The International Section Program courses in History Geography have been designed in such a way as to provide students with the tools required to think critically, use the analytic skills, and factual knowledge. These skills have become necessary to comprehend and address the issues and challenges of development, patterns and processes that have shaped human use and alteration of Earth’s surface, politics, power, and the changing face of human relations in a time of rapid globalization.
This class prepares students for intermediate and advanced university courses by making demands upon them that will enhance and strengthen their existing skills and develop their abilities to pursue rigorous academic work in the future. Students will be asked to complete projects, research, and presentations as well as participate in discussions and debates to learn to assess historical and geographical materials – their relevance to a given interpretive problem, reliability, and importance – and to weigh the evidence and interpretations in both a historical and geographical context.
The course is based on student-led research and personal academic development goals. The role of the instructor is that of a guide, mentor, and coach, not a traditional lecturer or the sole source of information. The onus of the work and research is placed on the student to allow them to develop skills and research interests within each theme of history and geography.