Philip VanVleck

Bio

Dr. Philip VanVleck has been teaching at NC State in the Department of History in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences since he was a graduate student at Duke University in 1990.  His area of research and academic expertise is in Reformation studies, theology, and history of early and modern Europe. He has taught with the First Year Inquiry Program for a number of years and was originally drawn to the program’s emphasis on small class size which helps to create a sense of community amongst motivated first-year students.

Dr. VanVleck notes the use of class discussions, group work, and first-hand experiences are key to bringing critical and creative thinking into his classroom environment while also keeping students engaged in the learning process. Dr. VanVleck works to develop a sense of community in his class through lively discussions which allow students to feed off of one another’s ideas for a better understanding of their perspectives. He hopes his students are able to take what they learned in the classroom, understand its role in modern society, and apply it to the real world.

This fall, Dr. VanVleck will be teaching HI 208 (section 006Q) History of the Middle Ages, which focuses on the many transitions Europe faced after the fall of the Roman Empire, as well as the Islamic and Catholic influences on culture, economy, and society.