Learning Aims

Learning Aims for students who entered Loyola before the Fall 2022 semester are available here

The learning aims for HS 100 are:

• Introduce the concept of historiographical debate and what it means to think like a historian. Understand that history is an interpretative discipline.
• Develop writing skills by introducing basic components of a history paper, including developing an argument/thesis, providing evidence, and logical organization of a paper.
• Introduce techniques for reading both primary and secondary sources, assessing their quality, and deploying them for making an argument or claim.
• Introduce a historical topic or theme and the ways that topic or theme informs the present.
• Introduce the ways that history informs issues of contemporary significance, with particular attention to social inequities.

The learning aims for HS 200-level courses are:

• Reinforce the concept of historiographical debate through the use of more advanced secondary sources, such as monographs and scholarly articles that show how historians can legitimately differ in their interpretations of the past.
• Understand continuity and change over time by exploring key events and developments in a region of the world or through a single theme.
• Reinforce writing skills by introducing the evaluation of historical sources and integrating that evaluation into a longer, argumentative paper and/or other research project.
• Demonstrate how people in the past and/or people from different regions or belonging to different groups, and identities saw the world.

The learning aims for HS 300-level courses are: 

• Reinforce the concept of historiographical debate through the introduction of different historical methodologies.
• Introduce historical research through a project that includes independent primary and secondary source research on a topic and demonstrates the ability to use writing and/or speech (or other media) effectively.
• Master a particular historical subject or time period with an emphasis on depth and detail.
• Reinforce writing skills by introducing the research process and the process of generating good historical questions, consideration of audience, and the importance of revision in crafting convincing arguments.
• Reinforce the ways that specialized historical knowledge can be leveraged to understand contemporary issues and everyday challenges, with a particular emphasis on social justice.

The learning aims for HS 400 - level courses are: 

• Reinforce the concept of historical methodologies through the evaluation of historical arguments.
• Master the debates that animate a particular historical field and be able to independently assess other fields through effective reading and research.
• Situate specific histories in the context of broader thematic trends over time and/or in different places around the world.
• Read widely in a selected field, culminating in a project that incorporates oral, written, and/or visual communication that demonstrates deep knowledge of the topic.
• Be able to effectively understand and summarize the argument of a book, article, or other media, evaluate the effectiveness of the claim, and debate the issues of the argument with others.

The learning aims for HS 499 Capstone are:

• Reinforce the concept of historical methodologies through the evaluation of historical arguments.
• Master the debates that animate a particular historical field and be able to independently assess other fields through effective reading and research.
• Situate specific histories in light of broader thematic trends over time and/or in different places around the world.
• Effectively summarize key arguments and information of books, articles, and other media in a variety of formats, such as orally, digitally, or in writing.
• Conduct original research that culminates in a written project that demonstrates deep knowledge of a topic.

   

These learning aims directly relate to several of the University's larger student learning aims, specifically the goals of:

Intellectual Excellence

• Appreciation of and grounding in the liberal arts and sciences;
• Excellence in a discipline, including understanding of the relationship between one's discipline and other disciplines; and
• Understanding the interconnectedness of all knowledge habits of intellectual curiosity, honesty, humility, and persistence.

Critical Understanding: Thinking, Reading, Analyzing

• The ability to evaluate a claim based on documentation, plausibility, and logical coherence;
• The ability to make sound judgments in complex and changing environments; and
• The ability to find and assess data about a given topic using general repositories of information, both printed and electronic.

Eloquentia Perfecta

• The ability to use speech and writing effectively, logically, gracefully, persuasively, and responsibly.

Promotion of Justice

• An appreciation of the great moral issues of our time: the sanctity of human life, poverty, racism, genocide, war and peace, religious tolerance and intolerance, the defense of human rights, and the environmental impact of human activity.

Diversity

• Recognition of the inherent value and dignity of each person, and therefore an awareness of, sensitivity toward, and respect for the differences of race, gender, ethnicity, national origin, culture, sexual orientation, religion, age, and disabilities; and
• Awareness of the global context of citizenship and an informed sensitivity to the experiences of peoples outside of the United States.