Through the study of history, students learn how to interpret their own experience and to shape their own values by engaging in dialogues with the past. The study of history also nurtures the ability to view the world from multiple perspectives, including interdisciplinary ones. Finally, history provides the foundation for informed participation in both the local and the global community by teaching how to apply critical thinking skills to solving problems. The study of history offers excellent training for a variety of occupations, from teaching to law, government, business, and the arts.

The PSU Department of History encourages active engagement in historical inquiry, whether at the introductory survey level, in seminars, or in community-based learning. Active engagement requires students to learn how to master basic knowledge, ask historical questions, access and evaluate information, and communicate what they have learned in both written and oral forms. Helping students master the use of a variety of sources and tools to unlock the past is a goal of all history courses.

We also invite you to visit the Friends of History website. The FOH is a community organization devoted to the promotion and dissemination of historical information in the Portland area. Monthly roundtable discussions on the Civil War, book discussion groups, and presentations by guest speakers on all manner of historical topics are just a sample of FOH's program offerings.

Support the History Department by making a donation through the PSU Foundation's secure website.