History

Degree Level:

Undergraduate

school:

SASE - Division of Social Sciences

Learning Mode:

On Campus

Degree:

Major, Minor

Bachelor of Arts in History

Prepare for the future by learning about the past. As a History major, you’ll study the events and societies that led to what our world is today, looking for patterns and lessons among the past. Then you’ll be tasked with an important service: preserving our past, passing it on, and keeping it alive.

Why be a History major?

Here’s what makes the Mount’s History major unique:

Student by Great Wall of China

Hudson Valley treasures: Being a History major in the historically rich Hudson Valley is one of the greatest benefits of our program. From George Washington’s Headquarters just a mile from campus to local historic sites like the Vanderbilt Mansion and Roosevelt’s Presidential Library, it’s so much more fun to learn about history among it!
Classroom experience: Small class sizes and professors with unique research interests means your classes won’t just be boring lecture series, but rather illuminating peeks into the past in a close-knit environment.
Past in the present for the future: History isn’t just what’s already happened; it’s using the past to help the future! For your future, consider pairing your degree in History with Education (we even have a 5-Year History / MSEd program!) or pursuing the History / Political Science degree.

What to expect as a History major

30-40 credits in History

Learn about History academic requirements and courses here.

As a History major, you have a lot of freedom to chart your own course. If you’re pairing this major with Education or another major, you have plenty of room to fit in all of your credits, or you can choose to take more History courses instead to hone your specialization.

Mount mascot by building in Washington DC Throughout your courses, you won’t just learn about American history, but you’ll also take required courses in European and non-Western history. You’ll also expand your horizons through special topics courses like Olympic Games: Ancient and Modern, Nazi Germany, Riots and Disorder in America, Cultural & Political History of Greece, and more.

Was your favorite part of elementary school all of the field trips? Relive your favorite kind of experiential education! Learn about the American Revolution at Washington’s Headquarters or pass on your knowledge by taking a group of middle schoolers on a walking tour of Newburgh (and then helping them write a book about it!). Don’t just learn about history: experience it!

Be prepared for your future

The first step towards your future is an internship. While internships are not required for History majors, they are certainly encouraged, and the Career Center can help you find the perfect fit! You could apply for a government internship at an organization like the US House of Representatives, NY State Police, or the New York State Senate, or if you’d prefer, a historical internship at a local gem like Washington’s Headquarters, Vanderbilt Mansion, or the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Library and Archives.

After graduation, you’ll be ready to apply your degree in History to the future. History majors often preserve the past by teaching, archiving, museum curation, government, journalism, and more.

Here’s how some of our History alumni are using their degrees:

Joseph Polvere ’00 MSEd ’01, 6th grade social studies teacher at Demarest Middle School
Brian Hernandez ’05, Global Business Manager at Wipro Limited
Kieran O’Keefe ’14, PhD Candidate at George Washington University and Fellow at McNeil Center for Early American Studies at the University of Pennsylvania
Angelo Anthony Pacheco III ’15, Account Manager, SiriusDecisions Product Line for Forrester
Margaret Kemp ’15, Accommodations Coordinator at Mount Saint Mary College