History at Augustana College

"The past is never dead; it's not even past," observed William Faulkner. Students of history at Augustana learn to understand the past by thinking and writing about history as they investigate change and continuity over time. While studying fascinating narratives of who did what, when, and where, Augustana students also master crucial techniques of historical inquiry - especially those involving the interpretation of primary documents and debates among professional historians. Through such learning our students develop cognitive skills that aid them in critically analyzing the causes, consequences, and significance of historical events and trends. They thereby become critical evaluators of the past rather than passive consumers of it. The mental habits of historians are helpful for other things, too, such as trial analysis, corporate research, and policy study. Studying the past does not solve current problems, but it raises the level of debate. It makes one skilled, and wise.

At Augustana, each professor of history has a unique style of teaching and approach to understanding the past. However, they all seek to make students into more active learners, more curious thinkers, more careful writers, and more critical analysts. Augustana professors teach history through a combination of lectures, classroom discussions, small-group work, and individual instruction. They also warmly encourage students to initiate or continue discussions outside the classroom.

History professors believe that the study of the past is worthwhile for its own sake. However, the skills one acquires in studying the past also equip students to better understand their own world and their role in it. Such skills of historical analysis also make students highly marketable in a wide variety of careers.