| History
(HS)
Professors: M. J. Morton, F. F. Travis, D. W. Robson, L. Eisenmann
(Dean); Associate Professors: W. F. Ryan, J. H. Krukones (Associate
Academic Vice President), R. W. Purdy, R. J. Kolesar, M. P. Berg, D. P.
Kilbride, A. Kugler (Chair), P. V. Murphy; Assistant Professor:
M. Marsilli
History explores the totality of human experience using methodologies
drawn from the humanities and the social sciences. The historian uses
original sources and the writings of other scholars to offer complex explanations
for significant social, cultural, economic, and political developments.
History helps students understand long-term transformations and appreciate
the contexts of time and place. Students gain a deeper appreciation of
their own and other cultures, preparing them to contribute meaningfully
to the contemporary world and to understand problems rooted in cultural
misunderstandings and political and economic inequities.
Major and Minor
Requirements
Course Descriptions
Major in History: 39 credit hours, at least
18 of which must be at the 300 and 400 level. At least 20 hours
must be taken in residence. One 100-level course, HS 261, and HS
490 or 491 are required. At least two courses in each of the following
areas must be taken: American; European; and Asian, African, or
Latin American. In addition, students must include in their program
two courses that concentrate on a period before 1800, and two that
concentrate on post-1800 history. Elective courses in the major
should be selected to focus on a region or a theme to be pursued
in the Senior Seminar or Senior Thesis. AR 291 (Justice and Democracy
in a Global Context) also counts toward the major in history.
For students working toward licensure in secondary education, careful
and early planning in consultation with the Department of Education
and the academic advisor is essential. These programs may entail
work beyond the normal four years. For students in the Integrated
Social Studies teaching licensure program, 12 hours at the 300 and
400 level satisfy major requirements.
Minor in History: 18 hours. Six courses with a
minimum of two at the 100 or 200 level and at least three
300-400 level courses. At least one course in two of the following
areas: American; European; and Asian, African, or Latin American.
AR 291 (Justice and Democracy in a Global Context) also counts towards
the minor in history. Selection of the courses must be approved
by the chair or a designated member of the department.
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Through its Core curriculum course offerings, its major program, and
other activities, the History Department fosters the skills, knowledge,
and habits of mind that enable students to achieve success at John Carroll
and in their later lives and careers. Specific course and program goals
for students include:
- Developing academic skills, including analytical reasoning, research
techniques, and oral and written communication.
- Integrating historical knowledge with that acquired through other liberal
arts disciplines and experiential learning.
- Gaining knowledge of human experience in varied regions and times, and
as shaped by social characteristics such as race, gender, religion,
nation, and class.
- Providing an opportunity to engage in serious reflection on significant
ethical issues and questions of social justice.
- Cultivating within majors a competence in a particular theme, region,
or time period sufficient to undertake a significant research and writing
project, incorporating original sources and the work of other historians.
Any single course within the program may emphasize one or more of these
goals. Students should start with one or more 100-level courses, which
introduce students to the study of significant historical topics or themes
through the use and interpretation of primary-source materials and historical
arguments. Students should then proceed to traditional survey courses
at the 200 level or advanced courses at the 300 or 400 level. Majors should
take HS 261, History as Art and Science, in the sophomore year, and HS
490, Senior Seminar, or 491, Senior Thesis, in the senior year. Seniors
are also required to take an exam on their general level of achievement
in the major.
In consultation with their advisor, students majoring in history develop
a thematic, regional, or chronologically-based concentration suiting their
interests within the framework of a balanced program. Majors are urged
to seek experiential learning opportunities that may involve internships
through the department at a local historical society or course- or service-related
travel components. Pertinent courses from other departments may be included
in the major program upon the written approval of the student’s
major advisor. Foreign language study beyond university core requirements
and/or statistics are recommended for students who plan to do graduate
work in history.
Students who combine a history major with a second major or a minor or
concentration complementing their interests–and with an experiential
learning component or internship–put themselves in excellent positions
to enter careers in law, business, secondary education, social service
professions, non-profit organizations, or graduate study in history. The
department participates in the following interdisciplinary concentrations:
Africana Studies, Catholic Studies, East Asian Studies, International
Studies, Latin American Studies, Modern European Studies, and Perspectives
on Sex and Gender (see pages 81-88). Program requirements and course descriptions
for the master of arts in history are published in the Graduate School
Bulletin.
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