Courses

This capstone course allows students to apply historical thinking in the community. Under the supervision of the course coordinator students select from among a wide variety of partner institutions, organizations, associations, businesses and others, and embark upon the collaborative challenge of uncovering their past. Instead of simply requiring students to work for specified hours at ‘historical sites’ (museums, archives, etc.) the course requires them to use the research techniques and methodological approaches they have learned in the discipline to construct and present a history of their selected community partners. They build preparatory research into polished consultancy papers detailing key findings about the partner, their development over time, and the passions and preoccupations of the individuals who have played an especially prominent role in their development. The course provides History students’ with a unique opportunity to design, plan and present creative contributions to historical knowledge and to engage with community members in discussions about the value and potential uses of history in the present. During the internship, students prepare and present their research-based consultancy paper. They also write a journal critically detailing their own initial expectations and reflecting upon the actual experience of conducting research, communicating their findings and putting history to use.