Whether covering American history and World history in general first-year courses or in upper-division courses, the history department endeavors to use the past to inform the present and future.
A wide array of topic-oriented classes reflect the burning issues of the day: Environmental History to understand climate change, The History of Imperialism to frame the conflicts around the world, Women in World History to comprehend changing gender roles, and US History from 1945 to the Present to grasp the origins of the ongoing political crisis in American democracy.
Recently, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) published a set of competencies or skills valued by employers:
- Critical thinking and problem solving
- Oral/written communication
- Teamwork/collaboration
- Information technology application
- Leadership
- Professionalism and work ethic
The study of history at Blackburn provides students with the opportunity to develop all of these skills. Emphasis is placed on the critical understanding of texts, boiling down mountains of information into succinct essays, and articulating complex ideas in oral presentations. Problem solving, of course, begins by learning about the history of the problem, finding out what worked and what didn’t. While the subject matter may feature the past, students will use the latest tools and technology to examine all necessary historical information. Plus, this major gives students the opportunity to learn about how people became successful leaders. The other skills — teamwork, professionalism, work ethic — are developed in tandem with Blackburn’s unique student-managed work program.
Programs Include
- History Major / Minor
