The History Department seeks to prepare its students for active roles in society, to train them for graduate study, and to develop and refine skills that will be useful in a variety of professions. Special importance is given to training secondary social studies teachers and to the subject-matter concentration for middle school social studies teachers.

The history curriculum is based on the principle that students should learn the critical thinking and analytical skills of the historical method as well as the mastery of historical information.

In addition to its major, its minor, and its teacher certification programs, the department invites students to take its courses as electives and to satisfy general education requirements.