History Major (BA)

The history major will teach you both an understanding of societies, economies, political systems, and conflicts, and the skills to research, analyze, write, and persuade.

This interdisciplinary major consists of courses across the College of Arts & Sciences, and allows for you to choose an area of specialization, with new classes constantly being added. A minimum of 6 semester hours of advanced history is required in each category: U.S. history, European history, and non-Western history.

You'll complete your degree by compiling a portfolio including a research project, essays and source analyses, self-assessments, and a résumé.

View Loading... requirements for the history major.

College is about exploration. At Widener, you'll complete a general education curriculum that supports just that. You'll have the flexibility and freedom to dive deep into the topics that spark curiosity, challenge your mind, and power your personal and academic growth. 

Along the way, you'll cultivate critical, meaningful skills employers seek, including:

• How to make a difference in a diverse world with an inclusive mindset
• How to write and edit for clear, compelling communication
• How to analyze data and make decisions using critical thinking

It all starts with ASC 101: Thinking Through — a selection of around 40 course topics that will encourage you to go deeper and examine complex issues that shape our world and our ways of relating to one another. When you dive into the possibilities, you're sure to find multiple courses that inspire and intrigue you, regardless of whether they align with your major! Think of it as an opportunity to step outside of your comfort zone and truly learn something new. Then, in your senior year, you'll come full circle with a capstone course that takes your Thinking Through topic to new heights strengthened by everything you've cultivated along your college journey.

Digital humanities is a rapidly growing, interdisciplinary field that seeks to apply humanistic reasoning and research to important questions related to technology, such as social sustainability, big data, and privacy. Work in digital humanities includes public humanities, data mining/visualization, web design, textual analysis, educational technology, and ethics and technology.

View curriculum and coursework requirements for the digital humanities specialization.

Prepare for a rewarding career teaching social studies with secondary education certification in history. This comprehensive certificate permits graduates to teach social studies courses like history, political science, economics, geography, and world cultures in middle and high schools.

You'll put your knowledge in history, economics, political science, comparative political systems, geography, non-Western cultures and historical and social science research methods to work with professional education courses, field experiences, and multiple student teaching placements.

You'll graduate with the competency and knowledge base required by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to sit for your certification upon graduation.

View Loading... requirements for the history secondary education certification.

Widener's pre-professional pathways give you the flexibility to follow your interests while preparing for a professional career.

History majors can participate in the following pathways:

• Pre-Dental
• Pre-Law*
• Pre-Medical
• Pre-Occupational Therapy
• Pre-Pharmacy
• Pre-Physical Therapy
• Pre-Veterinary

*Students with a high level of academic potential may be eligible for the “3 + 3” program with a Widener law school where you can earn a bachelor's degree in history and a juris doctor degree in just six years.

Through Widener’s Accelerated Advantage program, you can earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree with only one additional year of study—saving you valuable time and money.
 
While Widener does not offer a master’s degree in the same field as this major, you can still select from a variety of powerhouse master’s programs that will enhance your job opportunities and prepare you for rapid career growth.

Learn more about our Accelerated Advantage 4+1 Program

It's never too early to get real-world work experience to set you apart from the crowd and dive deeper into your discipline! Worried about scoring a paid internship? Worry, no more! Widener's Experience MORE! program can help bridge the gap between unpaid or underpaid experiences.

After perfecting your résumé and cover letter with the help of Widener’s Career Design & Development team, you'll work to score an internship and apply for the Experience MORE! program to get the financial support you need to pursue the internship of your dreams. If selected as an awardee, you will receive a grant to subsidize your internship work.