Department of History

Welcome to Department of History

The course of History enables students to explore the past with open-mindedness, thoroughness, and rigor, interrogate explanations and interpretations of the past, and pursue original research in order to develop a deeper understanding of past events, people, and societies, and develop critical thinking, writing, and reading skills vital to future studies and careers. Over the course of the major, students will develop their historical knowledge, habits of thinking, and skills through the required courses. Students take courses that are organized by “level” and by breadth requirements that are outlined in the curriculum.

Objectives

• To define an informed familiarity with multiple cultures
• To express verbally their historical knowledge.
• To employ a full range of techniques and methods used to gain historical knowledge.
• To demonstrate thinking skills by analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating historical information from multiple sources.
• To produce well researched written work that engages with both primary sources and the secondary literature.
• To develop the ability to distinguish between fact and fiction while understanding that there is no one historical truth.
• To argue their understanding of cause and effect along with their knowledge of the general chronology of human experience.

Intended Learning Outcomes

After completion of the course of History, students will be able to:

• identify the key events which express/define change over time in a particular place or region
• explain historical continuity and change,
• discuss the ways in which factors such as race, gender, class, ethnicity, region and religion influence historical narratives,
• discover the complex nature of past experiences,
• analyse the influence of political ideologies, economic structures, social organization, cultural perceptions, and natural environments on historical events,
• compare how people have existed, acted and thought in particular historical
  periods
• develop skills in critical thinking, reading, research, oral communication skills
• argue what influence the past has on the present,
• emphasize the complex and problematic nature of the historical record