At West Virginia State College, students study the past to understand the present and shape the future. The History Department is committed to the principle that the investigation of the broad and diverse panorama of the human experience over time fosters principles of freedom, reason, and tolerance in society. Faculty hold the highest degrees from some of the nation’s most prestigious universities, and participate vigorously in professional activities in the discipline, from consulting, publishing, and public speaking, to attendance and organization of scholarly conferences. Through its teaching, research, and community service, the Department reflects the historic mission of the College as a “Living Laboratory of Human Relations,” and is home to the Middle States African Studies Association, which sponsors an annual conference hosting scholars from around the world.
Graduates will have completed a General Education requirement designed to promote students’ ability to interconnect knowledge and apply concepts and skills from one area to another. Graduates will have successfully completed six upper-level courses emphasizing research and writing skills, and kept a comprehensive portfolio of all written work to demonstrate competency in those language arts skills. The required Senior capstone course permits students to select either a research-intensive project if they contemplate graduate or professional training, or field experience internships with public history agencies in the region to provide workforce training for those students entering employment.
Rigorous study, judicious analysis, and extensive reading and writing prepares students for careers in the fields of information management, museum curation, archaeology, cultural resource management, international education, local and state government, economic development, and other professions in the field of public history. Moreover, the study of the heritage of the past in the broad liberal arts tradition prepares graduates for further study at the graduate level or professional training in fields like education, public policy, or law.
Reviewed and Revised
October 2003
The History curriculum (with --- hours of required coursework in the discipline) consists of --- components: [will be posted soon!]
I. A (-- hours)
II. A (-- hours)
III. A (-- hours)
IV. A (-- hours)
V. A (-- hours)
VI. A (-- hours)
VII. A (-- hours)
The graduates of the History program will be able to:
1. Demonstrate an understanding of the diversity of the human experience over space and time.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the broad trends of the unique American historical experience.
3. Recognize the crucial and subtle differences between primary and secondary sources.
4. Demonstrate the ability to perform extensive historical research and writing assignments.
5. Fulfill the institutional mission of an HBCU by demonstrating an understanding of the unique African-American historical experience.
6. Demonstrate an understanding of the crucial differences between traditional and modern societies.
7. Demonstrate the skills of historic preservation, document conservation, site interpretation, cultural resource management, and other workforce occupational abilities, and successfully complete an internship with a local institution or program. [Public History area of emphasis outcome]
8. Demonstrate advanced research and writing capabilities through upper-level courses and the Senior Capstone research course. [Graduate Education or Professional Training area of emphasis outcome]
Reviewed and Revised
October 2003, April 2004
Course-Outcome Alignment Matrix
[pdf]
Outcome-Measure Alignment Matrix
[pdf]