History

Program Objectives

The History Program introduces the student to the world that was and is and the student’s relationship to that world. It stresses the continuity of culture by providing a historical background for the study of other disciplines and for responsible citizenship. It also helps prepare students for careers in teaching, public service, consulting, research, museums, archives, and libraries, and provides a liberal education as a basis for entering a variety of careers such as public administration, business, and law.

Learning Outcomes

Content Knowledge: Achieve the ability to synthesize and discuss selected historical experiences In the Americas and in Europe.
Communication: Attain a wide-ranging understanding of the core concepts, events, and historiographical trends in selected areas of American and European history, demonstrated through written and oral work.
Applied and Integrated Learning: Achieve a thorough understanding of the methodologies and professional ethics practiced by historians, demonstrated through the completion of a history capstone thesis.
Critical Thinking: Master skills in historical research, critical thinking, reading and writing, and polished oral presentation of scholarly work.
Civic Engagement: Demonstrate an understanding of the role of historical knowledge in shaping the narratives of a nation and a world, demonstrated through a critical understanding of how the use/misuse of history contributes to political, social, and cultural interpretations, and how multiple historical discourse communities make history public (i.e., historical societies, archival repositories, museums).

Means of Assessment

History Majors are evaluated in a variety of ways. Faculty use written exams, book dissections, analytic essays, small group work with primary documents, research papers, and oral presentations. By satisfactorily completing History 303: Historical Research and then writing and orally presenting a substantial undergraduate thesis, they master the discipline’s fundamental methodologies while enhancing their skills in research, writing, computer use, and public presentation. The thesis also caps course work in which students have mastered the ability to understand and compare historical interpretations, find and use both primary and secondary sources, and communicate their findings to others. Students complete with a grade of C- or better required and elective courses that reinforce their knowledge of the diversity of the human historical experience.

Programs

Major(s)

History Major

Minor(s)

History Minor

Four Year Plan(s)

History Typical Four Year Curriculum