Interdisciplinary foundation
History is taught alongside Political Science and Philosophy, giving students analytical reasoning and political understanding together with historical method.
UGEst. 1995
Department of History
B.A. History (FYUGP Honours / Honours with Research)
Department sections
Overview
Founded in 1995 to bring social science education to the coastal communities around Thumba, the Department of History has since graduated close to a thousand students. For much of that period it offered a three-year degree in History with subsidiary coursework in Political Science and Philosophy, a combination that produced University of Kerala ranks in 2000 and 2002 and a consistently strong examination record.
In 2024 the department moved to the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme, which offers a three-year Honours degree and a four-year Honours with Research track. The curriculum builds from historical method to Kerala history in the third semester and world history in the fifth, with research methodology integrated into the upper semesters. Faculty research covers Travancore’s social movements, regional martial traditions, temple monuments and ancient legal codes, and is presented regularly at the South Indian and Tamil Nadu History Congresses.
Vision
To be a centre for historical scholarship rooted in its region, preserving and interpreting Kerala’s coastal and social past through archival research, documentation and public history.
Mission
The department cultivates critical thinking, civic responsibility and ethical leadership by teaching students to read evidence with care, weigh competing interpretations, and understand the forces that shape human communities.
Highlights
Flexible research pathways
The FYUGP structure offers a three-year Honours degree and a four-year Honours with Research track leading directly into advanced postgraduate study.
Departmental library and archaeological collection
A focused holding of historical texts, regional histories and material objects supports coursework, seminars and capstone projects.
Field-based learning
Regular visits to monuments, heritage sites and museums connect documentary study to material culture and living regional heritage.
Established alumni network
Graduates serve in higher education, public administration, political life and church ministry; among them is Fr. Sunny Jose S.J., former Principal and present Manager of the college.
HoD's Message
History is an argument about evidence. Our students learn to handle sources with care, weigh competing accounts, and write conclusions they are prepared to defend. Since 1995 this department has taught that discipline to close to a thousand graduates, many of whom now serve in education, public administration, civic life and the Church. The Four-Year Undergraduate Programme has widened what we can offer: History alongside Political Science and Philosophy, specialisation in Kerala and world history, and a research track that leads directly to postgraduate work. We take students out of the classroom often, to monuments, museums and heritage sites, because material culture teaches what a textbook cannot. Our own research on Travancore’s social movements, regional martial traditions and ancient legal codes is presented at national history congresses and finds its way back into our teaching. I invite you to study the past with us.
Programme Overview
Three-Year / Four-Year Honours Degree in History
A comprehensive undergraduate degree program structured under the Major-Minor framework. The Major track provides deep disciplinary grounding in historical methodologies, Kerala history, and world history, while the Minor track integrates complementary training in Political Science, Philosophy, and skill-based courses.
Skill Enhancement & Applied Courses
Embedded within the Minor track of the FYUGP curriculum to foster practical expertise in research writing, archival awareness, and digital documentation.
Why Choose Us?
Interdisciplinary Social Science Foundation
The curriculum offers History courses with subsidiary studies in Political Science and Philosophy, equipping students with analytical reasoning and critical political perspectives alongside historical analysis.
Dedicated Departmental Library and Archaeological Objects
Students have access to a specialized collection of historical texts, reference monographs, and research materials that support regular coursework, seminar preparations, and capstone projects.
Active Alumni Network
Department alumni occupy notable positions across higher education, public administration, political leadership, and church ministry.
Jesuit Pedagogical Values
Education is guided by Cura Personalis, balancing academic rigor with social conscience, ethical reasoning, and hands-on historical field trips.
Facilities
Specialized Departmental Library
Houses a focused repository of historical reference texts, regional histories, social science monographs, and research journals to assist with coursework and independent projects.
ICT-Enabled Classrooms
Classrooms equipped with digital projection facilities to enable map studies, documentary screenings, and interactive multimedia lectures.
Visual & Historical Archives
A curated collection of historical wall maps, charts, and digital source material used for classroom instruction and student exhibitions.
Faculty
Department Programmes
Reports of academic programmes and activities organised by the Department of History, including complementary programmes in Philosophy and Political Science.
Syllabus
Semester-wise syllabi for the History Honours / Honours with Research programme, with Philosophy complementary syllabus.
Course Structure
Philosophy — All Semesters Syllabus
Three-Year / Four-Year Honours Degree in History
Gallery
Archaeological collection
Material culture study
Hands-on artifact learning
Heritage objects workshop
ICT-enabled classroom
Department learning space
Classroom discussion
Interested in History?
Apply now to join the Department of History at St. Xavier's College, Thumba.