Learning Outcomes

The History Department curriculum has five broad learning goals that are the foundation of all our courses and department activities:

1. Historical Perspective: Identify change over time and explain how and why it happens.
2. Historical Empathy: Understand and appreciate peoples, cultures, ideas, and beliefs within their own historical contexts, and make reasoned and ethical decisions rooted in sensitivity to cultural differences throughout the world.
3. Information Fluency: Examine and analyze texts and other historical artifacts with sensitivity to authorship, voice, audience, genre, medium, historical context, bias, and intent.
4. Communication: Communicate clearly and persuasively in person, in writing and via other media, to a wide variety of audiences, with arguments supported by evidence and thoughtful analysis of that evidence.
5. Self-Awareness: Develop mature, professional behavior and habits, and recognize and explain the value of a Wheaton College history education outside the classroom.