Department of History

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Faculty and Fields of Interest

Linsun Cheng Asian history

Crystal Lubinsky religious studies, ancient history

Cristina Mehrtens Latin American and Brazilian History

Ilana Offenberger holocaust, Germany, 20th century Europe

Robert Pontbriand European intellectual and cultural history, France, Western civilization, religious history

Mark Santow (Chairperson) twentieth-century U.S., urban history

Matthew Sneider early modern European and Italian history

Bridget Teboh African history

Len Travers American history: colonial, early republic, and New England

Timothy Walker European Expansion, Portuguese and Maritime History

Brian Williams Islamic studies, world history

History students may study the history of the United States, Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia. The department also offers regular courses in military history and the history of religion. Students can expect to participate in a variety of academic activities including lecture and discussion courses and seminars. The history curriculum acquaints students with the various methods of historical study, provides them with a broad understanding of the major themes of history, allows them to concentrate on topical courses and themes of their choosing and offers opportunities to propose and implement their own research projects.

As a broadly-based liberal arts degree, the major emphasizes the development of critical thinking and communication skills as well as the acquisition of historical perspective. Graduates prepare themselves for a wide variety of positions in government, education and business. A BA in History can also lead to graduate work in a variety of fields and serve as a sound foundation for law school.

History students often have opportunities for service learning, research, and internships at area museums, historical societies, and national parks.

Students with a minimum GPA of 3.2 are eligible for nomination to the University’s Alpha Eta Theta Chapter of the International History Honor Society, Phi Alpha Theta.

The History Department participates in UMass Dartmouth’s programs to prepare teachers who are highly qualified, helping provide opportunities for students to receive both initial and professional licensure. Specifically, the department supports students who seek initial licensure as a Teacher of History (grades 5 through 8 or grades 8 through 12) through the Post-Baccalaureate Education Certificate and professional licensure as a Teacher of History (grades 5 through 8 or grades 8 through 12) through the MAT program. In order develop a plan for taking appropriate prerequisite and enrichment courses, students should indicate their interest both to their history major advisor and to an advisor in UMass Dartmouth’s Department of Teaching and Learning.

Starting in their junior year, History majors have the opportunity to enroll in our ‘4+1’ program, and with one extra year of schooling earn a BA in History, an MA in teaching, and a Massachusetts Teaching License.

Goals for Student Learning

Content

• A broad familiarity with the basic chronology and major themes of either Western Civilization or World History
• A deeper knowledge of aspects of the history of three major regions of the world: the United States, Europe, and either Asia, Africa or Latin America.

Collection

•  The ability to collect historical data in printed and electronic forms
•  The ability to use bibliographic tools and data bases.

Analysis

• The ability to identify chronological and  geographical patterns, identify issues and  problems in the past, formulate historical  questions, interrogate historical data and sources, support interpretations with historical evidence and evaluate major debates among historians.

Synthesis

• The ability to write historical arguments in essay exams and papers
• The ability to research and write a substantial and original long seminar paper on an historical subject
• The ability to present a formal presentation of an historical argument researched and organized by the student.

Language skills

• The ability to construct coherent and persuasive arguments in written and oral forms
• The ability to read a foreign language at the intermediate level.

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