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Department of History
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About the Program

The history and social studies programs are part of Park University's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. These majors are designed to prepare graduates who are articulate, literate, reflective, and committed to a lifetime of learning and civic action. 

Program Mission Statement

The Program of History is dedicated to excellence in undergraduate education and preparing students for a diversity of professions within a global society.  The History faculty is committed to the advancement of reading, writing, research, critical thinking, and analytical and interpretive proficiencies of its majors, as well as those enrolled in General Education and Liberal Arts Curriculum courses.

Program Competencies

By the time of graduation, a history/social studies major is expected to be able to:

  • Define key concepts, individuals and events in historical context.
  • Demonstrate an awareness of the ethical questions faced by practicing historians.
  • Exhibit the ability to express verbally complex ideas in a coherent and convincing manner.
  • Display level appropriate skills in critical reading and in analyzing, summarizing, and synthesizing complex documents and arguments.
  • Use, evaluate, and synthesize primary and secondary materials in the creation of substantive research projects.
  • Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of a variety of current historiographic approaches and controversies.
  • Model preparation of education majors for student teaching.

Major Requirements  (Effective 2008-2009 Undergraduate Catalog)

The European/Classical or United States concentrations consist of fourteen courses and senior examinations, distributed as follows:

  • A primary area of concentration, selected from the above list, in which five courses (15 credit hours) are taken.  No more than five courses in any region will count toward the major.
  • One intermediate seminar (250-299 level) within the area of concentration.  The intermediate seminar will be taken at Park University, preferably by the conclusion of the sophomore year (incoming freshmen) or by the conclusion of the first semester for transfer students.
  • Two non-seminar courses taken from outside the area of concentration at the 200-249 level.
  • One upper level (300-399) level seminar within the area of concentration.
  • One upper level (300-399) level seminar outside the area of concentration.
  • One course HIS 103: Introduction to and the Ethics of the Historical Profession.
  • One course HIS 400: History in the Public Realm.
  • One course HIS 451: Thesis I.
  • One course HIS 452: Thesis II.
  • No more than two courses numbered below 200 can be counted toward the major, except HIS 103.  These must be taken prior to the junior year for incoming freshmen or by the conclusion of the first semester for transfer students.
  • Senior Oral Comprehensive Examination
  • Senior Written Comprehensive Examination

The interdisciplinary concentration of Applied History with New Media (historic preservation, museum studies and/or archives) consists of fourteen courses, distributed as follows:

  • A primary area of concentration, selected from European/Classical or United States, in which five courses (15 credit hours) are taken.  No more than five courses will count toward the major.
  • One course AR 218: Graphic Design Software.
  • One course CA 241: Photography I.
  • One course EN 341: Literature and Film.
  • One course GGP 330: Cartography.
  • One course GGP 350: Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
  • One course HIS 103: Introduction to and the Ethics of the Historical Profession.
  • One course HIS 400: History in the Public Realm.
  • One course HIS 451: Thesis I.
  • One course HIS 452: Thesis II.

Minor Requirement  (Effective 2008-2009 Undergraduate Catalog)

Each major is required to select a non-history minor from one of the following programs: English, Geography, Legal Studies, Peace Studies, Philosophy and Religion, Political Science, Public Administration or Sociology.  These minors range from 18-21 credit hours.  The history major must maintain a 2.75 cgpa in the minor.

 

HI 100 Level Courses:  The 100 level courses deal with events and processes that affect human societies over long periods of time and across broad geographical areas not confined to national boundaries.  These courses include components that act as introductions to the field and concentrations of history.  All 100 level courses are lecture format.

HI 200 Level Courses:  The 200 level courses deal with a single cultural or national entity, or a clearly focused group of such entities, over a substantial period of time.  200 level courses are lecture courses except the 200 level seminars.

HI 300 Level Courses:  The 300 level courses, for the most part, are temporally or topically focused courses that offer an in-depth analysis of a topic.  Each seminar focuses in-depth on questions of methodolgy, historiography, and/or epistemology and is intended to introduce students to various ways of thinking about and "doing" history, both in the present and in the past.  All 300 level courses are seminar format.

Please contact a history professor for more information.

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