The Department of History and Political Science is home to four programs: history, political science, political studies, and international studies. The latter two programs are interdisciplinary programs that are taught by faculty drawn from many departments across the College.
The history program is designed to give students both a general knowledge of American and world history and the necessary skills to understand and construct a historical argument. Students take courses in American, European, and non-Western history, giving them a broad understanding of human history. In these courses, faculty make use of primary sources to serve as material for class discussion but also to develop students' abilities to read critically, analyze evidence, and then construct an interpretation of the source. In the junior year, students take a seminar that focuses on "how to do history" that will prepare them for a senior seminar in which they will take on their own historical topic. Senior students may also petition the department to write a senior thesis that might lead to graduating with distinction in history.
History students have an active Historical Society that has sponsored a film festival, a Renaissance Fair, and trips to sites of historical interest. They have also done internships in many different places including the Basketball Hall of Fame, the Springfield Armory, and local museums. The department has recently been approved as a member of Phi Alpha Theta, the national honors historical society.
The political science program provides its graduates with the analytical skills necessary to understand political processes in the United States as well as in other states in the global community. Students take courses in the four major areas of political science: American government, international relations, comparative government, and political theory. These courses prepare students for their senior seminar in which they conduct directed research. Recently, one student's seminar paper was published in a refereed journal. Many political science students have performed internships in local and state governments. Other students have taken advantage of studying in the Washington semester taking courses and having an internship in the nation's capital.
Political Science students have an active Political Science Society that has sponsored guest speakers and a variety of activities. They have also won numerous awards at the Model United Nations for college students held in New York.
Undergraduate Programs
The department offers the following major programs of study. Click on the name below to see the details of the program.
The Faculty
Click here for a list of the department faculty.
