2018-2019 Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
2018-2019 Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

History BA, (Public History Specialization)


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College of Arts and Sciences
Degree BA, History
Department Chair Christopher A. Stevens, PhD

Faculty

Allan W. Austin, Professor of History and Government, BA, MA Bowling Green State University; PhD University of Cincinnati

Jennifer M. Black, Assistant Professor of History and Government, BA, MA Western Michigan University; PhD University of Southern California

Brian F. Carso, Jr., Associate Professor of History and Government, BA, MA University of Rochester; JD State University of NY at Buffalo, School of Law; PhD Boston University

Donald O. Fries, Professor Emeritus of History and Government, BA, MA, University of Michigan; PhD Michigan State University

Thomas Hajkowski, Associate Professor of History and Government, BA Seton Hall University; MA Villanova University, PhD Northwestern University

Louis Maganzin, Professor Emeritus of History and Government, BA St. Bonaventure; MA, PhD Georgetown University

Rebecca Padot, Assistant Professor of History and Government, BA Eastern University; MGA, MPA Fels Institute of Government, University of Pennsylvania; MA , PhD University of Pennsylvania

Christopher A. Stevens, Associate Professor of History and Government, BA University of Massachusetts-Amherst; MA University of Delaware; PhD Brandeis University

Robert Lucas Williams, Assistant Professor of History and Government, BA University of Alabama at Birmingham; MA, PhD University of Houston

David C. Wright, Jr., Professor of History and Government, BA Kenyon College; MA, PhD University of Wisconsin-Madison

Yanqiu Zheng, Assistant Professor of History and Government, BA, MA Peking University; MA, MS Indiana University Bloomington; PhD Northwestern University

Program Description

The History major at Misericordia University is based on the disciplinary standards set by the American Historical Association, which states that:

“History is the study of the human past as it is constructed and interpreted with human artifacts, written evidence, and oral traditions. It requires empathy for historical actors, respect for interpretive debate, and the skillful use of an evolving set of practices and tools.

As an inquiry into human experience, history demands that we consider the diversity of human experience across time and place.

As a public pursuit, history requires effective communication to make the past accessible; it informs and preserves collective memory; it is essential to active citizenship.

As a discipline, history requires a deliberative stance towards the past; the sophisticated use of information, evidence, and argumentation; and the ability to identify and explain continuity and change over time. Its professional ethics and standards demand peer review, citation, and acceptance of the provisional nature of knowledge.”

General Requirements

Incoming first-year students seeking admission as history majors must meet the general and specific admissions requirements of the university as stated in this catalog. In cases where the student does not fully meet them, a personal interview is required.

Continuation as a history major requires that the student maintain a minimum of a 2.0 or “C” average in the major and a similar total grade point average. A student on academic probation for two consecutive semesters will be dismissed from the major.

Transfer students must complete all the history requirements as listed in the sequence of courses in this catalog.

Internship

Internships for history majors are encouraged. Majors who desire to pursue internships must receive prior approval of the department chair and the advisor.

Recommendation

To receive a recommendation for graduate study or law school, the student must maintain the minimum of a “B” in the major, specialization, and total grade point average.

Program Goals and Outcomes

  1. Develop historical knowledge.
    1. Recognize and explain historical processes, continuity, and change.
    2. Develop a body of historical knowledge with breadth of time and place—as well as depth of detail—in order to discern context.
    3. Examine global communities and cultures, and their interaction in history.
  2. Evaluate and employ historical methods.
    1. Recognize history as an interpretive account of the human past—one that historians create in the present from surviving evidence.
    2. Collect, question, organize, synthesize, and interpret a variety of historical sources.
    3. Practice ethical historical inquiry through proper acknowledgement of sources.
  3. Recognize the provisional nature of historical knowledge
    1. Describe past events from multiple perspectives.
    2. Identify, summarize, appraise, and synthesize other scholars’ historical arguments.
    3. Evaluate historical arguments, explaining how they were constructed and might be improved.
  4. Create historical arguments and narratives.
    1. Generate substantive, open-ended questions about the past and employ research strategies to answer them.
    2. Craft well-supported historical narratives, arguments, and reports of research findings.
    3. Synthesize research with existing narratives, making an original argument.
  5. Use historical perspective to inform active citizenship
    1. Historicize contemporary issues by correlating them to the past.
    2. Practice civil discourse and respect for diverse perspectives.

Major Requirements

All history majors are required to complete the following courses:

Advanced U.S. History Electives

Advanced European History Electives

Advanced Non-Western History Electives

 

History in the Professions: Public History Specialization

For information contact Jennifer Black, PhD

At its core, Public History seeks to articulate the value and relevance of history to a broad, public audience. The specialization in Public History immerses students in service-oriented study to foster independent thinking, develop strong communities, cultivate informed decisions, and inspire leadership. The program provides a firm foundation in the methods and practice of Public History, preparing students for diverse career paths, including museums; archives; non-profit agencies at the local, regional and national levels; libraries; historic preservation firms; and other like institutions; as well as graduate study in law, libraries/archives, non-profit management, and the humanities. Students proceed from core courses in historical methods and practice through intermediate and advanced courses designed to develop and hone students’ skills in researching and writing for a public audience. Throughout the program of study, emphasis is placed upon professional development and career preparation

Additional courses required for Public History specialization:

Students should consult their academic advisor for the timing of these and/or a more detailed plan of study for this specialization (a sample of which may be found in the History BA  section of the catalog).

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