History

Historians study the past, yet they never become disconnected from the present. What we are and will be is rooted in what we were. In uncovering the past, historians reveal to us the political, cultural, and economic elements that have shaped our world. This is how we write and teach history at Lewis & Clark. Our curriculum is global in scope, inviting students to compare the traditions of various cultures and countries. We offer sufficient depth in the history of the Americas, Western Europe, and East Asia to allow students to develop sophisticated knowledge of these regions. Moreover, our emphasis on research and writing equips our students with skills appropriate to a wide range of pursuits.

The curriculum features a series of courses in four major concentrations: Asian, European, Latin American, and North American history. Additional courses outside these areas deal with other parts of the world. We expect students who major in history to take courses in three of the concentrations, but they naturally develop a special interest in one. Students take a minimum of 10 courses in history, culminating in a reading colloquium and research seminar in the senior year. Course sizes range from 4 students (at the upper level) to 40 students (at the introductory level).

In consultation with their adviser, students take courses in other departments that enrich their historical study. Students who concentrate in Asian, European, or Latin American history often participate in an overseas study program, developing language facility as well as insight into the present culture of their area of interest.

At Lewis & Clark, the faculty believe that a critical understanding of how history is crafted is as important as learning the historical details. The development of research and writing skills is one of the main objectives of the department’s program. All majors take a unique methods course called Historical Materials, which focuses on how to find and use historical documents—books, manuscripts, periodicals, newspapers, maps, photographs—as research tools. In a second required course called Reading Colloquium, students read the best literature in a field selected by the instructor and come to grips with the variety of ways history is written and interpreted. In the history research seminar, majors conduct intensive research on a particular topic and present their findings to their classmates. This series of courses, we believe, prepares students to use research and writing skills in whatever career path they choose and equips them to be discerning students of history for a lifetime.

The department uses the rich historical background of the Pacific Northwest and the Portland area to supplement on-campus offerings. Interested students are matched, through the department’s internship program, with local historical societies, museums, and public agencies for practical learning experiences related to history. Students also use local and regional archival materials to learn about the history of the area and to sharpen their research skills.

Students are encouraged to pursue individual interests through independent research or to assist professors with their current projects. Students often find that experiences they have on Lewis & Clark’s overseas study programs provide a foundation for research projects in history.

History majors become well acquainted with each other and the faculty in their years at the College. They work through the required courses together; each student meets periodically with a department adviser to talk about progress and future plans; students edit and publish a newsletter for alumni; the College sponsors a campus visit and lecture by a distinguished historian each year; and the department holds an informal potluck at least once each semester. All of these activities help to create a sense of community among history students.

After graduating from Lewis & Clark, history majors find a variety of interesting employment options. An increasing number of our graduates pursue advanced degrees in history. Many students combine their history study with appropriate courses in the College’s graduate-level teacher education program and enter the teaching profession. Other options open to history majors include graduate work in related fields such as law, public policy, or communication. A few history majors, who also majored in the sciences, have become doctors. One recent student with a double major in history and international affairs won a Rhodes scholarship. She studied politics, philosophy, and economics at Oxford University and now attends Yale Law School where she studies human rights law.

Examples of positions obtained by history graduates

• Editor/writer of software manuals for Microsoft, San Jose, California.
• Ph.D., Rutgers; associate professor of history, University of Michigan.
• Director of development, Raphael House, domestic violence shelter.
• Librarian/archivist for the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation, Great Falls, Montana.
• Assistant to film director Darren Aronofsky.
• Curator of exhibits, Oregon Historical Society.
• J.D., Harvard University Law School; juvenile prosecutor, District of Columbia.
• Teacher, Teach for America, New Orleans.
• Volunteer, Peace Corps, Kazakhstan.

Examples of post-graduate fellowships obtained by history graduates

• Fulbright Fellowship to India.
• Madison Graduate Fellowship for future high school history teachers.
• Rhodes Scholarship.