Department of History and Political Science
Preparing Faithful Citizens
In the Department of History and Political Science, we prepare informed and intelligent leaders through quality education. Our programs are challenging yet rewarding work—made possible with good friendships, small class sizes, easy access to faculty, and an academic setting grounded on Christian faith. We offer the unique opportunity to conduct funded research alongside faculty through our SURE and Richter grant programs, as well as hands-on internships and service learning endeavors within the local community.
We prepare students to play a transformative role in the affairs of their community, country, and world—teaching them how to distinguish justice from injustice, understand diverse cultures, and communicate effectively, among other saught-after skills.
Faculty Friday: Brian Plummer Spreads Joy by Fulfilling His Purpose
Brian Plummer, PhD, is known among students for offering words of affirmation at the end of each class, sharing wisdom and “rules to live by” at the end of the semester, and ultimately using his humor and optimism to create a lasting impact.
Faculty and Staff Mentors
The Department of History and Political Science has four full-time political scientists and four full-time historians, all with different teaching areas and research interests. With our faculty, you will be able to explore the great questions that human beings have dealt with since the beginnings of civilization and community: What is justice? What is virtue? How do you tell good from evil, truth from falsehood? How have Christians throughout the ages dealt with questions of church and state, war and peace, prosperity and poverty?
Student Resources
APU sets you up with a full spectrum of resources to support your academic pursuits. Though some are housed on the Azusa campus, many are accessible to all students.
Learn More About the Department
The Department of History and Political Science at Azusa Pacific University:
1) offers undergraduate degree programs in history, political science, social science, humanities, and prelaw, and a single-subject waiver for a teaching credential in social science;
2) provides General Education courses in history and political science consistent with the outcomes of a liberal arts education; and
3) prepares students for graduate study, law school, or success in their chosen careers.
Many courses in the department emphasize the reading of classic texts or the study of primary sources, and all department courses contribute to a Christian liberal arts education. We also maintain the following specific goals:
- Develop intellectual curiosity in students
- Equip students with the abilities to write and speak well, think critically, and judge wisely
- Enable students to distinguish justice from injustice
- Teach students the legitimate purposes and necessary limits of political power
- Provide students historical perspective for making judgments in the present
- Instruct students in human possibilities and limits
- Prepare students for careers that call for clear, cogent reasoning
- Familiarize students with other cultures and times
- Make available to students the knowledge that is needed by citizens and statesmen
- Prepare students to teach various social science disciplines
To graduate as department majors or minors, students must maintain at least a 2.0 grade-point average in major courses.
Phi Alpha Theta
Phi Alpha Theta is the national honor society for undergraduate and graduate history students. Founded 1921 to encourage historians in their research, teaching, publication, and intellectual exchange, it has more than 400,000 members nationwide. To qualify for the APU chapter, Alpha Omicron Tau, APU students must complete 12 semester hours in history with a minimum history GPA of 3.1, as well as an overall 3.0 GPA. It is not required that students major or minor in history. For more information, visit the Phi Alpha Theta website.
Recent APU Chapter Activity
- Commemorated the World War I Armistice by cosponsoring a lecture by Jennifer Keene, PhD, of Chapman University
- Hosted a viewing of the movie All Quiet on the Western Front to commemorate the World War I Armistice
- Elected new officers: Congratulations to President Kat Ung, Vice President Madison Brand, and Secretary Treasurer Ricardo Cantu!
Pi Sigma Alpha
Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society, is the only honor society for college and university students of government in the United States and strives to stimulate scholarship and intelligent interest in political science. To qualify, students must have a cumulative GPA placing them in the top one-third of their class, and an average grade of B or higher in at least 10 political science courses. Membership in Pi Sigma Alpha is for life and is not limited to political science majors. The APU chapter, Alpha Eta Delta, was established in 2011. For more information, visit the Pi Sigma Alpha website.
Recent APU Chapter Activity
- Hosted a lecture by Peter Wolf titled “The Gift of Freedom: Escaping Communist East Germany,” sponsored by the Victims of Communism Foundation.
- Congratulations to members who graduated from APU in 2019: Lindy Arsenault, Emily Davies, Sophia Ellis, Daniel Friend, Maya Maley, Arianna Metheny, Brandon Primm, and Julia Wygant!
Students who want to earn up to 9 units toward their major and up to 8 additional units toward their graduation totals through the American Studies Program in Washington, DC, may do so by arrangement with the Department of History and Political Science.
Contact Information
Email: [email protected]Phone: (626) 815-3843
Hours
Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Location
Ronald Building, Room 130