Department of History

Mission Statement

The area of history combines the traditional liberal arts emphasis with more recently added courses on African American and World History. This structure enables the student to examine the human past, either as one of several possible courses in a liberal arts education or as preparation for graduate and professional school. History majors have graduated in recent years and gone on to successful careers in education, government service, journalism, law, archival work, and the business world.

Student Learning Outcomes

Though history enables students to examine the human past, it also provides students with a foundation to contextualize and better understand the present while preparing them for graduate or professional school or the workforce. History majors are expected to acquire historical knowledge in African American, American, and World History; and be able to think critically through oral and written expression as they work toward the following:

To be proficient in the use of primary and secondary sources
To demonstrate mastery of historical narratives and historiography
To relate research to broad historical themes
To master the capstone research paper topic
To possess the ability to articulate main themes in research findings
To be able to reference the research topic to the appropriate period

Special Requirements

Prior to being awarded a degree, students majoring in history will take a mandatory one-hour oral comprehensive examination compiled from the required and elective courses in the major and their senior paper. This will be an oral examination with questions from each of the following: African History, United States History, World History, and the Senior Thesis.

This examination assesses the competency expected to have been attained during matriculation in the program. The minimum competency that will be accepted is a “C” or higher. The examination will be assessed by the departmental faculty. This exam data will be used to assess the overall effectiveness of the program and as an indicator of knowledge retention by students.