Extracurricular Activities

Students have the opportunities to join the History Club, become a member of Phi Alpha Theta, the History Honor Society, and participate in student-faculty research.

Phi Alpha Theta

Phi Alpha Theta is a professional society whose mission is to promote the study of history through the encouragement of research, good teaching, publication and the exchange of learning and ideas among historians.

We seek to bring students, teachers and writers of history together for intellectual and social exchanges, which promote and assist historical research and publication by our members in a variety of ways.

Interested in becoming a member? Just complete the application form.

History Club

This club is open to all students with an interest in History. The History Club is a college campus organization devoted to providing a forum for historical exploration and discourse to any student with an interest in the field of history.

As a club, we seek to provide students a social setting to meet fellow history scholars through a series of trips to historical sites, lectures, movie showings, and social gatherings.

The History Department offers the Outstanding Student Award each year to a graduating senior with a GPA of 3.5 (cum laude) and SERVICE to the History Club or Phi Alpha Theta.

The History Club meets weekly. Be sure to follow them on Instagram for event details: @cofc_history_club_2023. Email Piper Grinstead for information.

Student-Faculty Research

The Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities Program (URCA) and the summer research program (SURF) support and fund scholarly research of undergraduate students and their faculty mentors.

Recently, Dr. Coy discussed his work with CofC junior Francesca Gibson on CofC Today's podcast series. Their research, about the experience of bewitchment in the 1500s and 1600s, was funded by a SURF grant.

"Gibson and Coy explored a time in history when people believed in and feared witchcraft. Their research closely examined this fascinating period of time through the lens of history and psychology. A time when someone, usually a woman, could be accused of witchery based on the testimony of a member of the community and then sentenced to death. Digging deep into a treasure trove of archived sources like court testimonies, the research reveals the power of the mind to cause sleep disorders, nighttime terrors and physical pain."

Click the image below to listen to The Frightening History of Witchcraft and Sleep Disorders.