You will be challenged to critique sources and accepted theories, and to trace the development and interrelationships of cultures, ideas and institutions so that you can understand the broader context within which things happen. Since an understanding of history is essential to your education, we offer many types of history courses geared to your interests. You may choose to survey the history of several countries and guided by faculty members who have first-hand experience of those countries, examine the relationship between them. You may prefer to study an historical period in more depth, using primary sources and field experiences to deepen your understanding, and experiencing for yourself what an historian does. You may focus on political, cultural or social aspects of American, European or various non-Western histories.
Local places have a past, too.
At Marymount, you may choose to delve into the history of our local environment including, for example, the Hudson River or the Catskills, or even your own neighborhood. Many of our majors spend a semester or a year studying history abroad and in this way fulfill some of their requirements. During your last year, you will take a senior seminar with the other history majors and will work closely with them and with a faculty mentor in researching and presenting a thesis of your choice.