Tag: History Major

The Bethel History Department

A Counterintuitive Non-Economic Argument for Majoring in the Humanities

September 6, 2018

“These days,” my local newspaper reported on Tuesday, “English majors are an increasingly rare breed on college campuses.” Whether at the University of Minnesota or nearby Augsburg University, fewer and fewer students were majoring in English — or history, philosophy, or most of the other disciplines traditionally lumped together as “the humanities.” Robert Cowgill, chair of Augsburg’s … More A Counterintuitive Non-Economic Argument for Majoring in the Humanities

"Why Study History?" Wordle

A Counterintuitive Economic Argument for Majoring in the Humanities

August 28, 2018

It happened again this summer. I was faced with further evidence of declining enrollment in history, English, philosophy, theology, and other humanities disciplines at our institution. So after making a few other arguments, I arrived at my typical last line of defense: “Anyway, these things are cyclical. The humanities will come back. Just look at … More A Counterintuitive Economic Argument for Majoring in the Humanities

Coley, Gay on God's Campus

That Was The Week That Was

April 8, 2018

It’s been a couple months since I last put together one of these weekend wraps. So I’ll ease back into the swing of things with a relatively short set of links. Here… • What’s next for The Pietist Option, now that’s it’s been out for six months? • Our Pietist Option devotional concluded with me reflecting on the Resurrection for … More That Was The Week That Was

"Why Study History?" Wordle

How History Is Actually Erased

August 15, 2017

So much for the idea that Americans don’t care about their past. One of the hashtags trending today on Twitter complained about the dangers of #ErasingHistory: Is it wrong if I watch these morons kicking a statue & wish they'd break a toe or two? 😒#HeritageNotHate#DurhamNC#Durham#ErasingHistory https://t.co/LRGqDYXml6 — 🐸 RedPills4All 🇺🇸 (@RedPills4All171) August 15, 2017 … More How History Is Actually Erased

"Please wait here until you are useful"

What Makes the Humanities “Useful”?

May 31, 2016

Jim Grossman, executive director of the American Historical Association, took to the pages of the Los Angeles Times yesterday to argue that there’s nothing “useless” about a major in History. In fact, he contended, it has tremendous economic utility: The utility of disciplines that prepare critical thinkers escapes personnel offices, pundits and politicians (some of whom perhaps would prefer … More What Makes the Humanities “Useful”?

Resume with glasses

Why Businesses Ought to Hire History Majors

April 26, 2016

We’re finally starting to wind down the academic year here at Bethel. But while this is a time of endings for professors, for many students it’s a time of new beginnings: For our seniors, it’s a time to interview with prospective employers. For high school seniors coming here in the fall, it’s a time to start signing … More Why Businesses Ought to Hire History Majors

"Why Study History?" Wordle

Is the History Major Dominated by the Upper Middle Class?

July 10, 2015

Here are two top-five lists of college majors. What factor determines the ranking? Law Enforcement & Firefighting 1 English Education 2 History Psychology 3 Visual and Performing Arts Computer Science 4 Economics Medicine and Nursing 5 Sociology, Political Science, and Anthropology On the left, the five college majors whose students come from families with the lowest mean household income; … More Is the History Major Dominated by the Upper Middle Class?