History Department
History as a Discipline
The past occupies a central place in how our society envisions itself. Therefore, the study and evaluation of the past must occupy a central place in our universities. While the study of history involves a careful search through existing evidence to determine what happened in the past -- hence the common image of historians buried deep in dusty archives -- understanding how and why that evidence was created and then saved stands at the center of the discipline.
Sometimes historians form the kinds of generalizations made by other social scientists; at other times they probe the moral questions raised by humanists. They make us question why certain stories are retold or rediscovered. We are left with the task to discern what the evidence meant in its own time as well as what it means in ours. To make these determinations, historians draw from a wide range of influences and methods. The questions we ask and the critical thinking we develop are as important as the answers we seek.
Wait List Policy
The History Department reserves the right to manage its wait lists to give priority to students who have applied to graduate that quarter and must take the courses to satisfy graduation requirements.
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Office Hours
Spring 2013
Monday - Friday
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.