Teaching Philosophy and Goals

Whether they are working toward the M.A. or the Ph.D., whether they are studying full-time or part-time, whether they are fresh out of college or are returning to study after a hiatus, graduate students at Fordham have the opportunity to work with its outstanding History faculty. Fordham History professors are committed to excellence in both research and teaching. One of the advantages of Fordham is that classes are relatively small, averaging about nine students. Beyond the classroom, students can expect personal attention from their professors and early help in their professional development. The primary function of the graduate program is to develop skills in critical analysis and historical research, but the department also attends to other aspects of professional training. For example, the course on college teaching trains Ph.D. students in pedagogical methods and gives them initial exposure to classroom teaching; a faculty member then mentors those students who are awarded teaching fellowships after this class. The certificate program in documentary editing provides students with guidance in entering that profession as well as practical experience. Because of their wide experience in teaching, research and such historical activities as documentary editing, oral history, and archival description, Fordham professors can assist students in developing their skills – whether they aspire to college teaching positions, high school posts, careers as documentary editors, jobs as journalists, or other history-related professions.

Opportunities to gain teaching experience are available both through teaching fellowships awarded through the department and in the many adjunct positions offered at New York area colleges. We also encourage students to offer papers at scholarly conferences and then guide them through the process; partial funding for travel to such conferences is offered through the Graduate Student Association. Similar encouragement and guidance is extended to students who wish to secure outside fellowships and grants to fund research and the final stages of dissertation writing. Within the department, students organize themselves in reading groups to further develop their skills in foreign languages. Excellence is also encouraged with the awarding of annual prizes, such as the Loomie Prize for the best seminar research paper. At the conclusion of the degree program, faculty members, as well as the university Career Planning Service, will guide students on how to set up a dossier and look for a job related to the degree they obtained.

Modified, October 16, 2007 3:18 PM , Any questions about the History webpage can be sent to aacosta@fordham.edu.