Studying history is not as simple as it seems; it is not just about memorizing dates and places and calling it a day. It involves analyzing the impact of historical events and how those events have shaped the world today.
Many universities around the world offer history programs. This article has compiled a list of strong choices for earning a history degree through different undergraduate and graduate programs.
Top History Schools in the World
1. Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university and one of the leading universities for history. In the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026: History, Harvard is ranked first worldwide.
Harvard’s undergraduate History concentration allows students to study many dimensions of the past, including social life, the economy, culture, ideas, and politics. The program encourages students to understand how historical change affects modern life and contemporary perspectives.
A Ph.D. in History is also available to prepare students to become skilled scholars and conscientious teachers. Throughout the program, students complete coursework, prepare for examinations, teach, and research and write a dissertation.
2. University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a research university located in England and is one of the top universities for history. Teaching existed at Oxford in some form as early as 1096, and it is widely known as the oldest university in the English-speaking world. Imagine studying history in one of the most historic institutions in the world.
It offers a BA in History, which is a three-year undergraduate program. The course combines the study of large regions over extended periods with focused work on smaller social groups, shorter periods, and particular themes. It also helps students understand how past social, political, economic, and cultural structures interrelate.
The graduate program has several master’s and doctoral options, including the DPhil in History, MSc in Economic and Social History, and MSt in Global and Imperial History.
3. Princeton University
Princeton University is a private Ivy League research university located in New Jersey. Chartered in 1746, it is the fourth-oldest college in the United States. The university aims to educate people who will contribute to society and develop knowledge that makes a difference.
The Department of History offers a History major, a track in the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine, and two minors. Its undergraduate courses cover 2,000 years of human experience across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas from different disciplinary perspectives. At the graduate level, Princeton offers two Ph.D. programs through the department: one in History and one in History of Science.
4. University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley is ranked No. 1 among public schools in the United States in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings. Its Department of History is also one of the top-ranked history departments in the nation.
The university offers a BA in History, including a major and a minor. The major consists of 12 courses, while the minor is available for students in other majors who want to formally engage with history and strengthen their main field of study.
Its graduate program offers a Ph.D. in History and represents a wide range of fields, including Africa, Ancient Greece and Rome, East Asia: Japan, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Late Modern Europe. The Ph.D. program prepares students in three fields of history and one outside field.
5. Yale University
Yale University is a private Ivy League research university founded in 1701, making it one of the oldest educational institutions in the United States. It is among the most respected universities in the world.
Yale offers a BA in History that helps students understand how the past has shaped and continues to shape the present. It is one of Yale College’s most popular and intellectually diverse majors, covering nearly every region and time period of the global past. A combined BA/MA degree program is also available for eligible students who complete graduate-level work during their undergraduate studies.
For graduate programs, the Department of History offers an MA in History and Ph.D. programs. The History of Science and Medicine Program is a graduate track within the Department of History, and Yale also offers combined doctoral programs such as History and Classics, History and African American Studies, and History and Renaissance Studies.
6. University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is one of the world’s oldest universities and leading academic centers. Established in 1209, it has a long history of teaching and research and remains one of the top global universities for arts and humanities.
The university offers History BA, History and Politics BA, and History and Modern Languages BA programs. These programs allow students to study history from many angles and, depending on the program, combine historical study with politics, international relations, or modern languages.
Cambridge has a variety of graduate programs available for master’s and doctoral students. Options include MPhil programs in Early Modern History, Medieval History, Modern British History, Modern European History, Political Thought and Intellectual History, and World History, as well as the Ph.D. in History and the MSt in History.
7. New York University
New York University is a private research university located in New York. The university has degree-granting campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai, and it operates 13 global academic centers and research programs in more than 25 countries.
NYU has an undergraduate program with major and minor options in history. The major requires a minimum of 36 points in history, typically 9 courses, while the minor requires a minimum of 16 points in history, typically 4 courses.
The Department of History offers master’s and doctoral programs in national, comparative, and transnational fields, including the history of Africa, East Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East, South Asia, and the United States.
We hope that this article on Best History Schools in the World was helpful. Feel free to check out the Available Programs for International Students and learn more about studying abroad.
