History BA, (Public History Specialization)

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

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

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:

• HIS 101 History of Western Civilization I  
• HIS 102 History of Western Civilization II  
• HIS 103 United States History to 1865  
• HIS 104 United States History since 1865  
• HIS 300 Introduction to Historiography and Methods  
• HIS 490 History Seminar  
• HIS 491 Research Seminar  
• Advanced level U.S. history elective (see below)
• Advanced level European history elective (see below)
• Advanced level Non-Western history elective (see below)
• Nine additional credits (3 courses) of 300-400 level courses (3 courses), of which 3 credits (one course) may be in political science
• Six credits (two courses) of 300-400 level English courses

Advanced U.S. History Electives

• HIS 309 The American West  
• HIS 320 Selected Studies in History  (if topic focuses on U.S. history)
• HIS 330 Immigration and American Ethnic History  
• HIS 354 Culture and National Security  
• HIS 425 The Civil War Era  
• HIS 426 The Gilded Age and Progressive Era  
• HIS 430 Post-1945 United States History  
• HIS 431 American Capitalism and the Global Economy  
• HIS 432 Race and Graphic Narrative in the Post-War United States  
• HIS 461 Film and History  
• HIS 462 American Visual Culture  
• HIS 464 History of Rock and Roll  

Advanced European History Electives

• HIS 301 History of 19th Century Revolutions  
• HIS 307 History of Russia  
• HIS 308 History of the Soviet Union  
• HIS 310 History of England  
• HIS 311 History of Britain  
• HIS 313 Modern French History  
• HIS 320 Selected Studies in History  (if topic focuses on European history)
• HIS 342 History of Medicine and Health  
• HIS 407 European Cultural Movements  
• HIS 408 Europe Since 1945  
• HIS 421 Nazi Germany  
• HIS 463 History of Cinema  

Advanced Non-Western History Electives

• GEO 202 Cultural World Geography  
• HIS 314 Survey of Latin America: Modern  
• HIS 320 Selected Studies in History  (if topic focuses on non-Western history)
• HIS 360 Global Environmental History  
• HIS 410 Seminar on Global Issues  
• POL 325 War in World Politics  

 

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:

• In place of the three non-area advanced history electives specified above, and free elective credit, students complete HIS 341 Introduction to Public History , HIS 440 Public History Practicum , HIS 450 History Internship  (two semesters, six credits total), and HIS 492 History in the Professions Thesis .
• In place of six credits of free electives, choose two of the following courses: BUS 208 Principles of Management  ,BUS 363 Management of Human Capital ,COM 215 Web Design & Production , COM 217 Introduction to Graphic Design , COM 220 Journalism I , COM 317 Advanced Graphic Design .
• Three credits of the six credits of advanced English electives must be chosen from the following courses: ENG 303 Advanced Expository Writing , ENG 325 Feature and Magazine Writing , ENG 339 Technical Writing , ENG 341 Imaginative Writing , ENG 343 Writing for Media , ENG 371 The Craft of Fiction , or ENG 372 The Craft of Drama .

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).