| |
|
|
History
Department Chair: David Bennetts
Faculty: Annette Atkins, David Bennetts, Carol Berg OSB, Richard
Bohr, Cynthia Curran, Nicholas Hayes, Kenneth Jones, Brian Larkin,
Derek Larson, John Lloyd, Gregory Schroeder, Martha Tomhave Blauvelt,
Theresa Vann, Elizabeth Wengler
History is an encompassing discipline that
examines the intersection of individual, social, political, economic,
and cultural factors and how they influence human development over
time. In both teaching and scholarship, the historical discipline has
made major contributions to the liberal arts. It stresses an
understanding of the continuities and discontinuities between the past
and the present and places contemporary issues, ideas and
relationships in historical perspective. History also teaches the
complexity of remembering and reconstructing the past and how each
generation reinterprets past events. In its sensitivity to different
people, cultures and times, the historical discipline fosters a sense
of human community. The study of history requires people to hone their
skills in reading, listening, analyzing, imagining, questioning,
wondering and writing. In preparing students for a more thoughtful and
aware life, history supports the college mission to prepare leaders
and cultivate the capacity for responsible human freedom. A major or
minor provides training for any work that calls for critical reading,
analysis of evidence, and ability to construct and critique an
argument. Graduates have pursued careers in law, business, government
service, journalism, archival or museum work and teaching.
The curriculum offered by the department of
history is exceptionally broad, covering East Asia, Africa, Latin
America, Europe and the United States, and including social,
political, intellectual, cultural and economic history. The course
offerings are divided into four levels, devised to meet a variety of
student needs. The first level of instruction (courses numbered
100-199) consists of broad courses designed to introduce the beginning
student to the discipline of history. These courses survey general
trends and developments in European, American, Latin American or Asian
history. The second level consists of upper-division courses (numbered
in the 300s) that focus on particular themes, regions or periods.
These courses are generally offered on a rotating basis every third or
fourth semester. The History Colloquium (HIST 200), Topics in History
(HIST 300) and Historiography and Methods (HIST 389) constitute the
third level of instruction. The History Colloquium is intended for
beginning majors and is taken in the Sophomore year or first semester
of the Junior year. The History Colloquium and Topics in History each
involve an intensive study of a particular topic through reading,
writing and discussion. Historiography and Methods addresses the
critical skills applied by historians to the materials they work with.
The fourth level is the Senior Thesis (HIST 399). This course is
viewed as the capstone of the major’s experience and involves the
research, organization and writing of a substantial paper. Seniors
present their findings to a gathering of faculty, students, parents
and friends. Internships are also available for interested students.
|
