Loading...

The Department of History has developed a set of carefully crafted learning objectives. Simply put, history majors are expected to acquire specified levels of knowledge, perspectives and skills through the study of the past. The learning objectives are designed to help students succeed in their undergraduate history major, as independent, creative and self-directed learners. More important, they will help students to be successful in their pursuit of a career and to hold a lifelong appreciation for the humanities and social sciences. The objectives are enumerated as follows:

Knowledge of the Past
Students studying history will:

• Acquire knowledge of the world’s civilizations and peoples, and their political, economic, social and cultural histories.
• Gain in-depth knowledge of a historical field by specializing in one of several departmental concentrations.
• Gain exposure to a range of historical subjects outside the concentration.
• Complete at least one course that examines a non-western society.

Perspectives
Students studying history will:

• Develop a historical understanding of an increasingly multicultural society and interdependent world.
• Understand the variety and complexity of the human experience and foster an appreciation for processes of change.
• Comprehend how constructions of class, race and gender dynamically shape social structures, national identities and all forms of human relationships.
• Realize the interlocking relationships among science, technology, the environment and society.
• Appreciate the value of interdisciplinary perspectives and methods.

Analysis and Interpretation
Students studying history will:

• Critically evaluate secondary, textual evidence by identifying a thesis, noting sources and methods used in argument, discerning the conclusions and determining the perspective, bias and reliability of the argument.
• Think critically, and master the art of interpretive analysis based on the widest possible array of primary sources: written, material and other cultural texts.

Research and Communication
Students studying history will:

• Locate printed and online information sources to research a topic exhaustively.
• Write clear, well organized, properly documented and grammatical prose.