# About the Department ## expand\_more Offering programs of study for [undergraduate](/undergraduate-programs) and [graduate](/graduate-programs) students, the Department of History at Harvard University is home to a vibrant and dynamic community of scholars. Undergraduates can choose History as their [primary concentration](/main-concentration) or [secondary field](/secondary-field) as they work toward the AB degree. They may also choose to participate in one of three joint concentration programs: the [Joint Concentration in Ancient History](/joint-concentration-ancient-history-greek-and-roman) (Greek and Roman), the [Joint Concentration in East Asian History](/joint-concentration-east-asian-history), and the [Joint Concentration in Near Eastern History](/joint-concentration-near-eastern-history). Our [alumni](/alumni-voices) pursue a wide range of career paths, including business, education, law, and public policy. At any given time, the Department has approximately 150-200 undergraduate concentrators. Our highly selective [Graduate Program](/graduate-programs) trains students to become both skilled scholars and effective teachers. Students work closely with faculty as they engage in [coursework](/graduate-program-coursework), prepare for and take their [general exams](/graduate-program-general-exam), work as teaching fellows, and complete their [dissertations](/graduate-program-dissertation). Our graduates go on to a variety of successful [careers](/graduate-program-placement-statistics) in a range of fields, including academia, law, and government. At any given time, the Department has approximately 100-130 [graduate students](/graduate_students?page=9). The Department has over 50 [faculty members](/faculty_alpha) with a wide range of research specialties, spanning [chronologically](/vocab/time-period) from ancient to twentieth century history, [geographically](/vocab/region-study) from Asia to the United States, and [thematically](/vocab/theme) from intellectual history to global and transnational history. Their world-class scholarship garners [awards, fellowships, and acclaim](/news), strengthening the recognition of our department as a powerhouse of historical scholarship. Many of our faculty members share appointments with other departments and schools on campus and are involved in interdisciplinary collaborations with [committees, programs](/about/affiliated-programs-centers), and institutions both at Harvard and around the world. #### Department Chair [### Daniel L. Smail ](/people/daniel-lord-smail) Interim Department Chair Frank B. Baird, Jr. Professor of History Daniel Lord Smail is Frank B. Baird, Jr. Professor of History at Harvard University, where he works on the history and anthropology of Mediterranean societies between 1100 and 1600 and on deep human history. In medieval European history, his work explores... ![Dan Smail](/sites/g/files/omnuum4421/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/2026-01/smail.jpeg?h=bdacf078&itok=8n59pKVD) #### Directors, Graduate & Undergraduate Studies [### Jesse Hoffnung-Garskof ](/people/jesse-hoffnung-garskof)Professor of History Director of Graduate Studies Office Hours: B y Appointment Jesse Hoffnung-Garskof is Professor of History at Harvard University. His research and teaching focus on the history of Latinx people in the United States, the history of Latin America and the Caribbean, immigration and... ![Jesse Hoffnung-Garskof](/sites/g/files/omnuum4421/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/history/files/picture_of_jesse_hoffnung-garskof.png?itok=pND4Tzql) [### Mary Lewis ](/people/mary-lewis) Robert Walton Goelet Professor of French History Director of Undergraduate Studies Office Hours: Mondays, 1:00-4:00pm, during the academic year. Sign up here: Mary Lewis is Robert Walton Goelet Professor of French History at Harvard, and Affiliated Faculty at the Harvard Law School. Her work has... ![Mary Lewis](/sites/g/files/omnuum4421/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/history/files/lewis_sm.jpg?itok=EI9plh5p)