Main focus of the research in the Department has largely been on the Socio-Economic and Cultural history, especially Agrarian history of the Greater Punjab in the North-West of the Indian sub-continent, encompassing present day areas of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and West Punjab (Pakistan). In the last decade, the Department has traversed to newer areas. Broadly speaking, the main areas of research of the Department are as under :
1. Social and Economic History
2. Agrarian Society; Social Change
3. Colonial Economy
4. Socio-Cultural and Religious Developments
5. Major Trends in Punjab and Sikh Historiography
6. Gender Studies
7. Punjabi Diaspora.
8. History of Science and Medicine in the Punjab
9. Punjabi Press and literature
10. Fresh Analysis of Partition of the Punjab
11. Contemporary Punjab
The department offers facilities for research in Modern Regional history of North West India in Ph.D. programme.
The department publishes Journal of Regional History on regular basis.