Cal Poly's "Learn by Doing" History: A Foundation for Success

Introduction

California Polytechnic State University, known as Cal Poly, is renowned for its "Learn by Doing" philosophy. This approach is deeply ingrained in the university's history and continues to shape its academic programs and student experiences. This article explores the history of Cal Poly's "Learn by Doing" approach, specifically within the History Department, highlighting how it prepares students for a wide range of careers and contributes to their overall success.

The Genesis of "Learn by Doing" at Cal Poly

The roots of Cal Poly's "Learn by Doing" philosophy trace back to its founding. In 1894, local journalist Myron Angel rallied community members to advocate for a state school in San Luis Obispo. This effort culminated in Governor Gage signing legislation on March 8, 1901, establishing the California Polytechnic School.

Even before the university was officially chartered, the "Learn by Doing" philosophy was evident. In the early days, mechanics students were involved in constructing buildings, while agriculture students built roads and planted trees. As Robert E. Kennedy Library archivist Laura Sorvetti noted, "It began in agriculture." Director Leroy Anderson emphasized that students should dedicate four hours each day to hands-on learning related to their curriculum.

In June 1936, Cal Poly’s aeronautics department repaired Amelia Earhart’s plane as part of Cal Poly’s “Earn while you learn, and learn by doing” teaching philosophy. Students overhauled five airplanes between 1934 and 1935, McPhee reported. Electrical industry majors operated the campus’ power plant, and 85 percent of students enrolled worked on campus as groundskeepers, auto shop workers or in other vocational jobs.

The mantra of “Learn by Doing” emerged on Cal Poly’s campus in 1930, when there was still no charge for tuition, and total cost of a year-long education was $429.

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The History Major at Cal Poly: "Learn by Doing" in Action

The History Department at Cal Poly embraces the "Learn by Doing" philosophy by providing students with numerous opportunities to apply their knowledge and skills in practical settings. Historians study the past in all its variety and complexity. Students learn to gather, organize, analyze, and interpret evidence, and become skilled at presenting their conclusions in a clear and logical manner. The history major at Cal Poly also includes studying a language other than English.

Experiential Learning Opportunities

Beginning in their first semester, history students can engage in original archival research, contribute to the award-winning student journal, and intern with historical societies and other non-profits around California. These experiences allow students to put their historical research, analysis, and writing skills to work.

The Cal Poly history major has a well-developed internship program, that offers majors the ability to earn 400-level course credit for their internships. Research has shown that internships not only enable students to explore potential career fields and build their resumes, but they also increase students’ employability after graduation. One recent survey found that 94% of hiring managers said they would be more likely to hire a recent graduate who held an internship. The Cal Poly History Department has established internships with dozens of community partners in SLO County including opportunities with Hearst Castle, other local museums, archives, educational institutions, and cultural centers. History majors regularly intern at the local district attorney’s office, the Family Law Self-Help Center, and local non-profits.

Curriculum and Coursework

The history major at Cal Poly offers a wide variety of elective courses, ranging from Nazi Germany and Modern America to Colonial Latin America and Ancient Rome. Students also develop a senior project of their own choosing, allowing them to delve deeply into a topic of particular interest.

HIST 100, a required course for all majors, guides students through initial career exploration and encourages them to use those experiences to inform their academic and extra-curricular activities. The curriculum also includes courses focused on essential research skills and methodology, such as historical research skills and methodology. In-depth work on research and writing skills, and advanced work in the application of history. Theoretical approaches used to study the past, including scholarship on history and memory, the influence of interdisciplinary studies, the significance of race and gender as categories of analysis, and the place of history and the historian in contemporary society.

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Skill Development

The history major at Cal Poly equips students with five key skills that prepare them for a wide range of careers:

Gathering evidence: Students learn how to locate and collect relevant information from various sources.
Synthesizing information: Students develop the ability to combine information from different sources into a coherent whole.
Analyzing evidence: Students learn to critically evaluate the information they gather and identify patterns and trends.
Interpreting evidence: Students develop the ability to draw meaningful conclusions from the evidence they analyze.
Communicating effectively: Students become skilled in presenting their conclusions to a general audience in a lucid and logical manner.

Career Preparation and Opportunities

Majoring in history is excellent preparation for students interested in a teaching career, the legal profession, museums, or advanced work in the discipline. Our alumni work in almost every conceivable field, including tech, business, banking, law, state and local governments, museums, non-profits, and teaching. But even more of our alums go on to have exciting careers working in sales, HR, or project management in Big Tech; as change agents in non-profits and government agencies; as communicators and analysts for media and research firms; as public servants in state, local, and federal government; and as administrators in higher education and cultural institutions.

The Cal Poly history major has built into its curriculum several opportunities to explore potential career paths, enhance your resume, and build your professional network.

Career Services

Cal Poly Career Services offers a wealth of resources for identifying, pursuing, and achieving career and professional goals, whether those involve full-time work or graduate school after Cal Poly. Career Services offer resources for exploring potential careers, including offering data on career trends, online alumni mentoring platforms (Cal Poly Career Connections), and self-assessments that will help you determine your professional strengths and passions. Career Services can help you craft a resume and cover letter, search internships or full-time jobs, and practice interviewing skills. They also offer support to students navigating graduate school applications. Students have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with Career Counselors.

Strategic Minoring and Electives

The history major is among the most flexible majors at Cal Poly, because it includes a large number of free electives and upper division electives. Cal Poly history majors often declare a minor, and sometimes even two or three minors. The department encourages strategic minoring: combining the History major with a minor that highlights complementary skills and knowledges. For example, a History major might complete an Economics, Entrepreneurship, Statistics, or Event planning minor. Other popular minors among history majors include English, Law and Society, Political Science, one of the four Science, Technology, and Society minors, and the minors offered by the World Languages and Cultures Department. History majors have the opportunity to use their many elective units to take professional development courses offered in other departments. BUS 206: Business Professionalism and Career Readiness, for example, is designed for business majors but open to all students. It provides an academic space for students to explore their professional goals as well as cultivate practical skills like resume writing and interviewing.

Graduate School

Cal Poly history students frequently attend graduate school within a few years of obtaining their BA. They attend programs ranging from museum studies and library science to public policy and business administration (MBA).

Examples of History Courses Offered

Cal Poly offers a diverse range of history courses, including:

HIST 2201/HNRS 2203: History of the United States to 1877
HIST/HNRS 2202: History of the United States Since 1877
HIST 2203: Race and Ethnicity in the United States
HIST 2205: History of California
HIST 2212: Global History to 1500
HIST 2211: History of Western Civilization I
HIST 2212: History of Western Civilization II
HIST/HNRS 2213: Global Political Economy
HIST/HNRS 2216: History of Social Movements
HIST 2220: World History to 1500
HIST/HNRS 2223: World History since 1500
HIST 2226: Global Warfare

Upper-division courses include:

HIST 3303: Witchcraft and the Occult in Europe, 1400-1800
HIST 3305: European Intellectual and Cultural History since 1800
HIST/HNRS 3308: History of Africa and the Slave Trade
HIST 3309: Arts of the African Diaspora
HIST/HNRS 3310: History of East Asia to 1800
HIST 3311: World Environmental History
HIST 3312: History of the Modern Middle East
HIST 3314: History of Modern East Asia
HIST/HNRS 3317: Maritime History

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