Our Mission 

The mission of the department of history at Bergen Community College is to create a first-rate teaching and learning community where students acquire historical knowledge covering all periods and geographical concentrations. We seek to maintain high standards of civic engagement, instruction, and scholarship including investigating and interpreting primary and secondary historical sources by various methods. We affirm a commitment to help students develop an appreciation of history, both western and non-western, through an understanding of the past and its impact on the present. Recognizing that the discipline of history holds a central place in the liberal arts and general education curriculum, we wish to impart to students critical reading, analytical thinking, and effective writing skills which are essential for further study in all majors and success in a wide-range of careers. Equipped with this historical training students are better prepared to become productive and responsible citizens. The department strengths include courses in Western Civilization, United States History, European History, and Latin American History.

Useful Sites:

• The American Historical Association Website – The website for the professional organization of historians that includes interesting essays, information about conferences, and projects by historians
• Online Guide for Chicago Style – A website that assists history students with Chicago style citations for papers
• Perseus Project Digital Library – A useful collection of online texts
• Modern History Sourcebook – A collection of primary sources useful for history papers in US and European history
• World History Matters – More documents and essays on World and European history
• Why Study History – An article about why everyone should study history and the benefits to be gained from historical study.