https://www.uwplatt.edu/department/history
Department Chair: Melissa Gormley
Office: 155 Gardner Hall
Phone: 608.342.1262
E-mail: gormleym@uwplatt.edu
Majors
Minors
About the History Program and Major
The UW-Platteville Department of History offers a major and minor in history; a major in social studies education; and a social sciences comprehensive minor. History is the systematic study of the past. It is also a foundational discipline within the liberal arts. Understanding the past helps us understand human nature, broadens our perspectives, refines our judgments, and provides insight into contemporary issues. The study of history is basic to our personal uniqueness, our professional identity, and our civic lives.
Students of history learn important skills. The study of history requires students to read, write, analyze, and use logic. Students learn to do research using written documents, assess arguments, and interpret economic, social, political, cultural, and technological change in a variety of contexts.
History majors can find work in many fields. Some are directly related to the subject matter of history, such as museums and archival work, documentary film making, or historical publishing. Others use the skills that the study of history cultivates. History is a liberal arts degree that provides the basis for work in business, advertising, journalism, public relations, public administration, planning and research, and professional fields, such as law.
Mission Statement
The history program enables its majors to become broader in perspective, more literate, intellectually more astute, ethically more sensitive, and to participate wisely in society as competent professionals and knowledgeable citizens. Our students understand the complexity of the factors and forces that can cause historical change, and they are able to analyze and evaluate historical narratives that explain change. Students develop skills in reading, writing, analysis, and logic. History majors learn to do research using written documents, assess arguments, and to interpret economic, social, political, cultural, and technological change in a variety of contexts.
Goals and Objectives
Students will:
- write historical essays with a clear and focused thesis, developed by a logical argument and substantiated with factual detail
- undertake historical research projects based on primary and secondary sources in both print and electronic formats, including the formulation of historically significant questions, gathering of appropriate sources, and application of appropriate methods of analysis and synthesis
- critically analyze works of history by demonstrating an understanding of a work’s assumptions, method, sources, and point of view, and evaluating its argument
General Requirements Bachelor of Arts Degree
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Total for graduation | 120 | |
| General education | 44-58 | |
| Major studies | 39 | |
Students must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.50 within the major studies for graduation.
Social Studies Education
https://www.uwplatt.edu/program/social-studies-education
Contact: Melissa Gormley
Office: 155 Gardner Hall
Phone: 608.342.1262
E-mail: gormleym@uwplatt.edu
About the Social Studies Education Program and Major
Contact: Melissa Gormley
Office: 155 Gardner Hall
Phone: 608.342.1262
E-mail: gormleym@uwplatt.edu
An interdisciplinary program in which students complete the equivalent of a History minor as well as take courses in economics, history, environmental sciences and society, psychology, political science, and sociology, the Social Studies Education major is designed for students seeking to teach Social Studies and/or specific Social Studies areas, such as History, at the middle-school or high-school level.
In order to be licensed to teach social studies, students must complete the Social Studies Education major and the Middle-Secondary Education emphasis through the School of Education to acquire necessary professional education training.
The UW-Platteville School of Education program is designed to meet all of the educational requirements for the initial licensing in the State of Wisconsin. The program may not meet requirements of other states and we are unable to make a determination about whether the program meets requirements of other states. If you are interested in certification outside of the state of Wisconsin, we encourage you to contact the appropriate state licensing agency to seek guidance and verify requirements before beginning a program, as well as during your program of study. See Professional Licensure Directory by State.
Mission
Our program provides majors with a broad grounding in the social studies and the equivalent of a minor in history.
Social studies is not a discipline in itself, but combines many disciplines. Therefore it provides no unique skills and concepts separate from those offered by economics, history, psychology, political science, and sociology.
Goals and Objectives
Goals and objectives specific to each discipline are assessed as part of the assessment of the individual disciplines. The unique goal of the social studies education major is to provide a broad knowledge of social science and history facts and concepts.
General Requirements Bachelor of Arts Degree
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Total for graduation | 120 credits | |
| General education | 44-58 credits | |
| Major studies | varies | |
Students must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.50 within the major studies for graduation.
Faculty and Lecturers
Additional information about the Faculty and Lecturers below may be found in the Faculty and Academic Staff section of this catalog.
Gormley, Melissa E.
Ivanov, Andrey V.
Jacobs, Michael D.
Krugler, David F.
Stanley, Adam C.
Tesdahl, Eugene R.
Turner, Nancy L.
Zorea, Aharon W.