The Department of History offers a comprehensive programme specialized in Modern and Contemporary History at three different levels of study: an undergraduate degree in Modern and Contemporary History, a Master's in Modern and Contemporary History and a PhD in Modern and Contemporary History. It also offers a postgraduate course in Heritage and Cultural Projects, a Master's in Museology: Exhibition Contents (in partnership with the Department of Anthropology at Iscte), and a Master's and PhD in History, Defense and International Relations (in partnership with the Military Academy).

The Department participates also in an inter-university PhD in History in partnership with the Institute of Social Sciences of the Universidade de Lisboa (ICS-UL), Universidade de Évora and Universidade Católica. Furthermore, the Department’s scholars are responsible for lecturing various courses in undergraduate and Master's programmes in other departments at Iscte.

The scholars of the Department of History all conduct relevant research in Modern and Contemporary History in research centres. The Department has a particularly strong relationship with the Center for Studies in Contemporary History (CEHC), a research unit to which almost all the Department faculty belong. The research that takes place at these centres results in the development of various projects, publications, conferences and other activities aimed at disseminating knowledge. The students of the Department of History are thus provided with substantial contact with research as undergraduates, research-oriented experience in the Master's programmes and opportunities to develop research in History in the PhD programmes.