The Université de Montréal Department of History is a key player in historical research in Quebec and in Canada as a whole. It has made a name for itself with the openness of its programs, its cosmopolitan faculty and its emphasis on interdisciplinarity.

The Department is known for its wide-ranging studies on various regions of the globe, from Greek Antiquity to the contemporary period, and for the many distinctions earned by its members, both in Quebec and elsewhere.

It is one of the oldest university departments in this discipline in Quebec. History teaching and research was introduced in Quebec’s francophone universities in 1947, with the creation of history departments at the UdeM and Université Laval. At the time, 5 professors were responsible for teaching some 100 students in Montreal.

The UdeM Institute of History, a direct outgrowth of the chair held at the time by historian Lionel Groulx, was naturally intended to promote the teaching of and research into Canadian and Quebec history. Over the years, this primary vocation was extended to include "general" history, encompassing Western Europe from its Greco-Roman origins to the United States, the contemporary period and, later, Latin America.

The Department's rapid growth led to the integration of other fields of specialization, as its program became more wide ranging and balanced. The goal was and is to ensure the broadest possible coverage, in time and space, of the vast field of historical knowledge.

While the history of Quebec and the rest of Canada remains a key focus, it is also seen as an element in studies dealing with many different times and places and emphasizing different overlapping themes. This foundation has been complemented by the addition of courses in East Asian history and the history of science and medicine.

	25 career professors
	Over 90 courses annually at the bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels
	Close to 90 graduates every year
	Nearly 500 students at the bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels
	66 BA graduates every year