Why History at Northwest College?
History has been called “the one great synthesizing discipline,” and the historian has since ancient times performed the task of scholarly weaving—integrating the strands of thought spun from the traditions of both the humanities and the social sciences. History prepares learners to be good citizens in a complex multicultural world, equipped with insights into the human condition. Historians combine the methods of literature, philosophy, psychology, sociology, economics, sociology, anthropology, archeology, the arts and many other fields so that indeed, whether focused on our own country or other parts of the world, “the life of the past is the light of the present.”
A specialization in History at Northwest College begins an intellectual journey that can lead in many directions. Students who wish to teach at the college or university levels, as well as those who aim to work in the many fields of “public history” as archivists, museum curators, park service historians or other career positions, will do well to start their journey at Northwest College by earning a two-year Associate of Arts Degree with a specialization in History. The Associate of Arts in History is, moreover, one of the traditional paths to not only the baccalaureate in history, but also masters or doctoral work and careers in the fields of history, law, politics, international relations, archeology, theology, folklore, and American Studies. Many students seek to teach in secondary schools and should specialize in Social Science Education with a focus on History. No matter what major a student chooses, an interest in history might ultimately lead to a useful “minor” in a baccalaureate program of study.
At Northwest College, history students can choose from an unusually rich array of courses and experiences as they work with their faculty advisors to customize their programs. The traditional two-semester sequences in the History of the United States and Western Civilization form the core of the degree program, to which our students add more specialized classes on the American West, North American Indians, the Ancient civilizations of the Near East, Greece and Rome, as well as Modern Europe. Internship experiences in the field of public history have included positions with the Buffalo Bill Historical Center and other area museums, the National Park Service, libraries and area archives.
Equally important to the dedicated learner is the range of related course work and opportunities that are available in other disciplines at Northwest, and which fit gracefully into the Associate of Arts Degree while also transferring well into baccalaureate programs throughout the nation. Classes in Mythology, Archeology, Folklore, Political Theory, Religion, and foreign culture make for an exciting two-year “weave” of interests. (Students who qualify for membership in the Honor’s Program society, Phi Theta Kappa, will enjoy further enrichment through participation in programs and other events.) Foreign language studies include French and Spanish. Expeditions study the history, geology and the ecosystem of Yellowstone National Park, and there are regular annual opportunities to travel to places like France, Ireland, England, Latin America, Quebec, the German-speaking lands and even Hawaii, often in connection with elective course work. One of the more popular excursions, for instance, has been the semi-annual archeological “dig” in Israel.
