History
Why Major in History at Carroll?
Do you have a passion for history? Are you curious about career opportunities for history majors?
Here are some options: teach history at the secondary or university level, work for a historical society, or use history as a strong base for your dream to become a lawyer or a researcher for government or non-profit agencies. A background in history is ideal for someone wanting to work in different parts of the country or overseas. Carroll's history program offers an impressive foundation that will prepare you for whatever path you choose in the future.
History students leave Carroll with a strong history background combined with writing and communication skills that are developed in unique ways. We ask a lot of our students and we offer many opportunities for you to develop your academic skills. Carroll has maintained a long-standing connection with the Phi Alpha Theta Chapter. History students submit papers to the Northwest Regional History Conference and many are selected to present their papers at the regional conference held annually. Additionally, communication skills are enhanced through foreign language classes and study abroad programs.
Our mission
The mission of the Department of History at Carroll College is twofold. First, it is our responsibility to provide all Carroll students with an appreciation for history so that they may have a clearer understanding of the society—locally as well as globally—within which they live. Our second responsibility is to provide students with the appropriate knowledge and skills so that they may pursue professional careers in the field of history and history-related areas. This twin mission of the department is a direct outgrowth of the Carroll College Mission statement, which declares that the school “is dedicated to providing its students the means for their full realization of a dual goal of vocation and enlightenment.”
At Carroll you are treated as an individual. Our faculty is made up of practicing historians and devoted teachers who themselves are engaged in living out the mission of the College in their own research, writing, teaching and mentoring. As a history student,you have the opportunity to excel in classes that are small, enabling you to take control of your education. Small is not a synonym for academic limitation; rather smaller classes provide more potential for personal interaction with professors and the material we study.
A broad range of courses
In its effort to provide Carroll students with an appreciation for history, and thus the society within which they live, the History Department offers a broad range of courses in European, American, East Asian, Middle Eastern, African, and Latin American history. Lower-division course offerings include the History of Western Civilization, the Ancient Mediterranean, Medieval History, Nineteenth-century Europe, and the History of the United States, These courses provide the foundation for students who wish to pursue professional careers in history and history-related fields. We also teach a significant number of upper-division courses, including Gender History, the Second World War Era, and 20th-century US history, which enable our students to obtain an increasingly sophisticated knowledge of history. Required capstone courses for history majors include Historiography and Research Seminar, where students write an original research paper.
Centennial History Book
Dr. Robert Swartout, Department Chair and Professor of History has produced the definitive history of Carroll College, Bold Minds and Blessed Hands: The First Century of Montana's Carroll College. This book chronicles Carroll's epic first century and capture the essence of the college's ascent to national acclaim. With historic photographs memorializing the College's greatest moments, the book examines five phases of Carroll's development. Find out more and order the book today!
News and Events
OPPORTUNITIES:
Internships at George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate, Museum, and Garden: click here
DAAD Undergraduate Scholarship to live, study, and research in Germany: click here
Davies-Jackson Scholarship for graduating seniors: click here
(Please see our Facebook page for additional opportunities.)
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS:
Congratulations to Dr. Swartout on winning the Teacher of the Year Award at the 2013 Carroll Commencement. Well done -- and well deserved!
Congratulations to graduating senior Will Wright on winning the Bishop Gilmore Memorial Trophy for Outstanding Scholarship at the 2013 Carroll Commencement.
The Department of History is pleased to announce the hiring of Dr. DJ Cash, a Visiting Assistant Professor at Emmanuel College in Boston, MA. Dr. Cash earned his PhD from Boston University and specializes in twentieth-century and postwar American history with an emphasis on American-East Asian relations. We look forward to welcoming him to Carroll.
Congratulations to the new Phi Alpha Theta inducteees honored at this year's Honors Convocation - well done.
Congratulations to the Carroll seniors who presented their original research papers at the Phi Alpha Theta Northwest regional conference in Portland, OR April 5-6.
Congratulations to Dr. Robert Swartout, Jr., one of the 2013 Governor's Humanities Award recipients. For more on Dr. Swartout's work and this award, click here.
Phi Alpha Theta
Carroll College's history department is an affiliate of Phi Alpha Theta, the national history honors society. For more information about our chapter, contact Dr. Gillian Glaes at gglaes@carroll.edu.
10 reasons
to choose carroll college to study History
- A wide variety of classes to choose from (Ancient Rome, Medieval History, The Cold War in Historical Perspective, the History of the Trans-Mississippi West, and 20th Century American History)
- The opportunity to do original research in the capstone research seminar class
- The chance to learn how historians conduct research and write history in the capstone historiography class
- Participation in the history honors society Phi Alpha Theta
- Small class sizes
- Direct interaction with dynamic faculty members engaged with their students and their field
- Internships at the Montana Historical Society and Fort Harrison
- Emphasis on studying abroad either through short-term programs or semester- and year-long exchanges
- Exploration of different societies, cultures, and political systems throughout history in countries throughout the world
- Opportunities to work in several different areas after graduation, from law and government to education, policy making, museums, libraries, and archives
WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH THIS DEGREE?
- Teach history at the secondary level
- Work for a historical society or a museum
- Work for publishing firms editing books, journals, and magazines
- Become a lawyer
- Work as a researcher for government or non-profit agencies
- Work for government agencies in different parts of the country or overseas
- Attend graduate school and earn a Master's or a Ph.D. in history or in a related field
Experts in the field
"Studying history at Carroll enables one to work one-on-one with experts in the field of history. The intimacy and personal attention provides the student with an effective way of coming to understand and appreciate the human past. Carroll's faculty guided me through not only my academic life, but has served as strong examples for my personal life."
-Dr. Joseph Laythe, Professor of History, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.
