History
Program Description
The history program at Rockhurst equips students to think critically, reason discerningly, and communicate effectively through exposure to the human condition across many times and places. History students are challenged to ask contemplative questions of the past, analyze sources and apply findings to the present providing insight into the future. History majors and minors have the opportunity to explore topics such as American Indian History, Science, Religion and Magic in Modern Europe, Law & Justice in the Pre-Modern World, Modern Middle East, and Immigrants’ Experiences in America, among others. Find our course offerings in history as listed in the Catalog.
Each faculty member in Rockhurst's Department of History holds a Ph.D. and is an active scholar and presenter in their field. Faculty members have traveled and studied widely throughout the U.S., Europe, the Middle East and Asia, and bring their experiences into the classroom. In other words, you'll learn from the best.
History pairs perfectly with many other disciplines including education, theology, biology, philosophy, business, and pre-law, just to name a few. History courses are an important part of interdisciplinary minors such as Medical Humanities, Leadership Development, and Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies.
Learning Outcomes
- Comprehend works of secondary historical scholarship.
- Understand, on a basic level, the essential nature of history as a complex, dynamic process of story-telling and interpretation of past events.
- Read and comprehend complete and/or excerpted primary historical documents.
- Produce coherent essays on historical topics by applying the historical method.
Course Map
Experiences
- History students have earned internships at the National World War I Museum and Memorial, John Wornall House Museum, Museum at Prairiefire, Great Plains National Archives, and the Rockhurst University Archives.
- Advanced students have the opportunity to pursue their own areas of interest and research by contracting with a professor for an independent study course.
- Students have the opportunity to join Rockhurst’s chapter of the history national honor society, Phi Alpha Theta.
Outcomes
Armed with the ability to look at problems from a historical lens, graduates continue their education at prestigious institutions such as:
- Notre Dame
- Villanova
- University of Westminster
- Trinity College, Dublin
Graduates of Rockhurst's History program go on to work as:
- Attorneys and paralegals
- Educators
- Analysts, intelligence agents and military officers
- Entrepreneurs
- Museum professionals and historic site managers
