It is within this historical-cultural context that the community of scholars in the Department of History is committed to seeking truth, increasing knowledge, producing excellent scholarship and approaching the education of students holistically. In regard to the discipline of history, creating the opportunity for students to acquire both breadth and depth of knowledge as well as understanding are seminal concerns of this department's faculty. Thus, it is the History Department's mission to provide the student at the undergraduate level with. At the graduate level, the Department of History's mission is to train professional historians and to provide specialized training in the methodology of historical interpretation and research as a basis for leadership in the profession and scholarly community. The Honors Program offers intensified study for selected students.
Emphasis is on the acquisition of knowledge and the comprehension of ideas.
Opportunities for independent study are available as early as the sophomore year. Work in Honors is offered in each of the four years of study. Students who fail to qualify for honors study during the freshman year may be admitted at the beginning of their sophomore year. An honors student must satisfy all requirements for graduation that are not included in the Honors Program. Courses designated as honors courses in the Student Reference Manual and Directory of Classes are normally restricted to students formally enrolled in an honors program.