Department of History, one of the formidable research and teaching centres of University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram imparts intensive knowledge to the student fraternity, in the spectrum of history. The Department of History, University of Kerala, Kariavattom, Thiruvananthapuram is a full-fledged institution, imbued with salient characteristics of academically and research-oriented activities which came into being in 1968. Apart from the publication of Journal of Indian History & Journal of Kerala Studies and pursuance of Ph.D programme, Post Graduate course was started by the Department at Kariavattom Campus, in the academic year 1976-77. Furthermore, M.Phil course was commenced, in the year 1990-91. The cogent, the Department has been perusing Post Graduate, M.Phil, Ph.D, and Post-Doctoral Programmes.

Looking back at the early days of the Department of History reveals that the University of Travancore established it with the aim of publishing the highly regarded Journal of Indian History. Initially published by the University of Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh under the editorship of Professor Shafad Ahmed Khan, founding president of the Indian History Congress, the publishing rights later transferred to the University of Madras in Tamil Nadu. In 1946, the then Vice Chancellor Sir C.P. Ramaswami Iyer arranged for the University of Travancore to obtain exclusive ownership and publishing authority from Madras University through a financial deal, elevating the stature of Travancore University. Since then, the Department of History at the University of Kerala has continuously published the journal without interruption, and is set to issue its Centenary Volume in the 2020-21 academic year, cementing its legacy as a publisher of this globally acclaimed publication.

Apart from this, the Department has been publishing another remarkable journal under the rubric of Journal of Kerala Studies, commencing from 1973 onwards by giving emphasis on the reconstruction of the history of state of Kerala, in a correct historical prospective.