Academics > Majors and Areas of Study > History

Thiel history presenters at the Western Pennsylvania Regional Phi Alpha Theta Conference hosted by Mercyhurst College on Saturday, April 10. More than 100 participants representing 13 institutions across three states (Pennsylvania, New York, and West Virginia) attended the conference to present their original work in panels.

If you have ever wondered what's behind today's news stories, History may be the area of study for you. History is the study and interpretation of the past, but it also attempts to instruct the present generation by a process of comparison and contrast between past experiences of the human race. History shares a great deal of common insight with related social sciences such as economics, political science, psychology, and sociology, but is equally at home among the humanities and has particularly close ties with literature. The study of history may indeed prepare you to do the kinds of things you feel need to be done in today's world. The History Department offers both major and minor programs.

Departmental Objectives

The purpose of history courses is to acquaint students with the origins of contemporary civilization, its political, economic, social, and cultural aspects; to awaken a consciousness of other cultures, ways of thought, and standards of value; to recreate as fully and as accurately as possible significant periods of history; and to teach students how to find, analyze, and interpret historical evidence and to develop a sense of historical perspective.

Special Opportunities

A Junior Year Abroad allows a student to broaden his/her outlook through travel. Thiel also has a chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, International Honor Society in History as well as housing the Greenville Area Historical Society adjacent to the campus. The department encourages history majors to take advantage of "hands on" opportunities through internships at local and regional historical organizations and through cooperative educational experiences involving projects in local history. Additionally, the department has an off-campus professional experience which enriches each student's theoretical knowledge. A history major who desires to teach can also obtain elementary or secondary school certification through additional required coursework in the Education department.