The goals and philosophy of the Department of History are designed to support the primary mission of Bronx Community College. As stated in the College Catalog, that mission is "to provide a strong academic foundation for students of diverse backgrounds, preparations, and aspirations in order to further their success in their chosen vocations, their future education, and their community involvement. To achieve its mission, the College maintains high standards of instruction, to meet the learning needs of every student" (Bronx Community College Catalog, 2002-2004, p. 5).

Course offerings in the History Department contribute both to Liberal Arts Transfer curricula and to Career Programs. In all classes and curricula, we understand our goal to be to teach with a commitment to the values of a broad liberal arts education, and to the goal of preparing students for life in an open-and often contentious-democratic society. Through all of our course offerings and programs, the Department seeks to educate its students to enter the 21st century equipped to deal with its many complexities, both imagined and unforeseen.