History (B.A.)

Are you interested in the past? Do you enjoy studying different peoples, places, and periods? Do stories from long ago pique your curiosity?

If so, consider a history major. Our international faculty will teach you how to read, research and write history well—and help you gain skills that will serve you in any profession. History studies human activity and its meaning from the earliest times to the present, exploring different dimensions of human interactions, including politics, economics, religion, culture and ecology. Sharpen your analytical and critical skills, learn to ask good questions, understand situations from several vantage points, cultivate humility, and understand and appreciate other times, people, and cultures.

In 1937 Ruth Kerr founded a liberal arts college committed to the historic Christian faith. Wallace Emerson, the first president, envisioned an institution that rivalled the best colleges nationwide, and he set the standard for academic rigour and excellence that still applies.

By 1945, Westmont outgrew its facilities in Los Angeles and moved to the former Dwight Murphy estate in Santa Barbara with its 125 acres and Mediterranean house. Acquiring another property and the former Deane School for Boys completed the campus that features the pathways, stone bridges, and gardens of the former estate.

Achieving accreditation in 1958, Westmont began building its campus in the 1960s, adding nine major buildings. In 1976, the college received approval for the enrollment of 1,200 students. In 2007, the county authorized an updated campus master plan, and Westmont began the first phase of construction in 2008.