How we study history
History is as a record of human activity. It is also a human reconstruction of that activity. History is a sequence of development over time. It is also a set of interrelationships at any given time. In summary, history is a mode of comprehending and interpreting present-day reality. If we don’t understand the past, we cannot comprehend the present nor make wise choices for the future.
At Calvin, history is not a dry recital of names and dates but an investigation into human society, how it works, and how it has shaped the modern world. It is an exploration of times and peoples different from ourselves—yet quite familiar when we get to know them.
As self-consciously Christian historians, we aim to present the data of the past in an honest and intelligible whole that gives insight into the diversity of human experience, our cultural heritage, and our responsibilities to God and humanity.
Program flexibility
As a History major you will learn to look closely and dig deeply in areas of interest to you including North American and European history as well as Latin American, East Asian, African, and Middle Eastern history. A variety of minor programs also enable you to tailor your History degree to fit your vocational goals.
But you will also learn to think critically and to see from a variety of perspectives. You will be encouraged to take a wide range of other liberal arts courses including a foreign language, especially if you are expecting to enter a graduate program. You will also be encouraged to study abroad for one semester, and January interim trips to a variety of countries will give you an international perspective. The result will be a rounded education with depth as well as breath that will prepare you for life in a variety of endeavors.
Gifted scholar-teachers
The sixteen members of the History department all hold advanced degrees from major universities in North America or Europe. Their expertise ranges from antiquity to the twentieth century, from the Wild West to the Far East, and from England to South America. The expertise of several faculty also enables them to teach in other Calvin departments including Spanish, Classics, and Art, and at Calvin Seminary.
Open doors
Imagine talking to an archeologist with over 30 years experience working in the Middle East—in his office. Imagine having your survey courses taught by a full professor with over 20 years of teaching and research experience, and talking with him after class. In the Calvin History department, you don't have to imagine.
As a history major, you will enjoy close contact with these distinguished Christian scholar-teachers in classes, at social events, and in their open-door offices. Classes are small enough for faculty and students to get to know each other personally, and opportunities for individual counseling and discussion are frequent. Faculty and visiting scholars discuss their research at monthly colloquia, and students have opportunities to do internships or collaborate on faculty research.
Resources
Calvin’s large and fully automated library is well stocked with historical literature, journals, and other resource materials, including many government documents.
The H. Henry Meeter Center for Calvin Studies houses one of the world’s finest collections of material on the Calvinist Reformation. History students also have access to the Colonial Origins Collection, a rich store of materials pertaining to Dutch emigration, the Christian Reformed Church, and related institutions.
And the new Mellema Program in Western American Studies makes Calvin one of the best places in the Midwest to learn about the West, old and new.
