History
Make a meaningful impact on society
Engage critically with the world around us.
The history program prepares students for a greater understanding of events, scholarship, and principles that impact our approach to society. You’ll develop the skills to draw and express cogent conclusions and make a meaningful impact on society through scholarship and service.
Baccalaureate Programs (B.A.)
Bachelor of Arts in History
The bachelor’s degree in history requires 33 semester hours of specified history courses and 15 hours of history electives, including a 3-hour 300-level history course. An additional requirement is an academic minor selected outside the discipline of history. Students majoring in history who plan to attend graduate school are urged to acquire competence in a foreign language.
The program goals for the history major are to:
- Contribute to preparing people for effective leadership and useful citizenship.
- Attempt to provide students with insight into the historian’s spirit of critical analysis as a means of discovering truth.
- Encourage students to think independently, clearly, and with a minimum of bias.
- Foster an understanding and a love of liberty.
- Help students grasp the concept that with freedom comes great responsibility.
- Provide students with a background and a frame of reference into which they may fit knowledge gained in other fields.
- Emphasize the ecumenical nature of the discipline as providing a vehicle for learning to deal with the complexity of modern society.
- Acquaint students with some of the writings of historians.
Prepare students for the vocation or profession of their choice.
Minors
History Minor
The requirements for a minor in history consist of 15 semester hours of history courses.
Courses
What We Offer
- United States History I & II
- History of Civilization I & II
- Introduction to Food History
- Introduction to Public History
- Hollywood & History
- West Virginia History
- History of Great Britain I & II
- Modern Europe
- Environmental History
- The Medieval World
- Twentieth Century U.S. History
- The Reformations
- The Colonial Atlantic World
- Early Modern China and Japan
- Empires and Imperialism
- Historiography and Methods
- Early American History
- Terrorism
- Civil War & Reconstruction
- History of U.S. Foreign Policy
- American Political Culture of the 20th Century
- The Renaissance
- The Third Reich
- Life in the Ancient World
- Revolutions
- History Internship
- Independent Study
- Senior Seminar
Careers in History
A bachelor’s degree in history can prepare you to enter a wide array of professional fields, including:
- Law
- Education
- Journalism
- Publishing
- Politics
- Public Service
- Library or Archival Service
- Diplomacy
- The Ministry
- Advertising
- Professional Historical Work
What Our Alumni Say
“The history department at D&E has taught me so many essential skills. The depth of the lectures instilled a longing to look at all matters historically, which has encouraged stronger critical thinking—a skill that is crucial to a successful college and career journey. Being a small department also gave me a lot of opportunity to interact with and get all the help I needed from professors and peers.”
– Ester Bolmenaea, Class of 2020
Why History at D&E
As a history major at D&E, you will be asked to examine the past with a critical eye. Coursework will focus on the reading and evaluation of the most recent historical scholarship, and you will also be asked to engage in your own research and analysis of the past using historical primary sources. A degree in history from D&E will prepare you to critically analyze complex information, engage in worthwhile research, and present your work to a wider audience.