History

Faculty

Roy Palmer Domenico, Ph.D., Chair
Sean Brennan, Ph.D.
Josephine M. Dunn, Ph.D., Director, Art and Music Program
Michael D. DeMichele, Ph.D., Advisor, International Studies Program
David J. Dzurec III, Ph.D.
Shuhua Fan, Ph.D.
Lawrence W. Kennedy, Ph.D.
Lee M. Penyak, Ph.D.
Susan L. Poulson, Ph.D.
Robert W. Shaffern, Ph.D.

Mission Statement

The Department of History at The University of Scranton is a group of teachers and scholars who support the mission of the University by their commitment to the Catholic, Jesuit and liberal arts traditions. The Department contributes significantly to the core curriculum in the arts and sciences, offers an impressive array of upper-division courses in various areas of history, and provides the essential historical foundation for interdisciplinary programs at the University. It offers undergraduate majors and minors in history and international studies as well as minors in art history and music history.

The historians and art historians in the department are dedicated to helping students learn how to find, assimilate, evaluate and apply information about past human activities from all quarters of the globe.

Faculty members in the department advise students in the selection of structured course sequences which will help prepare them for a wide variety of careers.

The department is committed to perpetuating its tradition of service to the University and local community and of excellence in teaching. It envisions building upon its growing achievement in scholarship through increased publications and participation in professional organizations and conferences.

The department supports the liberal arts mission of the University by giving students a historical perspective on the human condition while, at the same time, contributing to the development of their ability to read perceptively, write cogently, and think logically. In their pedagogy and counseling of students and in their personal conduct, they enhance the University’s purpose of affirming the personal worth of their students and facilitating their growth as responsible human beings and, in addition, fostering their spiritual development and concern for social justice.

Overview

The department offers two majors to University students. The major in History leads to a Bachelor of Arts degree. The major in International Studies leads to a Bachelor of Science degree. Both programs are serviced by full-time faculty who bring to their classrooms a love for their specific areas of history and an enthusiasm for classroom teaching. Their individual teaching styles provide students with a wide variety of learning experiences. Through advisement, the faculty encourages students to tailor their programs to their individual interests and career goals, thus taking advantage of the flexible courses of study built into both programs. History and International Studies majors have gone on to careers in many fields, including education, business, communications, government, and law. (See the “Pre-Law Program ” section of the catalog for details of the department’s success in preparing students for the study of law.)

Art and Music

Roy Palmer Domenico, Ph.D., Chair
Josephine M. Dunn, Ph.D., Director, Art and Music Program

Overview

The Art and Music program offers two minors: Art History and Music History. Foundation courses in studio art are also offered (e.g., drawing, design and painting). Each discipline aims to develop a student’s creative expression, to prompt aesthetic appreciation and judgment, to develop critical thinking, and to deepen understanding of the impulse to create with sound and image.

Designated courses in Art History and Music History satisfy General Education requirements in the following areas: Humanities, Cultural Diversity, and Writing-Intensive.