Whitman College
- Academics

History as a Means of Exploration and Connection

At Whitman, the History department has its own distribution requirements - including geographical distribution and subject concentration. I was initially skeptic, as I have very specific interests within history, but was surprised to find out how much I've been able to relate these classes. I also love the required class for the History major - Historical Methodologies. It focuses on different aspects of a historian's 'toolbox' - primary source analysis, secondary source analysis, historiography, etc. The course culminated in a 25 page term paper. I was scared of it at first, but we were able to choose our own topics, and I soon became so entrenched in mine that I actually wrote over the number of required pages and then had to trim it down. I'm now using this subject as a starting point for connections in other history courses, like the geographic distribution ones, in hopes of broadening my subject and analysis for senior exams.

Lots of Academic Support

The Academic Resource Center, located in Memorial Hall, is full of really useful tools to help students who have learning differences or who need extra assistance in a class. You can pick up planning guides, find unique study tips, and even get matched up with a student tutor for free! Furthermore, Student Academic Advisers (SAs) live in every first-year section and serve as guides through the transition process from high school- to college-level academics. My SA would do things like proofread my papers, help me develop my thesis, teach me how to conduct research, and help me plan and register for my classes.

Excellent Personal Attention from Anthro Profs

The Anthropology department is fairly small here, but that allows for greater personal relationships between the majors and their advisors. Students focusing on paleo- or archaeological aspect of anthropology have opportunities multiple times throughout the year to go on excavation digs with one of the professors; other professors take their major advisees on research trips during the summer for academic credit an an opportunity to be trained in ethnography while helping with the professor's own independent research. It's a closely-knit department, definitely.