What majors and minors are offered?
Why should I choose Western’s program?
What type of graduate schools and programs are your graduates attending?
What are the admission requirements for the program?
As a high school student, how should I prepare for this program?
What is the typical class size?
How much individualized attention can I expect in your department?
How do students work together with faculty?
What student organizations are available?
Has your department received any grants recently?
Does the department have any direct interaction with the community?
What majors and minors are offered?
The department offers a Bachelor of Arts in History, a Bachelor of Arts in History with Teacher Certification, a Bachelor of Science in History, a Bachelor of Science in History with Teacher Certification, and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy. Minors are offered in Philosophy, Geography, United States History, European History, Humanities, and International Studies.
Why should I choose Western’s program?
All full-time faculty members in the department are published scholars and have earned doctorates from excellent graduate programs in their respective academic disciplines.
The department is committed to the development of a strong academic culture on campus through its sponsorship of special lectures, events, and seminars on topics in the areas of ethics and public policy, history, philosophy, religious studies, art, drama, music, literature, and rhetoric.
Expanding the realm of students’ experiences beyond the limits imposed by their own life span and mobility is the focus of the History program. Faculty members are committed to developing a historical consciousness among our students. The Philosophy and Humanities faculty want students to broaden their education by studying classic texts and by introducing them to the traditions of philosophical thinking. Geography faculty members help students analyze complex situations, events, as well as trends, and draw logical inferences from them.
What type of graduate schools and programs are your graduates attending?
Recent graduates of our programs who are seeking advanced degrees in History, Philosophy, or Geography are currently attending the following universities - University of Chicago, University of Kansas, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, Southwest Missouri State University, University of Washington-Seattle, and Northwest Missouri State University.
Other recent graduates of our programs are pursuing law degrees at the following law schools - University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of Missouri-Kansas City, University of Oregon, and Washburn University.
What are the admission requirements for the program?
Students desiring to major in History must have a minimum GPA of 2.0. Applicants for secondary teaching only must have completed the following courses before their major applications will be considered: HIS 100, 110, or 130; HIS 140 or 150; ENG 104, with a grade of C or higher in each course.
As a high school student, how should I prepare for this program?
High school students preparing for a major in our department should take the high school core classes. Two units of foreign language are also strongly recommended. Students need to take as many courses that require analytical reading, writing skills, and research skills.
What is the typical class size?
General studies courses range in size from 35 to 60 students. Upper-level courses in History range in size from 10 to 25 students.
General studies courses in Humanities or Philosophy range in size from 20 to 30 students. Upper-level courses in these disciplines range in size from 10 to 15 students.
General studies courses in Geography range in size from 45 to 55 students. Upper-level courses in Geography range in size from 10 to 15 students.
How much individualized attention can I expect in your department?
Students in all of our courses receive individualized attention from our faculty by simply asking for it. Students have access to our faculty during regularly scheduled office hours, as well as via voicemail or e-mail. Students are able to schedule appointments with faculty very quickly.
Our majors all have faculty advisors within our department to help them in planning their academic schedules from entry through graduation. Faculty members provide student instructors and/or student tutors to assist those students who want extra help.
How do students work together with faculty?
Faculty members are willing to work with students who wish to engage in faculty/student undergraduate research. Each year our department conducts a symposium at which students majoring in our programs can present their research to the college community. Faculty serve as mentors to help students prepare their work for presentations at regional or national conferences.
Geography students and faculty also participate in the Outdoor Semester course, where they spend over two weeks of the semester hiking, canoeing, and camping throughout the western United States as part of the coursework.
What student organizations are available?
History department students have an opportunity to join the Phi Alpha Theta Honors Society, a chapter of the national History honors society.
Has your department received any grants recently?
The department recently partnered in a $90,000 Teaching American History grant to fund a project for teaching American History over the next three years.
Does the department have any direct interaction with the community?
Our faculty and students provide service to the community through local, regional, and national organizations, including local churches, Heartland Hospital, Second Harvest Food Bank, various offices of the City of St. Joseph and Buchanan County, Missouri Humanities Council, the Polyani Society, and the Association of American Geographers.
Our department works with the City of St. Joseph and the Western Institute to offer the Historic Preservation Field School each summer to study historical buildings in St. Joseph.
The department also hosts an annual History Bowl for regional high school students.