Department of History and Government

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Mission

The Department contributes to Bowie State University’s major mission as a regional comprehensive liberal arts university. It provides an atmosphere that promotes intellectual development, scholarship, and critical thinking for its diverse student body. In addition, students who major in history and government have the opportunity to experience the responsibilities and rewards of leadership. This combination of learning and personal challenge enables graduates to face the demands of the twenty-first century with competence, mastery and confidence.

Departmental Goals

Consonant with Bowie State University’s mission as an institution of higher learning committed to a tradition of free inquiry, the goals of the department are:

1. To foster an atmosphere conducive to the fruitful exchange of ideas between students and faculty
2. To train students proficiently in content and methodology in the departmental concentrations of their choice
3. To provide opportunities for critical study which will build marketable skills in a variety of fields; and
4. To give students in the sequences a level of training which will enable them to succeed in graduate studies and professional schools, or to pursue careers in academia, government, or business.

Description of the Department of History and Government:

The Department offers two interdisciplinary majors in (1) History and Government with concentrations in three unique areas: History (General), History Education (Social Studies), and Government (or Political Science); and (2) Philosophy, Politics & Economics (PPE). There are several minor programs in the following nine (9) exciting areas: geography, philosophy, history, Africana studies (formerly Pan-African Studies), women’s studies, historical management, government, international studies, public policy, and pre-law. These major and minor programs aim to provide students with a broad understanding of the complex historical, social, economic, and political forces within society, and intentionally designed to promote critical thinking skills and broaden students’ intellectual horizon. Students may choose either the history or government concentration for either the BA or BS degree. Students who choose the history education (social studies) concentration must pursue a BS degree. To receive a BA/BS in History and Government or PPE, students must complete 120 semester hours. To receive a BS in History and Government with a history education (social studies) concentration, students must complete 128/129 semester hours. The various minor programs, in the Department, are based on specific courses with the following credit hours: geography (15), philosophy (15), history (18), Africana studies (12), women’s studies (18), historical management (–), government (15), international studies (12), public policy (12), and pre-law (15); and interested students should be advised that some courses may be “double counted” with the approval of the Program Coordinator and the BSU Registrar.

Graduation Requirements

1. Foreign Language: Students in the B.A. degree program must take and pass, with a “C” or better, 12 semester hours of any second language other than English. In some cases, a foreign language proficiency examination may be substituted for the course requirement.
2. Capstone Senior Thesis: Students, except those in the history (social studies) education concentration, must write a thesis paper in their senior year.
3. Capstone Senior Seminar-Comprehensive Examination: Students must take and pass a written departmental comprehensive examination in their concentration during the senior year.
4. History Education (Social Studies): Students who opt for this concentration must take both PRAXIS I and PRAXIS 2 and achieve a passing score set by the Maryland State Department of Education in order to be certified by the State of Maryland. Passing scores on the PRAXIS are a prerequisite for several courses in the professional sequence, including methods courses and student teaching. Passing scores on both PRAXIS I and PRAXIS II are required for graduation.

Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science: History and Government Major

The Department of History & Government offers the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees in history and government. Students who wish to earn the B.A. degree are required to complete twelve semester hours of any foreign language in addition to the other program requirements. The B.A./B.S. degrees in history and government require a minimum of forty-two semester hours for majors in the history concentration and forty-five semester hours for majors in the government concentration. The B.S. degree in history and government requires thirty-six semester hours for majors in the history education (social studies) concentration.

The Department of History & Government also offers another interdisciplinary Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Philosophy, Politics & Economics (PPE) that was developed from the Oxford University model and started in August 2023. The required courses, for this program, are designed to collectively instruct students in methodologies for assessing political priorities and policy formulations, enable them to become more competent in evaluating economic factors and business objectives as well as critical management decisions, and enhance their abilities in forming moral positions and making important responsible choices essential to mature leadership. The PPE program will encourage the study of the various methods and approaches used by communities and institutions for evaluating and determining how key decisions and policies are formulated and implemented in participatory democratic societies. The PPE program emphasizes the following themes: leadership, economic, and strategic management; globalization and post-globalization economic dispensations; ethics and social responsibility; and public policy and governance.   

Students who wish to pursue a major or minor in history and government must earn a grade of “C” or higher in specified departmental courses.

For additional information about the Department of History and Government click on the following link: https://bowiestate.edu/academics/colleges/college-of-arts-and-sciences/departments/history-and-government/

Career Pathways for Graduates:

People often ask the question: “What can someone potentially do with a degree in history, philosophy, government (political science), or public policy?” The answer is nearly anything. The degree program is intended to provide a solid foundation for possible careers including, but not limited to, the following:

• Activist
• Administrator (public or academic)
• Analyst
• Archeologist
• Archivist
• Author
• Campaign manager
• Civil servant
• Conservationist
• Educator
• Genealogist
• Historian
• Intelligence agent
• Journalist
• Lawyer
• Legal assistant
• Legislative correspondent
• Librarian
• Lobbyist
• Management consultant
• Manuscript specialist
• Museum curator
• National parks director
• Philosopher
• Political editor
• Political leader
• Preservationist
• Public intellectual
• Proprietor (or Entrepreneur)
• Public policy planner
• Restoration contractor
• Research assistant
• Speechwriter
• Teacher (High or Secondary School)
• University or College instructor or professor
• Writer

Student-led Organizations or Clubs in the Department

History & Government Organization: The History and Government Club promotes

interest in and appreciation for the rigorous study of both history and government (political science). Specifically, it promotes various activities that provide a better understanding of political life at the domestic and international levels, a historical analysis of events, and a critical understanding of the significance of the interdependency of nations in the age of globalization, technological revolution and social responsibility.  

The Pre-Law Society: The Pre-Law Society was formed by two BSU faculty members and a

Student, in 2012, and is currently housed in the Department of History & Government, with Dr. William B Lewis and Dr. Benjamin Arah as its founding faculty advisors. Currently, Dr. Carmen Walker and Dr. Weldon Jackson are faculty advisors. The society is mostly for students interested in attending law school upon graduation from Bowie State University. The Pre-Law Society supports Bowie State University pre-law minors and other students interested in law through various learning activities and programs that focus on LSAT preparation, developing competitive law school applications, law school exploration, financing, and mentoring as well as enhancing their logical and legal reasoning skills in their symbolic course.

Philosophy, Politics & Economics Society (formerly Philosophy Club): Bowie State University, housed in the Department of History & Government, is a student-driven organization for students interested in the discipline of philosophy and who occasionally meet to engage in and exchange ideas on topics or issues of philosophical interest. The Club is open to students, faculty and staff who have broad philosophical interests and the desire to participate in the discussions, dialogue with others, and contribute to the philosophical life of the members on the BSU campus.

Students who are interested in participating in the learning activities of the BSU-PPE Society should contact Dr. Fred Mills, the PPE Program Coordinator, via fmills@bowiestate.edu.

BSU Debating Society: Bowie State University Debating Society was formed in 2012 as a joint effort between Departments in the College of Arts & Sciences: History & Government and Languages, Literature and Cultural Studies. It is designed to enable students to come together and argue on special topics of social currency in the community, to enhance students communication skills, and for BSU students to learn and begin to participate in local and national debating competitions. The society is housed in the Department of History & Government, and Dr. Benjamin Arah continues to serve as its primary faculty advisor in collaboration with Dr. Uche Onuzulike (Communications) and Dr. David Basena (Language, Literature & Cultural Studies). 

Programs

• History and Government - History (Social Studies) Education Track, BS

• History and Government - General History Concentration, BA/BS
• History and Government - Government Concentration, BA/BS
• Philosophy, Politics, and Economics, BA/BS

• Africana Studies Minor
• Geography Minor
• Government Minor
• Historical Management Minor
• History Minor
• International Studies Minor
• Philosophy Minor
• Pre-Law Minor
• Public Policy Minor
• Women’s Studies Minor

Return to: College of Arts and Sciences