Department of History

James R. Goff, Jr., Chair
Jason C. White, Assistant Chair

The study of history is an essential part of a liberal arts education and provides valuable skills for careers in a wide range of professions, including law, journalism, public service, and business. Embracing a range of topics as broad as the human experience (economics, politics, culture, society, business, war, race and gender), history examines change over time through a series of investigative, analytical and expository techniques that comprise the historical method. The teaching of history focuses on research in sources, analysis and synthesis of evidence, problem solving, critical thinking, and understanding social processes. Accordingly, the skills embodied in historical method have wide application in the world of professional work.

The History Department teaches general education, undergraduate, and graduate courses offering a broad curriculum in local, national, regional, and world history. It has particular strengths in American, European, Asian, Latin American, and public history. The diversity of offerings discourages parochialism and encourages history majors to develop a sophisticated, comparative approach to human problems. Specialization within the major promotes an appreciation of the depth and complexity of human history. Finally, the discipline of history provides an intellectual challenge as well as a stimulus to the imagination and to analytical thinking.

Undergraduate Advisement

Information about history department programs can be obtained from one of the Undergraduate Advising Coordinators. Please contact the Department of History to find out when the Coordinators are available to assist students with academic scheduling, explain departmental and University requirements, and provide descriptions of new and existing courses and information on career development.

All BS programs are to be planned in consultation with an undergraduate advisor in the Department of History and are subject to the advisor’s approval. Students are urged to plan their programs as early as possible in their academic careers, but not later than three semesters before anticipated graduation.

Honors Program in History

The Department of History offers honors courses by honors contract which are open to students who have distinguished themselves. Honors courses carry full credit toward the major or, for non-majors, full elective credit. Subject to the recommendation of the departmental honors committee, a student will be considered for graduation with “honors in history” upon successful completion of one three hour 3000 or 4000 level honors course or HIS 3510 , the senior honors research course (HIS 4509 ), the senior honors thesis (HIS 4510 ), and a defense of the honor thesis. The three thesis hours can be substituted for HIS 4100 - Senior Seminar (3) . A grade of “B” or better is required to receive honors credit in any honors course.

Programs

Bachelor of Science

Bachelor of Arts

History, BA

Minor

History Minor

Courses

History

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