“Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.”
Most know this famous quote, and no matter who is credited with it, it still rings true.
History majors at Central College have access to a wide range of courses that cover all aspects of world history, including the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Latin America. The department offers a robust curriculum covering multiple time periods.
Seasoned professors bring added insight into the classroom through their personal research specialties.
Studying history at Central provides context for understanding ourselves and the world. It allows students to be informed citizens and strong decision makers. Central’s history major can take students in many directions, from teaching social sciences to arts management to pre-law.
Central’s history program works closely with other majors on campus, allowing students the chance to find their own path. Through a focus on social sciences, Central remains strong in preparing students who wish to teach history. History majors can combine coursework from other majors to determine their career path, including political science or even pre-law.
Title: Assistant Professor of History
Fun Fact: The best part of being a historian? Travel! Olin lived in four countries while completing his dissertation — Austria, Hungary, Romania and Serbia — and served in Kyrgyzstan with the Peace Corps.
What better way to learn European history than living in Europe for a semester? Central’s history students have studied abroad, learning history while living in foreign countries.
Central students have had opportunities to experience the past firsthand, touring historical sites such as Civil War battlefields in Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Mississippi. Closer to home, students can get behind-the-scenes access to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum and the National WWI Museum. Students have also toured, studied and worked at the State Historical Society of Iowa and Living History Farms.
History classes meet in historic Jordan Hall, which has been updated to meet the modernized needs of today’s students.
Central will welcome visual artist and photographer Bharat Ajari to the Mills Gallery from Feb. 15 to March 12 as part of the college’s Black History Month programming.
No matter what your interests, Central has a student group or organization for you. Student groups of interest for history students include:
The research interests of Central’s history faculty create breadth and depth across courses including military history, political history, popular culture, migration and refugees, inter-ethnic relations and more.
Central’s history program exposes students to museums, archives, academic and corporate libraries and other fields that utilize the work of historians. An internship is strongly recommended in this program.
Learn more about this discipline in the course catalog.
Want to find out more about History at Central? Contact us to learn more about this discipline and our other strong academic programs.
Visit campus to observe classes and experience The Central Difference firsthand.
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