The point of studying history at Ferrum College is for you to develop the skills to comprehend the ingredients of history and articulate your own convincing, sophisticated interpretations of the past. Students will participate in seminar courses practicing historical inquiry and marking how social context (race, class, gender, religion) and time have shaped history writing in the past.
We at Ferrum College are beyond lucky to share our campus with the Blue Ridge Institute and Museum, which was founded over 50 years ago to document, interpret, and present the folk heritage of the Blue Ridge Region. Students in classes such as African American Studies and Virginia History have opportunities to explore the vast array of documents housed in the museum’s archives; public History minors work directly with BRIM curators designing museum exhibitions; museum staff and history faculty teach “living history” courses in which students engage in historical interpretation at our 1800s farm museum; and students regularly complete faculty-supervised internships at the BRIM using the resources there to engage in public history and complete research on topics of particular interest to them.
You will take a core of history courses covering world history, American history, and historiography.
An overview of the history of the world from the rise of the earliest civilizations to the development of a global economy.
A survey of the development of the United States from its colonial inception through the Civil War.
Recognizing that the COVID-19 pandemic taught us that our responses to disease can be both scientifically and culturally informed, this course takes a deep dive into how people in the past understood disease and how their understandings and responses can help us better understand them as well as our own reactions to disease today.
Research, analyze, interpret, and write about the past by studying historical documents and sources.
Study the origin, development, and behavior of humans. They examine the cultures, languages, archeological remains, and physical characteristics of people in various parts of the world.
Assembles, preserves, catalogs, and manages historical information, images, and other collections to determine their significance and value.
Work with museums and other organizations to collect, catalog, and display art and artifacts. Duties include acquiring and authenticating artifacts, and curating exhibits.
View the catalog for all program courses and degree requirements.
