American University Catalog 2019-2020 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
History
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Administration
Chair Eric Lohr
Director of Graduate Studies Gautham Rao
Director of Undergraduate Studies April Shelford and Pedram Partovi
Director of Public History Program M.J. Rymsza-Pawlowska
Full-Time Faculty
Distinguished Professor Emeritus/a B. Reagon, R. Breitman
Distinguished Professor A. Kraut, A. Lichtman
Patrick Clendenen Chair in Women’s and Gender History P. Nadell
Seymour and Lillian Abensohn Chair in Israel Studies M. Brenner
Susan E. Carmel Chair of Russian History and Culture E. Lohr
Professor Emeritus/a R. Brown
Professor M. Brenner, E. Findlay, M. Friedman, I. Kendi, P. Kuznick, L. Leff, E. Lohr, P. Nadell
Associate Professor Emeritus/a I. Klein
Associate Professor L. Beers, A. Demshuk, A. Fedyashin, K. Haulman, J. Jacobs, D. Kerr, P. Partovi, G. Rao, T. Runstedlter, A. Shelford, E. Stockreiter, K. Vester
Assistant Professor M.J. Rymsza-Pawlowska
Senior Professorial Lecturer M. Giandrea
Distinguished Public Historian-in-Residence K. Franz
Department Overview
Historians explore the past, but the pasts they uncover depend on the questions they ask, and historians keep discovering new questions appropriate to their moment in time. Exploring civilizations across time and space, historians study all the creations of men and women: politics and governments, the arts and the sciences, economic and technological changes, public and private lives, nations and their peoples.
The History (BA) introduces students to history broadly, requiring study of ancient, medieval, and modern histories in several geographic contexts before expecting students to specialize. The program’s lectures, seminars, and discussions facilitate student engagement. The History (MA) offers a concentration in public history, and public history may be taken as an outside field in the History (PhD) . Students in American University’s History Department have the opportunity to work closely with faculty experts who specialize not only in the United States, Europe, Latin America, and East Asia, but whose research focuses on the history of women, the Holocaust, immigration, politics, and culture.
AU History faculty have close, ongoing relationships with major historical institutions in Washington, DC, such as the National Archives, Library of Congress, National Museum of American History, National Building Museum, and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. These provide excellent opportunities for student internships and for their engagement with public history, which is the presentation of history outside of the classroom.
In addition to preparing students for graduate or law school, the Department of History’s emphasis on research, writing, and intellectual problem solving prepares its students for a wide array of careers in business, government, public interest fields, journalism, and other professions.
Special Opportunities
- Valerie French History Education Endowment Fund; Dorothy Gondos-Beers Scholarship; Janet Oppenheim History Prize; Richard and Carol Breitman Endowed Scholarship; Roger Brown Dissertation Fellowship; Dr. Dorothy and Victor Gondos, Jr. Student Support; Patrick Clendenen Dissertation Fellowship; Robert Griffith Education Fund for Public History; History Outstanding Teaching Assistant Prize; Best Single-Semester Capstone History Prize; Anna Kasten Nelson Award for Excellence in History; History Research & Conference Travel Funding
- Internships at Washington area museums, libraries and archives, historic sites, historic preservation offices, historical societies, and government agencies
Honors in History
The Honors in History program deepens the major experience of the department’s best students.
ProgramsMajor Program (UG)Minor (UG)Master’s Program (GR)Doctoral Program (GR)
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