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Learn About the American West with The Great Courses History


The Great Courses History - American West

Teachers searching for an enjoyable and convenient way to earn professional development credit may find what they are looking for in The Great Courses graduate-level history course offered through Fresno Pacific University.

The American West course combines stunning visuals provided by The Great Courses with the experience and knowledge of Fresno Pacific University faculty. Teachers looking to find out more can get the details on both the class and how to enroll here on the Fresno Pacific University website.

Teachers can earn three graduate-level credits by completing The American West course, which is offered 100% online.

The class is designed for teachers to “not only gain content knowledge in a fun and practical way but to also provide material immediately usable in current or future classroom settings,” said Bill Cockerham, Ed.D., an instructor in the course.

The Great Courses History Program

The American West takes a fresh look at this fascinating time in history when many in the country moved west to find new opportunities. It’s an era of United States history still memorialized in films, books and television shows.

The ramifications of that move were big for many different groups of people, including Native Americans, Mexicans and slaves. The course looks at the movement west through different perspectives, giving teachers a well-rounded history of the period.

As the course description notes, the class is “designed to shine a light on truths about westward expansion and the American frontier (sometimes uncomfortable, always insightful).”

Advantages of The American West Course

Teachers who want to earn professional development credit will find that The American West course has offered by The Great Courses and Fresno Pacific University has many advantages.

They include:

  • A course that earns them credit that is backed by an accredited university
  • Expert instruction from Fresno Pacific University faculty
  • Assignments that address National Board of Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) History Standards
  • A 24-video lecture series from The Great Courses
  • A course packed with details taken from maps, artwork, photographs and diary entries from the era
  • The opportunity to earn three graduate-level credits
  • Tests and assessments to measure the knowledge you’ve attained

Many school districts require teachers to seek professional development and continuing education in order to maintain their teaching certificate. The Great Courses history course created in partnership with Fresno Pacific University offers a chance to earn those credits in a convenient online classroom with thought-provoking and engaging content.