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History

History Department

Mission Statement

The Department of History provides students with broad exposure to the development and evolution of societies over time and helps them develop the analytical skills necessary for describing, comparing, and explaining human actions. A wide variety of courses helps students learn to see both the diversity and complexity of the past. A History major offers invaluable training in the essential skills of a liberal arts education. We teach students to read carefully, write effectively, think critically, and speak publicly about their research. We also prepare students for a wide range of careers, including teaching, law, journalism, consulting, government, business, and, of course, the practice of history as an archivist, curator, or scholar. Overall, the study of history develops informed, engaged, and thoughtful citizens who can contribute on both the local and the national level. As part of these efforts, the History Department works closely with the broader community through scholarship and engagement and regularly provides students with examples of engaged citizenship and public discourse rooted in the study of history.

Overview/Description

The Department of History currently trains about 125 undergraduate majors as well as a significant number of students who either minor in History or who choose a History concentration through the BLA degree. Many of our students go on to teach at the elementary or secondary level as well as in higher education, while others pursue graduate education or enter the work force directly. Consistent with the university’s mission to “enhance the intellectual, personal, and cultural development of its students,” the Department of History seeks to train students to think both creatively and rigorously about the past, and to identify links between past and present.

The History Department currently includes thirteen full-time faculty with expertise ranging between the United States, Europe, and the non-western world. All faculty are actively engaged in teaching, research, and service. During the past few years, the faculty have published more than a dozen monographs as well as a variety of scholarly articles, review essays, book chapters, historical documentaries, translations, and edited collections. The faculty also work with community organizations, professional historical societies, and foundations to advance the study of history across multiple fields.

The Department has a chapter of Phi Alpha Theta (the national History honor society) that supports our majors’ academic achievements as well as a History Club that organizes lectures, trips, and events. Service-Learning opportunities, Study Abroad courses (both in the summer and during the academic year), and individual internships offer students the chance to broaden their learning beyond the traditional classroom. The History Department also offers an M.A. program in History which focuses on American history and comparative global history as well as providing additional opportunities for experiential learning in the Lowell community.

For additional information, visit the Department of History website.