History

“To be ignorant of what occurred before you were born is to remain always a child. For what is the worth of human life, unless it is woven into the life of our ancestors by the records of history?”
Cicero, 106-43 BCE

Why History?

History provides a critical awareness of the ways that, over time, economic conditions, social classes, political institutions, cultural systems and worldviews have shaped people’s lives. It also explains how the actions of various people, renowned and ordinary, collectively and as individuals, have shaped those historical forces.

Much more than a simple chronicle of events, dates, names and places, history requires analysis and interpretation. Historians tell good stories, but they also seek to explain and understand:

• Why important events have occurred, how they developed and concluded, and what continuing legacies those events have for us today.
• What historical events and processes have meant for ordinary people in their personal and collective experience.
• The degree to which history is shaped by large economic, social, political and cultural forces, and the extent to which individuals and groups exert influence upon these processes.

History at UAS

At the University of Alaska Southeast, you receive individual attention in your history program. After completing a general introduction to U.S., World, or European history, you can pursue specific interests through upper-division courses at UAS, national student exchange programs, and study abroad. In addition to the emphasis in history, you will select two secondary fields in social sciences from anthropology, economics, government, psychology, and sociology. The specific focus in your program will depend upon your personal, academic, and career goals.

Diverse Study Opportunities

Beyond the UAS campus, exciting national and international opportunities allow you to further specialize your individual interests in history.

• UAS Study Tour of France. Students who select French as their foreign language may earn history credit on this study tour, offered during May in alternate years.
• National Student Exchange. At UAS, you may apply to study for a semester or year at another university campus in the U.S. or Canada.
• Study Abroad. UAS participates in both NCSA/AHA and ISEP international study abroad programs. Each has excellent offerings in history.

These programs will add depth of experience and personal satisfaction to your history program.

Careers in History

History provides an excellent foundation for many future careers. The most often chosen include:

• Elementary and secondary teaching.
• Graduate studies in History, American Studies, Library Science, and Museum Studies.
• Careers in government, journalism, law, and public administration.

Minors

Within the B.A. in Social Science program, you may pursue a minor field of study. Minors at UAS that combine well with history are:

• Alaska Native Studies
• English
• Spanish and French
• Women's and Gender Studies

Course Work

History may be either a primary or secondary concentration area within the Bachelor of Arts in Social Science.

Primary Concentration Area (24 credits)

Introductory History Sequence (6 credits)
HIST 105/106 HIST 131/132 HIST 227/228	World History I & II or U.S. History I & II or Early Modern & Modern Europe	6 6 6
Additional Lower-Division History (Select 2, 6 credits) Any two of the survey courses above or other lower-division history courses, including:
HIST 202 HIST 261 HIST 270 HIST 280	U.S. Women's History History of Russia History of France History of Women in Europe	3  3  3 3
Historiography (3 credits)
HIST 300	Historiography/Historical Methods	3
Upper-Division History Courses (Select 2, 6 credits) Any two additional upper-division courses, including:
HIST 341 HIST 365 HIST 366 HIST 363 HIST 370 HIST 380 HIST 420 HIST 440 HIST 450	History of Alaska United States History, 1865-1919 United States History, 1919-1950 United States History, since 1950 Modern European Intellectual History History of Gender and Sexuality in Modern Europe The Holocaust The Western Movement Twentieth-Century America	3  3  3  3  3  3  3  3 3
Seminar in History (3 credits)
HIST 492	Seminar in History: Selected Topics	3
		24 credits

Secondary Concentration Area (15 Credits)

Introductory History Sequence (6 credits)
HIST 105/106 HIST 131/132 HIST 227/228	World History I & II or U.S. History I & II or Early Modern & Modern Europe	3 3 3
Additional History Courses (9 credits) Any three additional history courses, two of which must be upper-division.
HIST xxx HIST xxx HIST xxx	Choice 1 Choice 2 (upper-division) Choice 3 (upper-division)	3  3 3
		15 credits

UAS History Faculty

Juneau Campus

Robin Walz, Ph.D. History
Associate Professor of History
robin.walz@uas.alaska.edu

David Noon, Ph.D. American Studies
Assistant Professor of History
david.noon@uas.alaska.edu

Ketchikan Campus

John Radzilowski, Ph.D. History
Assistant Professor of History
john.radzilowski@alaska.uas.edu