History

We study the past to understand humanity's place in the world, to remember those who came before us, and to help us live more wisely in our own time.

History—Bringing the Past to Life

This course will introduce students to an exciting variety of careers related to the field of history, from museums and archives to criminal justice. We will emphasize careers in “public history” rather than teaching and academic research. Students will visit a variety of worksites in Grand Rapids, including the Grand Rapids Public Museum, to see professional historians in action and learn about their careers. Students will be paired with professionals in a specific field (either in person or remotely). Through personal interviews and research over the course of the week, they will contribute to a collaborative class blog on the varieties of public history.

Potential career fields: academia, museum curator, criminal justice, and archivist.