The CSUB History undergraduate program seeks to achieve the following: provide students with an overview of the discipline of history, including an understanding of historiography and the process of research and interpretation of historical evidence; offer them an appreciation of diversity through a global historical perspective; help them develop skills to communicate effectively in written English; provide a sound liberal arts education for a variety of careers, including teaching and graduate study in history; develop critical thinking and analytical skills; be an integral part of the University’s general education, social science, liberal studies, and American Institutions programs; and be a resource for the greater Kern County community.
Student Learning Outcomes
Goal 1: Students will become familiar with the various approaches to analyzing and understanding the past.
Outcomes:
- 1.1 Complexity of history: Students will be able to demonstrate on in-class essays an understanding of the complexity of forces (e.g. class, politics, ideas, economics, technology) in historical developments.
- 1.2 Advanced complexity of history: In senior seminar, students will demonstrate through their research projects an ability to explain the multitude of forces that shape human history.
Goal 2: Students will learn about major debates among historians and interpretations of historical change and causality (historiography).
Outcomes
- 2.1 Historiography: In Historical Writing, students will demonstrate an understanding of the historiography of their research topic in their papers.
- 2.2 Advanced Historiography: In senior seminar, students will demonstrate an advanced understanding of the historiography of their research topic.
Goal 3: Students will learn world geography in relation to historical events and developments.
Outcome
- 3.1 Historical geography: Students will be able to identify sites of historical significance and utilize maps effectively in discussing historical developments.
Goal 4: Students will learn to research and write according to the standards and conventions of the discipline.
Outcomes
- 4.1 Historical research: Students will demonstrate the skills necessary to conduct historical research.
- 4.2 Historical writing: Students will be able to craft well-organized and grammatically correct essays.
- 4.3 Chicago style documentation: In research papers students will be able to correctly utilize Chicago style documentation.
Goal 5: Students will develop analytical and critical thinking skills in examining the past.
Outcome
- 5.1 Analysis and interpretation: Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze historical evidence (primary and secondary sources) and incorporate it into an interpretation of the past.
