Department of History & Philosophy
Bachelor of Arts in History
http://www.montana.edu/history/
The Bachelor of Arts in History allows students to specialize in the study of the American west, U.S. history, environmental history, and the history of science and technology. The history degree also provides an analytical gateway to areas beyond the United States, with courses of advanced study related to South Asia, East Asia, Latin America, Europe, and the ancient world. Internships at historical societies, museums, and Yellowstone National Park are also an important part of the educational experience and are strongly encouraged by the department.
A degree in history prepares students for teaching, graduate studies, public resource management, government service, law school, journalism, and other career opportunities that require critical thinking and clarity of communication. Students participate in original research projects and student-centered learning activities; they learn to read and analyze primary texts, as well as secondary literature, and to write thoughtfully about them. Students learn to create knowledge by thinking creatively and basing their ideas in the empirical authority inherent in careful examination of historical documents.
At all levels of the curriculum, the history degree provides students with the tools to think rigorously, to research and thereby generate knowledge empirically, and to articulate their thoughts coherently. In consultation with an advisor, students may select from a range of fields of concentration that are consistent with his or her interests and educational objectives.
Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy
http://www.montana.edu/history/
Philosophy is concerned with the underlying assumptions and broad implications of human knowledge and values. The curriculum in philosophy contains a wide range of courses that explore diverse topics through the writings of important philosophers of the past and present. Emphasis is placed on understanding different solutions to questions about such topics as the role of emotion in film, the moral questions surrounding medicine and bioethics, the importance of the environment and animals, the origin of life, the nature of consciousness, etc., and on analyzing and criticizing them.
The Bachelor of Art in Philosophy has traditionally served as a basis for further study in philosophy, law, religion, or related fields. It may also be used as background training for government, business, writing, information management, or any field that depends upon a strong liberal arts education. The department has traditionally encouraged taking a double major and has restricted the number of required courses in philosophy so that this may be possible.
The department also encourages students to engage in independent study through the departmental honors option. This option has the following requirements:
- Students must have a minimum 3.5 grade-point average in their major and a 3.0 GPA overall.
- Students must present an acceptable, bound senior thesis, and an oral defense of the thesis.
Students may attain 3-6 undergraduate independent study credits while working for their thesis. Qualified students may enroll in the honors option through their departmental advisors.