.
History students have received support from some of the following Notre Dame institutions, and they have also obtained grants from outside institutions.
- Center for Italian Studies
- Flatley Center for Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement
- Franco Family Institute for Liberal Arts and the Public Good
- Frazier Thompson Scholarship
- Kellogg/Kroc Undergraduate Research Grants
- Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies
- Klau Institute for Civil and Human Rights
- Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies
- Nanovic Institute for European Studies
- Notre Dame Initiative on Race and Resilience
The History Honors Program (Senior Thesis)
One of the ways in which our students move beyond the classroom is through participation in the History Honors Program (HHP). The Honors Program is a distinct path for students with a strong academic record (minimum 3.7 GPA in the major) who wish to conduct original historical research and write a senior thesis.
In the fall of their sophomore year, students who wish to join the honors program should write to Lisa Lillie, director of undergraduate studies, and explain their research interests. The History Department will help students identify potential thesis advisors and devise an initial research agenda.
The Honors Program features two seminars taught by an experienced faculty member, both of which encourage students to further develop their abilities to think, write, and talk about the past and its significance. In the spring of their senior year, the honor cohort will meet sporadically to provide mutual support in the form of peer feedback on initial drafts of the thesis and roundtable discussions of the writing process.
Senior thesis poster session
In the spring of their senior year, honors students present their research to the department and the wider Notre Dame community at a poster session. This event provides students with the opportunity to hone their public speaking skills and learn how to work with visual media to persuasively explain their research.
In 2026, Ashley Estelle’s poster on Black teacher activism won the Research Poster Prize. She describes some of the highlights of her research experience below:
“So many of the practices and things I was able to learn prior to working with the archive [on Birmingham Black Radio] helped me build skills and a greater appreciation for the smaller histories we often don't think of in greater public history. Being able to connect history with ideas of social justice and the current focuses of Black academic research has been a wonderful experience. The work I've done in undergrad through the history department has aided me in expanding my skills to dive even deeper into the histories I care about.”
In addition to the poster session, the department regularly hosts talks and workshops that cater to student interests and needs. We hold lunch-and-learn events with decorated scholars, inviting speakers from across the globe to share their insights with aspiring undergraduate historians.
Department Awards
The History Department formally recognizes the achievements of its majors with several awards, given annually. These include:
- The Marvin O’Connell Award for the Best Essay in History Workshop
- The O’Hagan Award for Best Thesis or Essay in Irish History
- The O’Brien Award for Best Research Essay
- The O’Brien Intellectual Life Award
- The Senior Thesis Prize for most outstanding thesis in the Honors Program
The Notre Dame Historical Review
The Notre Dame Historical Review was founded in 2025 by students in the Department of History. Each semester, the Review publishes innovative research from undergraduates across the nation. The journal is entirely student-led and serves as a useful experience for students pursuing law school, graduate school, publishing, or who simply wish to contribute to the intellectual vitality of the undergraduate program.
The journal seeks new editors and contributors on an annual basis; if you’re interested in getting involved, please contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Professor Lisa Lillie (llillie@nd.edu).
Study Abroad
History students travel the globe not only to conduct original research, but also to study in locations that will deepen their knowledge of the past. In the process, they may also improve their linguistic skills or lay the groundwork for a future career.
History major Avery Njau, for instance, studied abroad in Sydney, Australia, and found that the experience paved her way to an honors thesis and medical school:
“This research project was inspired by a Sydney history class that I took my junior year during my semester abroad in Sydney. Back at Notre Dame, my favorite history classes have been Global Asia, taught by Professors Elisabeth Koll and Karrie Koesel, and Race and Racism in Science, Medicine, and Technology, taught by Professor Ijeoma Kola. My history classes and thesis research have helped me understand the ways in which culture, environment, and human behavior shape health outcomes for different communities. Knowledge about the historical structures and ideas upon which modern medicine is built has prepared me to be a physician who understands various roots of healthcare inequities and can critique aspects of the medical system that currently contribute to these inequities.”
The flexibility of the history undergraduate program means that you can study abroad as a history major with relative ease. The Director of Undergraduate Studies will work with you and your study abroad advisor to select a program which matches your interests. To learn more, please contact the Study Abroad office.