2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog
History and Philosophy
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 Return to: College of Arts and Sciences
The History major is designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the past while teaching important analytical skills, including: research, writing, communication, source evaluation, critical thinking and analysis that enable students to succeed in a wide variety of careers. A historical perspective is valuable in nearly every profession. History provides the essential background for understanding the roots of social issues and current global problems. We also offer a minor in history and students from any major are welcome to take courses.
WSU history majors are prepared for graduate work in history, museum studies, library science and law. They pursue a wide variety of careers in fields such as teaching, business, public relations, government, museum & historic site administration, social work, politics, research, editing, library science, and non-profit administration. Many of our history majors are enrolled in Westfield’s teacher licensure program for middle and secondary education.
We offer a wide range of internship opportunities at museums and historic sites throughout New England and Washington, D.C. These include Old Sturbridge Village, the Basketball Hall of Fame, Springfield Armory, Westfield Athenaeum, the Springfield Museums, and archival work at Boston’s Kennedy Library. The biannual Historical Journal of Massachusetts also offers exciting internships on the WSU campus. The journal offers students training in historical research, editing, and journal production. The department also has a History Club and the Kappa Omicron chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, the National Honor Society.
The Philosophy and Religious Studies minors are not only concerned with fundamental questions about the nature of reality but also the development of critical thinking skills. Courses explore the foundations of science, religion, ethics and art; and the nature and scope of human knowledge. The disciplines of philosophy and religious studies can be a meeting place for all disciplines, for any discipline becomes philosophical once it begins seriously to examine its own methodology and fundamental presuppositions. Ultimately, courses in these fields are much more than the acquisition of a certain kind of knowledge. It is the ability to think reflectively and to raise questions about problems that lie at the root of what might appear self-evident. The study of philosophy is therefore recommended to all students, regardless of their major. The Philosophy and Religious Studies minors will help students develop into critical, independent thinkers who will make positive contributions to their communities by using the information available to them to form good judgments. The programs aim to equip students with the skills necessary to engage in critical analysis and interpretation. Graduates should emerge with thoughtful reasons for believing what they believe and the ability to critically engage with others’ beliefs, having developed classical logical reasoning methods and a variety of formalized approaches to the appraisal of arguments and positions.
ProgramsMajorMinorCoursesAmerican HistoryEuropean HistoryWorld HistoryGeneralPhilosophy
Return to: College of Arts and Sciences
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