Guilford College Departmental Histories
This information is presented to serve as a starting point for faculty and others researching the history of specific departments and majors at Guilford College. Additional information will be added as it is verified. Contributions from departments are appreciated. Researchers wishing to learn more by utilizing resources in the College Archives are asked to contact the Friends Historical Collection. Key archival resources include past college catalogs and faculty meeting minutes and attachments. All are restricted to use in the library and many require retrieval by archives staff (advance notice appreciated so we can have it ready for you when you arrive).
| Department | First Course | Parent(s) Dept. or Initial Name | Est. Date (Dept.) | First Faculty | Est. Date (Major) | Mission Statement | Goals Statement | Source Notes | Other Notes |
| Accounting | Econ.and Bus. Admin., Management | 1976 | 1976 | See1976-1977 catalog, p. 76 | |||||
| Af-Am. Studies | 2000 | Adrienne Israel | 2000 | See 2000-2002 Catalog, p.34. | |||||
| Art | 1943 | Philosophy, Education | 1969 | 1969 | See 1969-70/1970-71 catalog, p. 80. | First Art Appreciation course 1943 | |||
| Biology | 1899 | T. Gilbert Pearson | |||||||
| Business Mgt. | 1926 | Economics | 1967 | 1967 | See 1967-68 catalog, p.57. | See Apr. 1926 catalog, p.77 | |||
| Chemistry | By 1838 | 1920 | See 1920-21 catalog, p.47. | ||||||
| CIT | 2002 | See 2002-04 Catalog, p. 52. | |||||||
| Economics | 1926 | 1926 | See 1926-27 Catalog, p.32. | Major in Economics and Business | |||||
| Ed. Studies | 1952 | See 1952-53 Catalog, p.30 Elementary Ed. Major | |||||||
| English | 1837 | 1920 | See 1919-20 Catalog, p.54. | ||||||
| Envir. Studies | 2002 | See 2004-06 Catalog, p.68. | |||||||
| Foreign Lang. | 1837 | 1920 | See 1920-21 Catalog, p.57, 60, 67. | Majors in French, Greek, Latin in 1920 | |||||
| Geology/Earth Sci. | 1971 | See 1971-72, 1972-73 Catalog, p. 51. | |||||||
| Health Sciences | 2002 | See 2000-2002 Catalog, p.66. | |||||||
| History | 1920 | See 1920-21 Catalog, p.61. | |||||||
| Integrative Studies | 1995 | 1995 | See 1995-97 Catalog, p. 67. | ||||||
| Internat'l Studies | 1995 | 1995 | See 1995-97 Catalog, p. 69. | ||||||
| JPS | Admin. Justice Program | 1986 | |||||||
| Math | 1837 | 1920 | See 1920-21 Catalog, p.70. | ||||||
| Music | 1894 | 1927 | See 1926-1927 Catalog, dated April 1927, p.54. | ||||||
| Peace&Conflict | 2000 | See 2000 Catalog, p.89. | |||||||
| Philosophy | 1837 | 1927 | See 1927-28 Catalog (April 1928 edition), p. 56. Only copy is in College Archives. | See Gilbert, p. 55. | |||||
| Physics | 1920 | See 1920-21 Catalog, p.74. | |||||||
| Political Science | History; Econ. | 1919 | 1959 | See 1919-20 Catalog, p.76 and 1959-1960 Catalog, p.64. | |||||
| Psychology | Philosophy | 1947 | Ernestine Milner; Feagins; Stafford | See 1947-48 Catalog | |||||
| Religious Studies | 1837 | Biblical Dept. | 1949 | See March, 1949 Catalog, p. 50 and Gilbert, p. 55. | |||||
| SOAN | Sociology | 1940 | See 1940-41 Catalog, p.48. | Dept. becomes Sociology and Anthropology in 1960. See Sept. 1960 Catalog, p. 75. | |||||
| Sports Studies | Physical Ed. | 1982 | 1982 | See 1982-84 Catalog, p.142. | Degrees in Physical Ed., Sports Management and Sports Medicine (see Catalog 1982-84, p.142. | ||||
| Theatre | Drama and Speech Dept. | 1967-68 | 1971-72 | See 1971-72-1972-73 Catalog, p.38. | Dept. name changed to Theatre Studies in 1990. See 1990-92 Catalog, p.87. | Courses taught within the Eng. Dept. through 1965-66 (see Catalog 1964-65, 1965-66, p.33). Became the Drama and Speech Dept. in 1967-68 (see Catalog 1967-68-1968-69, p.66). | |||
| Women's Studies | 1998-99 | 1998-99 | See 1998-99 Catalog, p. 87. | See 1998-99 Catalog, p.87. | |||||
