History Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of 100-level courses, students should:

• Demonstrate a basic knowledge of broad historical events in the specific content area;
• Understand the process by which historians evaluate historical sources;
• Use evidence/primary documents to formulate interpretations;
• Gain experience presenting persuasive analysis.

Upon completion of 200-level courses, students should:

• Demonstrate a broad knowledge of significant historical events in the specific content area during a well-defined period or within a particular thematic focus;
• Engage in the process of historical interpretation through analysis of documents;
• Discern historical argumentation and compare different approaches;
• Demonstrate the ability to retrieve course materials from electronic databases and learning platforms;
• Present coherent and persuasive arguments in oral and written form.

Upon completion of 300-level courses, students should:

• Demonstrate familiarity with a range of historical interpretations in a well-defined subject area;
• Apply their analytical skills to complex historical questions and debates;
• Demonstrate the ability to compare and synthesize multiple historical interpretations;
• Present coherent and persuasive arguments in oral and written form;
• Demonstrate a familiarity with research methods, including the use of electronic databases.

Upon completion of 400-level courses, students should:

• Understand ethical issues historians face as interpreters of the past;
• Design their own research project that exhibits their ability to develop a thesis, collect and interpret data, and correctly cite sources or work closely with the internship coordinator to develop and complete an internship project;
• Formally present research findings (if applicable) in a persuasive, coherent, and professional manner.