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History of Ideas

Why choose history of ideas at North Central College?

This may be the perfect minor for you if you like to discuss primary texts in small, seminar-style classes; if you like to tackle challenging writing assignments; and if you expect to attend graduate school. By studying classic texts and discussing the great ideas, you’ll get a good grasp of “the big picture”—the ideas and trends that mark major world religions, art, philosophy, literature and the social sciences.

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Graduate Schools

Recent graduates in history of ideas have been accepted at:

  • University of Chicago
  • Chicago Theological Seminary
  • University of Illinois Graduate School of Library and Information Science
  • Vanderbuilt University
  • Southern Illinois University

Careers

Recent history of ideas minors:

  • Application analyst, Navistar, Warrenville, IL
  • Staff accountant, Borhart Spellmeyer & Company, Elgin, IL

Feature

Sidra Hamidi

Political science major and history of ideas minor

Sidra already knew she wanted to study international environmental issues and political science when she stumbled upon the history of ideas minor. "When I was a freshman College Scholar I was placed in a history of ideas course called 'Greek and Hebrew Thought,'" she says. "I liked it so much! I enjoy studying primary texts instead of textbooks, and really great discussions." Sidra decided to make history of ideas her minor to complement her interest in envrironmental justice issues. She plans to attend graduate school in international relations at the University of Chicago and ultimately wants to teach. "I learned how to read with depth and breadth and my career has been influenced by how passionate my professors are about what they’re doing," she says.

Feature

Bethany Henning

History of Ideas

“History of ideas combines the best literature and history classes you’re ever had,” says Bethany. “I didn’t realize a discipline like this existed until I came here.”

A philosophy major with minors in history of ideas and history, Bethany says,  “A strength of the program is its mix of students from different areas like math, chemistry and psychology. They contribute so many different perspectives and ways of learning.”

Bethany’s studies sparked her interest in research. A College Scholar, her honors thesis and presentations at the National Conference for Undergraduates (NCUR) and North Central conferences about her research findings were inspired by primary texts. “My presentation at the national conference wouldn’t have happened if it hadn’t been for what I learned in history of ideas.”

Bethany received a paid teaching assistant position at Southern Illinois University in its pre-doctoral program in philosophy. She hopes to teach history of ideas at a school like North Central.

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