“There is an important difference between learning which is concerned with the degree of understanding necessary to practice a skill, and learning which is expressly focused upon an enterprise of understanding and explaining.”
- Michael Oakeshott
The department's programs engage students in the study of global; historically underrepresented groups in the United states; connections between current events and the past; the meaning of human existence, values, and knowledge; culture, religion, and human creativity; modern Kumeyaay language, and the rich and varied culture of Native American groups. The following programs are offered in this department:
Students interested in these programs can find employment in museums, archives and historical sites; education; government; politics and diplomacy; religious institutions; journalism and publishing; and non-profit organizations and business. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the mid-career median salary for History majors is $66,000 a year, for Ethnic Studies it is $57,000 a year, and for Philosophy majors it is $62,000 a year.