1. Faculty:
Melissa Estes Blair, Dongping Han, Chris Kypriotis, Philip L. Otterness (Chair), J. Thomas Showalter,

3.2.11.1

Program Overview

The mission of the History and Political Science Department is to instruct students in the content and methodologies of History and Political Science while serving as exemplars of scholars working in those disciplines.

The goals of the History and Political Science Department are the following:

1. To foster informed and engaged citizens through the department's teaching and scholarship.
2. To nurture a sense of educated skepticism toward the accepted truths of politics, government, and history.
3. To promote the understanding that history and political science are disciplines based on argument.
4. To ensure that students see the complexity of the world's politics and history, meaning that they understand that a critical, sophisticated, and informed approach is necessary for the mature understanding of these disciplines.

The department teaches courses that emphasize critical reading and thinking, careful and thorough research, and effective writing. Besides preparing engaged citizens, academic training in History and Political Science is good preparation for careers in teaching, law, government service, journalism, archival and museum work, and research and writing.

3.2.11.2

Major in History and Political Science

Grades: Students must pass courses with a grade of C- or better to count toward fulfillment of the major.

Total Credit Hours: Students must earn a minimum of 40 credit hours in history and political science to fulfill the major requirements.

Students have the choice of completing a regular major in History and Political Science or of completing a concentration in History or in Political Science within the broader major.

For purposes of the major and the minor, ENS 421 Environmental Policy may count as a 400-level Political Science course. All other courses must have HIS or PSC designations.

Requirements (for the major with no concentration):

1. 12 credit hours in three 100-level History courses in at least two of three areas: Asian civilization, Western civilization, and United States history
2. PSC 151 Introduction to American Government
3. 20 credit hours in five additional courses in History and Political Science of which
1. at least three must be 300-level or 400-level courses and
2. two must be in History and two must be in Political Science.
4. HIS 480 Senior Seminar in History and Political Science

3.2.11.3

Concentrations

3.2.11.4

Minor in History and Political Science

Grades: Students must pass courses with a grade of C- or better to count toward the minor.

Total Credit Hours: Students must earn a minimum of 20 credit hours in history and political science to fulfill the minor requirements.

Requirements: The minor requires at least 4 credit hours in History and 4 credit hours in Political Sciences. At least 8 credit hours of the required 20 credit hours must be at the 200-level or higher.