SOUTHERN OREGON UNIVERSITY   2000-2001 Catalog
  SOU Catalog Home >> Schools and Departments >> History >> Courses

History
Taylor 113
541-552-6251
Robert T. Harrison, Chair

Professors: Joseph W. Cox, Karen Gernant, Robert T. Harrison, Neil Kunze

Associate Professors: Todd F. Carney, Jay C. Mullen, Karen S. Sundwick

Assistant Professor: Gary Miller

Adjunct Faculty: Leonard W. Levy

The Department of History offers courses that help fulfill SOU general education requirements, elective requirements for a number of other programs, and requirements for a major or minor in history. The goals of the history baccalaureate degree are to:

1. Introduce students to scholarship on the social, cultural, and political foundations of world societies in order to enhance their understanding of themselves and society.

2. Prepare students for public life by familiarizing them with the current professional views of world and United States history.

3. Build the intellectual capacities of students by encouraging critical thinking and analysis, which will prepare them for whatever career or life they choose.

4. Improve student abilities to search for and locate valid sources of information and knowledge through printed and electronic media.

5. Enrich the writing skills of students by offering opportunities to write and receive professional feedback.

6. Acquaint students with the realities, standards, and expectations of the professional world.

These goals are interrelated and make the study of history an important part of a complete education. Studying history is excellent preparation for teaching and advanced study in humanities and social sciences, law and library schools, and seminaries. It 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.

The department strongly recommends a bachelor of arts degree, with two years of college-level foreign language, as the more appropriate degree for history majors. In addition, minors are offered in designated programs of historical study.

Degrees

Minors

African and Middle Eastern history, Asian history, European history, Latin American history, United States history, history of women and minorities.

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, see the chapter's faculty advisors.

Teacher Licensing

Students who want to teach history at the middle school or high school level in Oregon public schools must complete a bachelor's degree in history before applying for admission to the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program at SOU. Interested students should consult the department chair for an appropriate advisor and the Education Department regarding admission requirements for the MAT teacher education program.

This competitive program requires students to prepare in advance to enhance their chances of acceptance into the program. Practica, internships, and volunteer experiences working with children in the public schools prior to application to the MAT program are required.

The Department of History strongly urges the early development of an academic program suitable for a teaching career in consultation with a history faculty advisor.

In addition, proficiency in a second language is required for admission. This requirement can be met by successfully completing two years of a second language at the college or university level or by passing a second language proficiency test at the intermediate level.

Transition to Four Credit Courses

In the 1997-1998 academic year, the Department of History converted to 4-credit courses. Students who have completed lower division survey sequences (three terms) in World Civilization or United States History under the old 3-credit system will have satisfied degree and prerequisite requirements described below as "Hst 110, 111" and "Hst 250, 251." Students who have not yet completed the old Hst 112 or 203 are required to complete the new Hst 111 or 251.

Requirements for Major

The Department of History strongly urges students completing a history major to fulfill all general education requirements and prerequisites for upper division courses by the end of their sophomore year. Students should also begin foreign language study as soon as possible.

For a bachelor's degree in history, students must complete a program planned in cooperation with and approved by a history faculty advisor. The program must meet the criteria established for all arts and sciences degrees outlined in this catalog. It must also contain a minimum of 56 credits of history, 36 credits of which must be in prescribed and elective upper division courses. Majors fulfill 24 of these credits by selecting and pursuing two fields of historical study.

Requirements include:

1. World Civilizations (Hst 110, 111) 8
(Students who have completed a lower division sequence in Western Civilization satisfy this requirement.)
 
2. American History and Life (Hst 250, 251) 8
(Students who have completed a lower division sequence in United States History satisfy this requirement.)
 
3. Writing and Methods for History
(Hst 298) with a grade of B- or better 4

4. Upper division courses 36

Upper division courses must include 24 credits from two fields of historical study:

5. A 2.5 GPA for all history courses taken at SOU.

Minor

For a minor in history, a student must complete one of the programs described below. Questions about a specific minor should be directed to the appropriate faculty member whose specialization corresponds to the minor.

African and Middle Eastern History

(24 credits)

Asian History

(24 credits)

European History

(24 credits)

Latin American History

(24 credits)

United States History

(24 credits)

History of Women and Minorities

(24 credits)

 

This material is from the 2000-2001
Southern Oregon University Catalog.

Page revised July 24, 2000
Copyright 2000, Southern Oregon University.
1250 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, Oregon 97520
541/552-7672