History

Associate Professor Michael D. Thompson, Head

The Department of History offers an undergraduate major leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree in History. A major in history requires 39 credit hours of history course work; a minor requires 18 credit hours. The department’s faculty offer courses in American, European, Asian, African, Middle Eastern, and Latin American history. In all these courses, students will learn about particular historical subjects and their significance, and they will master skills that will allow them to succeed in any career they choose. These skills include critical thinking and analysis, written and verbal communication, cultural understanding, and a global perspective, which will help students become thoughtful and well-informed citizens and will prepare them for life and work in an increasingly globalized world. History is a liberal-arts discipline that prepares students for success in a wide range of fields, including education, business, international relations, public service, law, technology, library science, and historic preservation.

Mission

The Department of History promotes excellence in teaching, scholarship, and research. Our mission is to ensure that our students engage critically with and understand historical events. We expose students to a broad range of historical periods and geographical areas and introduce them to a wide variety of primary and secondary historical sources. Students learn to formulate and advance arguments based upon research and, in so doing, acquire essential research, writing, and problem-solving skills. The department encourages and provides opportunities for students to explore their interests through a variety of elective courses, individual research projects (with the support of a faculty member), study abroad programs, and history-related internships. Our mission also includes the development and promotion of faculty research, with an understanding that our original contributions to the discipline directly benefit classroom instruction and help advance history as a field of human inquiry.

For more information on the value of a history degree in the competitive job market, please visit the History Department website.