Taylor 133
541-552-6130
Paul Pavlich, Chair

The history program is part of the History and Political Science Department. The mission of the history program is twofold: to support SOU’s University Studies program and to teach advanced courses for students desiring to make history the major focus of their baccalaureate program.

To this end, the history program offers courses that help fulfill SOU University Studies requirements, elective requirements for many other programs, and requirements for a major or minor in history.

The goals of the history baccalaureate degree are to:

1. increase students’ understanding of themselves and their society by introducing them to scholarship on the historical foundations of world societies;
2. prepare students for public life by familiarizing them with the current professional views of history;
3. augment the intellectual capacities of students by encouraging critical thinking and analysis from multiple perspectives, preparing them for whatever path they may choose;
4. improve students’ abilities to search for, locate, and appropriately use valid sources of information and knowledge as historical evidence through both printed and electronic media;
5. build student familiarity with the appropriate use of computers and computer networks in the fields of history, social science, and humanities;
6. enhance the writing skills of students by offering them opportunities to write and receive professional feedback on what they have written; and
7. acquaint students with the realities, standards, and expectations of the professional world.

Studying history is excellent preparation for teaching and advanced study in the humanities and social sciences, law and library schools, and seminaries. The history major also provides a solid foundation for government service, business administration, public history and museum work, and various other areas of communication, journalism, and writing. History courses are an integral part of many other degree programs at Southern Oregon University.

In addition, the department offers minors in designated fields of historical study.

Phi Alpha Theta

Membership in the local chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, the international honor society in history, is open to qualified students. The purposes of the society are to encourage, stimulate, and help maintain excellence in the historical scholarship of students and faculty. Phi Alpha Theta also has a number of programs, scholarship awards, and publications available to member students. For more information, contact Dr. Dustin Walcher.

Teacher Licensing

Students who want to teach history at the middle school and high school level in Oregon public schools must complete a bachelor’s degree in history before applying for admission to a postgraduate licensure program such as the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program at SOU. Interested students should consult the School of Education regarding admission requirements.

Foreign Language

The history program strongly recommends that majors complete at least two years of college-level foreign language. Students who complete their second year of foreign language will likely qualify for a bachelor of arts degree at SOU (see BA/BS Requirements). Graduate and professional schools, scholarship-granting agencies and foundations, and private-sector employers consider the bachelor of arts degree as most appropriate within the history field. Additionally, taking courses at the 300- or 400-level in a foreign language will aid students in their post-graduation careers.

Program Requirements

Programs

Major

• •  History, BA or BS

Minor

• •  History Minor