Undergraduate Advising & Planning
The department's flexible undergraduate curriculum offers students the opportunity to design a course of study that fits their interests and goals. It also places responsibility on students to choose their course of study wisely. Advising is a significant part of the program, and there are a range of history advisors available to assist you.
The Undergraduate Program Coordinator, Meredith Pustell, is available M-F from 9am-4:30pm. Email her at undergrad@history.umass.edu to schedule an appointment. The Undergraduate Program Director, Professor Sarah Cornell, is available by appointment and during her office hours to answer queries about studying abroad, obtaining History Department credit for classes you have taken or are considering taking elsewhere, and related questions.
For thinking about history – what classes might interest you, how you might connect them, what historians do, etc. – talk to your faculty advisor. To get a candid perspective from a fellow student, talk to one of our peer mentors. You can set up an appointment to meet with a peer mentor by contacting Meredith Pustell at undergrad@history.umass.edu. For advising related to Internships and Careers, including resume and cover letter review and one-on-one career and internship strategy sessions and assistance, contact the Internship and Career Advisor Heather Brinn. For writing support, see the Writing Resources page. For questions about Departmental Honors contact the Honors Program Director, Professor Daniel Gordon. And for students interested in law school, contact Law and History Advisor, Professor Jennifer Nye.
You should plan to see an advisor at least once a semester. Please come by more often if you have questions and whenever you need advice or assistance.
Your History Advisors
To schedule an advising appointment please go to Navigate and select "History Advising." To contact specific advisors directly, please see the details below:
- Undergraduate Program Director: Professor Sarah Cornell Herter Hall 611, secornell@umass.edu
- Undergraduate Program Coordinator: Meredith Pustell, Herter Hall 613, undergrad@history.umass.edu
- Internships and Career Advisor: Heather Brinn, Herter Hall 622, internships@history.umass.edu
- Honors Program Director: Professor Daniel Gordon, Herter Hall 629, jfronc@history.umass.edu
- Law and History Advisor: Professor Jennifer Nye, Herter Hall 609, jlnye@history.umass.edu
Other Advising Resources
Why study history?
What can I do with a degree in history?
Applying to Graduate School
HFA Advising Center
The Ombuds Office can help you mediate disputes and negotiate the University's bureaucracy. If you think you have been treated unfairly or that a University policy doesn't make sense, contact the ombudsperson for advice.
