Department of History, College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Graduate Faculty
Anderson, Charles W., PhD, Middle East.
Costanzo, Susan E., PhD, Russian/Soviet, Europe.
Diehl, Peter D., PhD, Medieval, Ecclesiastical, Social.
Eurich, S. Amanda, PhD, early modern Europe, France and European social history.
Friday, Christopher C., PhD, American Indian, Asian American, Pacific Northwest, Public History.
Garfinkle, Steven J., PhD, ancient Near East and Mediterranean, historical theory and methods.
Hardesty, Jared R., PhD, colonial America.
Jimerson, Randall C., PhD, archives and records management, 19th-century U.S.
Leonard, Kevin A., PhD, 20th-century U.S., U.S. West.
López, A. Ricardo, PhD, Latin America.
Neem, Johann N., PhD, Early U.S. Republic.
Seltz, Jennifer, PhD, late 19th-century and 20th-century U.S., U.S. West
Stewart, Mart A., PhD, 19th-century U.S., Civil War and Reconstruction, Environmental.
Thompson, Roger R., PhD, China.
Zimmerman, Sarah, PhD, Africa.
Affiliates
Friesen, Kitty, paper conservator, Archives.
Kurtz, Anthony, MA History with a certificate in Archives & Records Management.
Steele, Ruth, MA History with a certificate in Archives & Records Management, MA (Hons) History, University of Edinburgh.
Program Advisor: Dr. Randall Jimerson, Bond Hall 324, 360-650-3139, Rand.Jimerson@wwu.edu
Goals
The Department of History offers a graduate program leading to the degree of Master of Arts in history with a certificate in archives and records management. The Graduate Program in Archives and Records Management (ARM) prepares students for professional careers in both archives and records management. The curriculum emphasizes the interdependence of these two disciplines, both of which are essential to the challenges of documenting and preserving essential evidence of modern organizations and individuals.
The program prepares students to: 1) enter a professional career as an archivist or records manager; 2) apply analytical skills to problem-solving and to evaluation of a broad range of record keeping needs within organizations; 3) enter doctoral programs or pursue other advanced academic training; and 4) assume positions as researchers, writers, teachers, or curators in a variety of public and private settings.
Grounded in the study of history, the program recognizes the value of historical knowledge and understanding as a basis for identifying and preserving records of enduring value to society. The curriculum integrates automation and electronic records with traditional methods for textual, audio, and visual records. Students examine basic principles of archives and records management, learn methods of selecting, organizing, and using recorded information, and gain practical work experience in applying these techniques through an extended internship. A required master’s thesis provides opportunity for original research and writing. The purpose of this program is to prepare students for a career and to enable them to learn to think and function as professional archivists and/or records managers.
Prerequisites
A baccalaureate degree from an accredited U.S. college or university, or an equivalent degree from a foreign university, or the permission of the department. Applicants with less than 25 credits in history or historical studies will be required to demonstrate knowledge of history and an ability to conduct historical research. For further information on admission requirements and procedures, contact the program director. Applicants with an advanced degree from an accredited institution are recommended, but not required, to submit GRE scores.
