Institution: Southern New Hampshire University

Location: Hooksett, NH

Tuner: Kenneth Nivison

Year: 2014

Degree Name: Bachelor of Arts in History

Purpose of the Degree

The purpose of the B.A. in History at Southern New Hampshire University is to provide students the content knowledge, mental discipline, and the creative, critical thinking, and communication skills needed for them to assume lives of positive impact in whatever community and vocational field they choose.

Characteristics of the Program

From a content perspective, our program emphasizes the modern era. We have three full time instructors whose area of expertise is in modern history; this aligns well with our Humanities and Fine Arts department, where the foci of our colleagues in Art History and Visual Culture are also modern-oriented. This permits us to find new and interesting ways to integrate our various disciplines and content areas as a means of enhancing the student learning experience. Students can expect that their learning experience will challenge them to make connections across the curriculum, not just within the major but outside of it as well.

Career Pathways for the Graduate

Graduates of our program will be prepared for a wide range of possible careers, as the skill set of a history major is highly transferrable. In addition to careers normally associated with a history degree-teaching, law, museum work, archival work-students will be prepared for careers in journalism, public relations, management, government, non-profit leadership, and communication.

Educational Style

Courses employ the full range of learning experiences: interactive lecture, seminar discussion, field experiences, directed original research within a specific content course; and an independent project in the form of a senior thesis or some other capstone experience.

Program Competencies and Outcomes

1. Demonstrate knowledge of the development of human societies by analyzing and interpreting a variety of sources that provide evidence to support an argument about the past;
2. Utilize critical thinking skills for formulating effective analysis of appropriate primary and secondary sources.
3. Develop historical perspectives and arguments and express those arguments in effective and applicable formats;
4. Practice civic engagement through the application of history in the public realm;
5. Analyze multiple historical and theoretical viewpoints effectively through an open-minded, empathetic perspective on the past.