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Academics

History

You are

  • interested in how your story fits into other stories – family, community, society
  • curious about what the past can teach the future
  • challenged by researching yesterday’s answers to today’s big questions

Studying history at Bethel will

  • equip you with strong research and writing skills
  • offer you opportunities to “do history” at Kauffman Museum and the Mennonite Library & Archives
  • place you in small-class settings that encourage discussion
  • pair you with faculty mentors who are active historians themselves

Multiple options

Bethel history majors have gone on to

  • study law
  • teach high-school history
  • work in libraries
  • and much more.

Want to talk more with faculty and current students? Schedule a campus visit.

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Unique opportunities for hands-on history experience abound — from museum internships at Kauffman Museum to archival internships working with rare books and manuscripts in the Mennonite Library and Archives to courses taught on location in Europe.

The mentoring I received at Bethel has served me well as I have pursued both a calling into Christian ministry, and a career in public communications. I don’t think there are many places where I would have had the chance to engage in such a breadth and depth of activity.
—Micah Bales ’04 History, Spanish
M.Div., Earlham School of Religion
Advocacy manager, Homeless Children’s Playtime Project, Washington, D.C.

Bethel history graduates have:

Notable Alumni

Samuel Voth Schrag – ’04
Samuel was able to earn his M.Div. from Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary and go on to lead the congregation at St. Louis Mennonite Fellowship.
Micah Bales – ’04
Micah expanded on his degrees in history and Spanish to achieve a Master of Divinity degree and begin a career that involves service and communication. He attributes the variety of areas he was able to explore at Bethel to his well-rounded resume. Bales’ passion for helping others is exemplified through his work as an advocacy manager for Homeless Children’s Playtime Project in Washington, D.C.
Major requirements for History:
30 hours (14 upper-level).
Major requirements for History and Government teacher licensure:
45 hours, including 15 hours required supporting courses in government, sociology, economics and geography, plus completion of General Education requirements for teacher licensure and professional education requirements.
Minor requirements for History:
16 hours (8 upper-level).

Kip Wedel

Associate professor of history

kwedel@bethelks.edu

About Bethel

As the first Mennonite college founded in North America, Bethel College celebrates a tradition of progressive Christian liberal arts education, diversity within community, and lifelong learning.