History
A major in history at 51ÂÜÀò will explore the past with an eye toward the future. Budding historians will pursue the truth through a variety of lenses and /or approaches. Students will engage in experiential learning by interacting with the local community. Classes will take part in gaming exercises; students will explore film through an analytical lens and study history in the public sphere. A history student will discover the importance of storytelling, will participate in role play and debate, will interact with the surrounding environs through courses designed to pique their interest and hone critical thinking skills.
Students will walk the path of Roger Williams, hold meaningful dialogue with scholars, study the plight of immigrants past and present, share in the history of indigenous cultures, uncover the lived experiences of those who have remained silent or marginalized in history, enter the world of fantasy, and graduate with the tools necessary to make a difference in the world.
Degree Requirements
To read more about our academic offerings, or to view full course descriptions, please refer to our University Catalog.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Locate, analyze, and interpret a variety of primary and secondary sources with logic, clarity, and persuasiveness.
- Develop an understanding of historiography, historical methodology, and research.
- Demonstrate historical literacy related to historical time periods and area studies.
- Exhibit a sophisticated appreciation of the complexities and ambiguities in history and culture.
- Address the historical impacts of transnational exchanges.
- Critique how histories are produced by and reimagined in the face of systems of power.
A statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Faculty in the Department of History commit to continue our focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in our classrooms and beyond. We recognize that systemic racism has impeded the learning process for many marginalized students. It is our goal to overcome these obstacles by placing equity at the foreground of our discussions.
We support people's right to protest oppressive systems and to find ways to make their voices heard when they are ignored, silenced, or erased by those who hold power. As faculty who study the past and its ramifications for our present and future, we know that effective protests have not always been peaceful, and that "civility" is often a word deployed as a tactic to control people's behaviors. In "More Devoted to Order Than to Justice," Ibram X. Kendi wrote:
"If my ideological ancestors did not harass their political opponents, I would still be enslaved. I would still be segregated by law. I would still be one traffic stop away from death without any sustained movement insisting that my black life matters...Constructive confrontation is love."
As educators, we realize that our workshop is the classroom and our tool is knowledge. In our classes, students will learn about inequality and inequity, oppression, power, and privilege in history and in our present, and develop a critical understanding of the origins of systemic and institutional racism in the U.S. and the world, and the mechanisms by which they are enabled and maintained.
Dismantling oppression and doing anti-racism work requires us to reflect on ourselves, listen to the experience of others, and know history so that we do not continue to repeat it. In that spirit, we are providing resources to foster awareness, understanding, growth, and action.
Juris Doctor/Bachelor's 3+3 Accelerated Program (J.D.)
Earn your bachelor’s and juris doctor degrees in six years through RWU’s Three-Plus-Three Law program. You’ll get a jump-start on your J.D. by integrating law courses into your undergraduate studies and completing undergraduate requirements in your first year of law school. Accepted students will take first-year courses in the School of Law along with legal electives to fulfill undergraduate fourth-year requirements. Interested students must indicate their intent to pursue a 3+3 pathway early in their undergraduate studies for curriculum planning and advising.