The University of Montana Western » History, Philosophy & Social Science

BROWSE PROGRAMS

Featured Profiles

Julie Bullard

professor of early childhood education

For the third time in as many years, Montana Western has a Carnegie Foundation Professor of the Year. (read more) Featured Faculty

Delena Norris-Tull

professor of education

The 2010 Montana Professor of the Year is continuing a proud tradition at Montana's premier teacher education institution. (read more) Featured Faculty

Kara Einarson

equine studies major

With a post-graduation job already secured in the equine industry, Kara Einarson’s career is off to a promising start. (read more) Featured Featured Profiles

Layne Carlson

assistant professor of equine studies

University of Montana Western equine studies professor Layne Carlson brings his 30 years of professional experience as a mixed animal practitioner into the classroom. (read more) Featured Faculty

Alan Weltzien

professor of english

University of Montana Western English professor Alan Weltzien is a champion of Montana literature. (read more) Featured Faculty

Anne Kish

assistant professor, librarian

As a librarian and head instructor of the School of Outreach’s library endorsement program, Anne Kish exemplifies experiential learning. (read more) Featured Faculty

Diana Taylor

school of outreach student

Diana Taylor is pursuing an early childhood education degree to enrich her life and bolster her skills for her job at a Head Start in Butte, Mont. (read more) Featured Outreach

Rob Thomas

professor of geology

The Carnegie Foundation's 2009 U.S. Professor of the Year is taking Montana Western's experiential learning to the national stage. (read more) Featured Faculty

Sean Eudaily

associate professor of political science

Sean Eudaily challenges his students to think critically to fully understand how lessons learned in his classroom impact life outside campus. (read more) Featured Faculty

Mike Morrow

associate professor of biology

Montana Western's biology program is now competitive in the national arena thanks to nearly $2 million in grants secured by Mike Morrow. (read more) Featured Faculty

Gay Garard-Brewer

visiting assistant professor of music

As a student in Montana's rural Bitteroot Valley plays their home piano, Gay Garard-Brewer sees and hears the notes over 100 miles away. (read more) Featured Faculty

Eric Dyreson

professor of mathematics

Mathematics is more than mere numbers for Eric Dyreson; it is also a philosophy capable of transforming one's perception of the world. (read more) Featured Faculty

Rebecca Petersen

education major

Rebecca Petersen is a living testament to the proud tradition of teaching educators at the University of Montana Western. (read more) Featured Students

Cathleen Flanagan

history major, drama education minor

For Cathleen Flanagan — secondary education, history major and drama minor — life's a stage and she's in the director's chair. (read more) Featured Students

Sheynoa Mataafa

general studies

On a frigid, snowy day in Dillon, Sheynoa Mataafa, a Hawaii native, does not regret her decision to move to Montana. (read more) Featured Students

Kaitlin Ens

english major

English major Kaitlin Ens counts five published articles to her name. For Ens, it's only the beginning of a promising career. (read more) Featured Students

Mitch Jessen

secondary education major

While most students entering college struggle with the decision of what to do with their futures, Mitch Jessen always knew what he wanted. (read more) Featured Students

Amanda Kortum

biology major

Amanda Kortum, a cellular molecular biology major, is already making a name for herself in her field. (read more) Featured Students

Berett Rosenkrance

environmental sciences major

One of the most shocking moments of Berett Rosenkrance's life came upon her return as a sophomore to the Montana Western campus. (read more) Featured Students

Brandon Brown

health & human performance major

For Brandon Brown, the transition from urban western Washington to Montana Western was like playing basketball: natural. (read more) Featured Students

The Montana Western department of history, philosophy and social sciences (HPSS) gives students the academic foundation necessary for an enlightened view of today’s rapidly changing world.

The skills and knowledge learned from our dedicated faculty are invaluable not only in the pursuit of graduate degrees and careers but also in gaining a balanced perspective on history, politics, philosophy, the social sciences and society at large.

Majors in HPSS think critically on a broad range of issues to better understand our world by connecting with the past, experiencing the present and anticipating the future.

Degrees
Courses
Careers
Faculty
Contact

History, philosophy and social sciences degrees available from Montana Western:

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Social Science.
This four-year degree program is designed to prepare students for graduate studies in one of the following areas:

Anthropology & Sociology
Global Politics
Interdisciplinary Social Science
Modern History
Psychology
Legal Studies

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Secondary Education, History.
This degree will prepare and license students to teach history in middle high or high schools.

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Secondary Education, Interdisciplinary Social Science.
This degree will prepare and license students to teach social science in middle high or high schools.

Sample Courses

Here are just two great examples of history, philosophy & social science courses at Montana Western. For a full course selection, please see the 2010/2011 catalog.

HSTA 215 Post-World War II America

An in-depth examination of the important events that have shaped American society since the end of World War II, with particular emphasis on the Cold War, Civil Rights including identity movements associated with African-Americans, Native Americans, and women, liberalism vs. conservatism, and U.S. responsibilities as a world power. Students will be expected to engage in class discussions and prepare written assignments based on core readings and library research.

ISSS 441, World Resources

Resource scarcities are the source of conflict in many parts of the world, and appropriate and sustainable development is crucial to sustaining the supply of oil, forests, minerals, fish, and other resources. This course examines the nature and distribution of world resources, the potential for conflict over these resources, and potential means of achieving sustainability. Students will be evaluated on written assignments, a term project, and class discussion.

A degree in history, philosophy and social sciences from Montana Western will prepare you for a career as:

An anthropologist
A political scientist
A city planner
A psychologist
A counselor
A public administrator
An historian
A public affairs specialist
An intelligence worker
A social worker
A lawyer
A sociologist
A mental health clinician
A statistician
A teacher

Sean Eudaily
Michael Francisconi
Sara Glasgow
John Hajduk
Bill Janus
Cheryl Juergens
Mark Krank
Aaron Weinacht

Sean Eudaily, Ph.D.

Sean Eudaily is an associate professor of politics at the University of Montana Western where he teaches courses in politics, law, geography, history and philosophy. He is the author of “The Present Politics of the Past: Indigenous Legal Activism and Resistance to (Neo) Liberal Governmentality” (Routledge, 2004) as well as various other works on sovereignty, democratic theory, poststructuralism, and contentious politics. Eudaily is currently working on a book analyzing the transformations of the practice of sovereignty in comparative contexts including English domestic, British Imperial, and continental European during the 17th century.

Michael Francisconi, Ph.D.

Michael Francisconi is a professor of anthropology and sociology at Montana Western. He encourages his students to engage in open, critical discourse. One of Francisconi’s projects is Indian Education for All, a program sponsored through the Dillon Middle School with assistance from Salish-Kootenai College, which helps middle-school students gain a deeper understanding of history, culture, and contemporary issues of the Salish Nation in Montana.

Sara Glasgow, Ph.D.

Sara Glasgow’s primary research area is in the political economy of health, focusing on political ideologies informing public health approaches to chronic, noncommunicable diseases. Her other research and teaching interests include international relations theory, critical security studies, wargaming and simulation design, and pedagogical approaches to interdisciplinary studies.

John Hajduk, Ph.D.

John Hajduk received his Ph.D. in history from the State University of New York at Buffalo with a specialty in American cultural history. He has researched and written on such topics as the American popular music industry; political humor and its impact on political discourse; and the socialist administration of Lewis Duncan in Butte, Mont. Hajduk is proud to have helped Montana Western graduates develop the skills necessary for acceptance to graduate degree programs across the country.

Bill Janus, Ph.D.

Bill Janus received the Fulbright Research Fellowship to Poland in 1999-2000. His focuses of research are the Third Reich and paramilitary politics; communist Poland and state cultural manipulation; and U.S. militarism. Janus shares his knowledge of history and world affairs with his students in an experiential setting at Montana Western, allowing the present to meet the past.

Cheryl Juergens M.A.

Cheryl Juergens has taught health/physical education at all public school levels (K-12) with an emphasis on cooperative strategies. Juergens has collegiate experience as the head coach for the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams at Vassar and Principia College, as well as high school coaching in cross country, volleyball and swimming and diving. Her recent research involves investigating relationship dynamics of dual Ironman and Olympic distance triathlon couples; assessing gender attitudes in student-athletes at the Collegiate National Championships; and conducting a Strong Women™ strength training intervention for older adults.

Mark Krank, Ph.D.

Mark Krank teaches psychology at Montana Western. He is particularly interested in how psychology relates to education. Krank conducted the analysis of a large data set on Experience One scheduling when Montana Western implemented the program on a pilot basis from 2002-2004. Krank also teaches education classes and a special class once a year that examines the minds of serial killers.

Aaron Weinacht, M.A.

Aaron Weinacht has taught history at Montana Western since 2007. He is interested in helping students learn to do historical research for themselves. Weinacht teaches survey courses in Western civilization and American history and has taught upper division courses in Russian history and European intellectual history. His own research focuses primarily on the intellectual history of Tsarist Russia.

Contact

For more information about history, philosophy and social sciences at Montana Western, contact department chair Sean Eudaily:
Student Union Building basement (406) 683-7103
s_eudaily@umwestern.edu

Welcome to the new University of Montana Western website.

INFORMATION

PROGRAMS & DEGREES

CONTACT US

UNIVERSITY WEBSITES

Julie Bullard 2011 Montana Professor of the Year

Headlines