Bethany’s history major explores the people, ideas, and events that have shaped America and the world.
You will have the opportunity to study everything from ancient Egypt to the rise and fall of Napoleon to the Civil Rights Movement.
History discovers and preserves the greatest works of art, literature, and philosophy. By cultivating skills in critical thinking, research, and communication, history majors learn to frame the complexity of human interactions through a clear and wide perspective. This is necessary for intelligent decision making in a democratic society and a primary goal of a liberal arts education. Most importantly, history sheds light on the religious life of all people and our faculty strive to provide a Christian perspective on historical events.
Potential Careers
History studies can prepare you for a wide variety of careers.- Education: Teacher/professor, program administrator, admissions counselor, museum education coordinator
- Government: Legislative aide, foreign service officer, lobbyist, policy advisor
- Museum: Archivist, museum guide, historic preservationist, living history interpreter
- Research: Grant writer, information specialist, library specialist
- Pre-law: Attorney, paralegal, legal researcher
- Media: Communications director, public relations officer, journalist
Alumni Profiles
Read stories from graduates of our history program:
Patricia Lilienthal
Patricia Lilienthal – Class of 2018 – History Collections Coordinator, Exhibit Designer, and Administrative Assistant at the Freeborn County Historical
Gabrielle Emmons
Gabrielle Emmons – Class of 2017 – History and English What you do: Pursuing a masters in history at the
Peter Bockoven
Peter Bockoven – Class of 2018 – History Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary, Theology/Pastoral Ministry, Graduation May 2022
Stephanie Sewanoude (’10)
Stephanie, a 2010 Bethany graduate, is an education volunteer with Peace Corps. She lives and serves in Benin, a country
Timothy Harting (’10)
Timothy is Captain, Army Infantry Officer at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, and is also studying to earn an M.A.
History Major Events
Bethany’s History Department sponsors multiple events each year that enrich the studies of History Major students and others. See the History Department page for more information on history conferences and symposia, Constitution Day, apologetics seminars, and more.Internships
Students majoring in history or broad field social studies (related major) have the option of completing an internship during the course of their study. The faculty work closely with students to determine the best internship arrangement for their academic and career goals. In recent years, student interns have conducted research and assisted in the development of museum displays at the Blue Earth County Historical Society. Other students participated in research, writing, and editing for the Evangelical Lutheran Synod Historical Society, culminating in the publication of a 450-page anthology: Telling the Next Generation: The Evangelical Lutheran Synod’s Vision for Christian Education, 1918-2011 and Beyond (ELS Historical Society, 2011).Senior Seminar Projects
Students majoring in History produce a senior thesis during the final semester of their college career. This capstone project involves research, writing, and an oral defense, similar to a master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation. In HIST495, each student works closely with a research advisor. Two other professors also read and provide feedback on the student’s thesis. If the student produces a research paper of exceptional quality, it will be filed in the Senior Seminar Papers collection of the college library.
In recent years, history majors have successfully defended senior thesis papers on the following themes:
- Benedict Arnold’s Expedition: Hero of the Wilds
- The General Synod and Samuel Simon Schmucker: Theological Reductionism and an Ecumenical Plan
- The Light Rising from the West: How Ireland Aided Europe’s Early Rebirth
- From Condemnation to Advocacy: A History of the Acceptance of Birth Control among Conservative American Protestants
- The Invasion of Iwo Jima
- The Twenty-sixth Wisconsin: A Brief History
- Seventeenth-Century American Socialism: The Unsuccessful Early Communal Practices of the Pilgrims in Plymouth Plantation and Their Successful Transition to a Private Enterprise System
- Ebb and Flow: The Application of the Great Depression and New Deal to the Modern Economic Situation
- Before Muddy Waters Became the “Hoochie Coochie Man”
- A Look at the Origins of Democracy in Order to Understand Its Limitations
- The Lutheran Reformation in Slovakia
- A Look at the Origins of Democracy in Order to Understand Its Limitations
- Women Spies in World War II: SOE Agents in German-occupied France
- Indian Captivity Narratives: A Study in American Culture
- The Capture and Fall of Jerusalem: The Success and Failure of the First Few Crusade Campaigns
- The Collapse of the Dix-Hill Cartel: Good for the Union War Effort, Bad for Conditions inside Confederate and Union Prisons
- Feringees and Mafsoods: The First British Occupation of Afghanistan, 1839-1841
- The History of the Negro Leagues in America: 1860-1960
- Artemisia Gentileschi: Interpretations of Judith, Susanna, and Lucretia
- Fabian Legends: General Francis Marion, General Daniel Morgan, and the Demise of the British Southern Strategy
- Causes of the Dakota Conflict: The Dakota Perspective
- Your Friendly Adversaries?: The Changing Scottish Kirk and the Reception of David Hume’s Philosophy in the Eighteenth Century
Major Requirements
Mission Statement
History, while it may use tools of social science, the arts, science and religion, is fundamental to the humanities tradition within the liberal arts: history tells the story of humankind. History offers a certain original and important way of looking at the human experience. In contrasting the world’s past with the present, history shows the complexity of human interactions and gives a clearer and wider perspective. This is necessary for intelligent decision making in a democratic society and a primary goal of a liberal arts education. Graduates of the history major possess a well-rounded perspective in which to understand past events in relation to present lives and are well suited for careers in research, government, business, education, communication, and in museums.
Program Learning Outcomes
- To identify the values and goals of important people of the past as they sought to influence their world.
- To identify chief characteristics of past world civilizations.
- To explain the roles of people, ideas, institutions, and actions in shaping historical developments.
- To apply critical thinking skills to the analysis of primary and secondary sources, including both written and visual media.
- To summarize the human and physical geography of major world civilizations, from ancient times to the present.
- To formulate a broad, historical perspective on world history, in order to become an historically informed participant in present-day American and global civic life.
- To polish with professional competence a work of formal academic writing, including documentation in the accepted style of the discipline, and to present a summary of one’s research orally.
Please see the Program Requirements Disclaimer when planning your coursework.
Entry into the Major
Students should declare history as their intended major as early in their college career as possible by filing the Declaration of Major/Change of Advisor form with the registrar. The student should simultaneously switch to an advisor in the History Department. The advisor will provide the student with an application for formal acceptance into the major, which generally occurs at the end of the sophomore year. At least four of the required lower division requirements or electives should be completed with no less than a “C+” in each course. Students must also have a GPA of 2.0 or above. Students will be notified of formal acceptance into the major by the chair of the History Department, who will also notify the registrar.
Core Requirements
Required lower-division surveys:
- HIST111 Ancient Medieval Europe 3 cr.
- HIST122 Modern World Civilizations 3 cr.
- HIST207 History of USA I 3 cr.
- HIST208 History of USA II 3 cr.
Major Electives
Choose one of the following interdisciplinary history courses:
- ARTS105 Art History I Prehistory to the Gothic Period 3 cr.
- ARTS106 Art History II Renaissance to Realism 3 cr.
- ARTS107 Art History III Modernism 3 cr.
- MUSC221 Music History I: Middle Ages & Renaissance 3 cr.
- MUSC222 Music History II: Baroque & Classical Eras 3 cr.
- THTR310 Theatre History and Literature I 3 cr.
- THTR311 Theatre History and Literature II 3 cr.
Eighteen additional credits in upper division history courses with at least three credits from American history, three credits from World history and three credits from a Thematic course that treats a focused topic across a broad chronological and/or geographical scope (which may simultaneously fulfill either the American or World requirement).
American History (choose at least one of the following):
- HIST405 Native American History 3 cr.
- HIST410 The Era of the American Revolution 3 cr.
- HIST420 Constitution and Early Republic 3 cr.
- HIST430 The American Civil War and Reconstruction 3 cr.
- HIST450 Civil Rights Movement 3 cr.
- HIST460 Religion in American History 3 cr.
- HIST470 The Supreme Court and the American People 3 cr.
- HIST480 Topics in American History 3 cr.
World History (choose at least one of the following):
- HIST333 Medieval Europe 3 cr.
- HIST350 French Revolution through Napoleon 3 cr.
- HIST355 Britain, 1688-1901 3 cr.
- HIST356 Britain, 1901-Present 3 cr.
- HIST370 Imperialism and Globalization 3 cr.
- HIST380 Topics in World History 3 cr.
- HIST385 Western Legal Traditions 3 cr.
Thematic courses (choose at least one of the following which may simultaneously fulfill either the American or World requirement):
- HIST370 Imperialism and Globalization 3 cr.
- HIST380 Topics in World History (when the course is suitably thematic) 3 cr.
- HIST385 Western Legal Traditions 3 cr.
- HIST405 Native American History 3 cr.
- HIST460 Religion in American History 3 cr.
- HIST470 The Supreme Court and the American People 3 cr.
- HIST480 Topics in American History (when the course is suitably thematic) 3 cr.
Additional upper division electives:
- HIST499 History Internship 1–6 cr.
Recommended religious studies electives to complement the history major:
Lower division
Upper division
- RELG300 History of Christian Thought I: Post-Apostolic Fathers to Chalcedon-302 3 cr. each
- RELG316 Comparative World Religions 3 cr.
- RELG320 Luther: His Ongoing Significance 3 cr.
- RELG330 Christian Social Thought 3 cr.
- RELG350 Islam 3 cr.
- RELG360 History of the Christian Church 3 cr.
- RELG435 Intertestament Period 3 cr.
Capstone
The minor in history requires the following courses:
- HIST111 Ancient Medieval Europe 3 cr.
- HIST122 Modern World Civilizations 3 cr.
- HIST207 History of USA I 3 cr.
- HIST208 History of USA II 3 cr.
Nine additional credits must be earned in upper division history (HIST) courses 9 cr.
To view the most recent course list and requirements for the elementary education major, please consult the Academic Catalog.
History Faculty
These instructors teach many of the courses required for the history major. For more information, visit the History Department page.
| Name | Title | Office / Phone | Courses | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Gabrielle Emmons | Adjunct FacultyOnline Instruction | | |
 | Matthew Linton | Online InstructionAdjunct Faculty | | |
 | Elisabeth Urtel TBD TBD | Adjunct Faculty | TBD TBD | |
Next Steps
We’d love to hear from you! Arrange your campus visit today, or learn more about becoming a Bethany student.
History Commentary
Easter Evidence: What Do the “Autopsies” of Jesus Reveal?
The early Christians never faced a choice between fact and faith; they embraced both simultaneously.
Next Steps
Interested in studying at Bethany? Scheduling a campus visit is a great way to see what we have to offer. You can meet professors or sit in on a class too! Contact our admissions office to learn more.