Professor James E. Davis
Professor Karen Dean, Chair
Professor Richard T. Fry
Associate Professor Robert C. Kunath
Professor of Steven Hochstadt

History Course Listings

History and Political Science Homepage

A variety of opportunities await students in the History department at Illinois College. The courses are designed to give students an understanding of the development of civilization, an appreciation of its varied social, economic, political, cultural components and their historical interaction, as well as a basic familiarity with historical methods and reasoning. Students can take advantage of the numerous classes offered in the department with subject matters ranging from United States History to Ancient Greece and Rome, and Modern Europe to the Holocaust. The curriculum stresses the development of sound research, critical thinking, and communication skills--all valuable tools for lives and careers ahead.

What opportunities are available for students?

The distinctive BreakAway program provides opportunities for students to experience different cultures, environments and ideas though short-term, experiential learning trips. Each trip has a topical focus and is led by a team of faculty members representing academic disciplines relating to the trip’s theme. The history department has sponsored BreakAway trips to Berlin, Washington D.C., and the Middle East.

Illinois College students have benefited from the college’s affiliation with The Washington Center which coordinates seminars and internships in our nation’s capitol. Internships are available in a wide range of governmental agencies, private institutions, corporations, and other Washington-based organizations. Semester internships generally last 10 weeks in exchange for 10 credit hours. Juniors and first-semester seniors with a GPA of at least 3.0 are eligible to participate.

The Illinois College Explorers program offers a wide variety of internships through the state of Illinois. The internships generally last over the course of the summer and students receive a stipend for their work. In the past, students who have participated in this program worked at the New Salem State Historic Site, and the Illinois State Museum Research and Collections Center.

The History Association is a student organization that hosts historical film series, field trips, and bring speakers to the campus.

Phi Alpha Theta is the national history honor’s society which strives to promote the study of history through teaching, research, and the exchange of learning and ideas among historians.

What opportunities are available after graduation?

History graduates go into the job market and graduate studies well equipped to think, to communicate, and to learn. Many students with a degree in history are working in the fields of education, law, politics, business, journalism, and various areas of federal, state, and local government. A number of our graduates are attending school at St. Louis University, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, and University of Illinois-Champaign Urbana.

Faculty Members in the History and Political Science Department

James E. Davis
Gardner Professor of History / Professor of Geography
A.B., M.A. Wayne State University; Ph.D. University of Michigan

Karen E. Dean
Professor of History and Political Science
B.A., M.A., Ph.D. Kent State University

Robert C. Kunath
Associate Professor of History
B.A. University of Chicago; M.A., Ph.D. Stanford University

Scott R. Rohrer
Visiting Instructor in History and Political Science
B.A., M.A., University of South Florida-Tampa

Winston R. Wells
Associate Professor of Political Science
B.A. Northwestern University; M.A., Ph.D. University of California-Los Angeles

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