Programs
Why Study History?
History is a core discipline of the Liberal Arts. It offers a mode of learning that has been around for more than 2,000 years. By studying the past, history majors learn to think creatively, analyze carefully, interpret complex events, write with clarity and precision, and assess and organize evidence. In short, to read, write, and think!
History is not just about the past. It deals with people and events that continue to influence the present. Everything has a history: nations, wars, ethnic groups, ideas, sexual behavior, even food. History is visible all around us: at Disneyland; on television and in film; and in public debates about school curriculum, health care, and the principles upon which the United States was founded.
One of the best reasons to major in history is because you enjoy it. History combines the excitement of exploration and discovery with the sense of achievement that comes from making sense of complex problems. Reading and studying history is also something you can do throughout your life.
As George Orwell famously wrote in 1984, "Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past." While it may not be true that "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it," as George Santayana observed, if we don't know where we've come from, we can't know who we are or where we should be going.
Programs Offered
The Department of History offers four academic degrees, as well as guidance through the Social Science Subject Matter (teaching credential) Program.