History

The History Department at College of the Ozarks offers students the exciting opportunity to explore the development of world civilizations and cultures and study the foundation of American heritage. Wide-ranging survey courses on Western Civilization and the American Experience—all part of the general education core—provide students an informational and conceptual introduction to these fields.

MAJORS

History Major, B.A.

MINORS

History Minor

FACULTY AND STAFF

David Pedersen

Email: dpedersen@cofo.edu

Title: Assistant Professor of Humanities

Ethan Smilie

Email: esmilie@cofo.edu

Title: Associate Professor of Humanities and Humanities Division Chair

David Dalton

Email: dalton@cofo.edu

Title: Professor of History

David Parrish

Email: dparrish@cofo.edu

Title: Associate Professor of Humanities and Director of Academic Assessment

Brad Pardue

Email: bpardue@cofo.edu

Title: Associate Professor of History, Director of the Center for Faithful Education

Joseph Western

Email: jwestern@cofo.edu

Title: Assistant Professor of History

OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT AND COLLEGE

History students compete for several scholarships awarded for exceptional achievement, and they have an impressive assortment of internships and job opportunities available to them. Many history majors have worked on special projects in the Ralph Foster Museum on campus, including the permanent exhibit on America’s war. Students have done internships at presidential libraries, such as the Harry S. Truman Library, and at historic sites, parks, and battlefields, including Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield outside Springfield, Missouri. These sorts of history internships can lead to exciting career opportunities.

History majors have also travel opportunities available to them, with many of the trips connected to academic courses. History students have traveled to Europe to study World War II and to experience cultures in Scotland and The Netherlands. They have visited Civil War battlefields and national parks and traveled through the South to see key sites in the history of the civil rights movement. Students in the senior-level seminar have done primary research at the Hoover, Truman, Eisenhower, and Johnson presidential libraries. Students studying history also travel to state and regional history conferences where C of O students can hear historians from a variety of colleges, libraries, and museums present their research. These trips also allow students an opportunity to meet and network with historians in graduate programs that might interest them for future advanced studies in history.

Careers

One of the questions that students often ask themselves when they consider a major or minor in history is, “What can I do with a history major?” Although the numbers might vary from year to year, about a third of our graduates add a second major in Secondary Education and become teachers of history and social studies in public or private schools. Another third attend graduate and professional school after they leave College of the Ozarks, working on advanced degrees in history, law, and seminary. The remaining third go right from college into a variety of careers.

The study of history places an emphasis on life skills such as reading, writing, information management and analysis, small-group collaboration, and critical thinking. Our history graduates can go with confidence into diverse fields such as business management, law, government, parks and conservation, libraries and museums, ministry, and more.