Bachelor of Arts

The history major is designed both to provide the basis for a solid liberal arts education and to meet the needs of individual students. Within the specific requirements of the major, students receive basic instruction in the history of the United States as well as that of other countries. They are also introduced to the methods of historical inquiry, techniques of historical writing, differing philosophies of history and historiography, past and present. Beyond these basic requirements, students may arrange course work to fit their needs and interests. Upper division classes are generally small and offer ample individual attention, guidance and interaction between students and faculty.

Rationale for Objectives

The American Historical Association notes that history is at the heart of liberal learning and, as such, students shall participate knowledgeably in the affairs in the world around them, drawing upon understandings shaped through reading, writing, discussions, and lectures concerning the past. Students need to exhibit sensitivities to human values in their own and other cultural traditions and, in turn, establish values of their own. Ultimately, students ought to respect scientific and technological developments and recognize the impact of these developments on humankind, grasping the connections between history and life.¹

¹ This is paraphrased from “Liberal Learning and the History Major,” The American Historical Association, accessed June 5, 2007.