History

Major: History
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Total Credit Hours: 182.0
Co-op Options: Three Co-op (Five years); One Co-op (Four years); No Co-op (Four years)
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 54.0101
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 19-3093

About the Program

The history program reflects the strengths of Drexel University, including specialization in transnational history and in the history of science, technology and the environment. A series of required courses in history build skills in research and interpretation of the past while elective courses within and outside the history program allow students to shape their curriculum to meet their needs and interests. Our history graduates go to graduate school in history, to professional schools in law, medicine, and business, and to work in business, government agencies, and non-profit organizations.

We apply Drexel's experiential, research-intensive approach to the discipline of history. Using the extensive historical resources of Philadelphia, the region, and the digital world, students develop a profound understanding of history and the ways it is made. We also encourage students to enrich their education through co-op, study abroad, and summer research projects working alongside department faculty.

Degree Offered

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) provides a course of study that includes foreign language courses and a broad grounding in the liberal arts, with flexibility for students to choose courses to fulfill humanities, social science, math, and science requirements that will contribute to their overall educational and career plans.

The History minor allows students in other majors to explore the historical background of their discipline, to better understand the origins of the contemporary world, and to build the knowledge and skills needed to understand the development of human societies over time and to understand historical episodes into their proper contexts. The minor in History is highly flexible and allows students to choose those History courses which appeal to them and which will contribute to their broader education. To complete the minor, students must take a total of six History courses (24.0 credits), five of which must be at the 200-level or above.

Additional Information

For more information about this program, please visit the Department of History website or contact:

Irene Cho
Department Administrator
History Department
3025 MacAlister Hall
Phone: 215.571.3852
itc25@drexel.edu

Degree Requirements (BA)

Optional History Concentrations

Students may select one of the two following concentrations in the History BA, or they may elect not to undertake a concentration. The courses in the required history distribution list may count toward the 28.0 credits in a concentration; the courses in the required core sequence may not count toward the 28.0 credits in the concentration.

History of Science, Technology, and Environment Concentration

Global History Concentration

Sample Plan of Study (BA)

History BA - No concentration

History BA - Science, Technology, and Environment Concentration

History BA - Global History Concentration

Co-Op/Career Opportunities

Co-Op Experiences

History majors have a wide variety of co-op experiences from which to choose. Business and public utilities offer many possibilities, and local, state, and federal governments; museums and archives; and law firms present many additional interesting co-op placements. Pre-law students, for example, are especially eager to see the inside of a law office, whether the co-op job they receive is clerical or a more challenging paralegal assignment. These practical experiences in the “real” world can reinforce the lessons of the classroom, sharpen skills, and establish important contacts. Sample co-op positions include:

• Law clerk/paralegal, Joe Davidson, Attorney-at-Law, Philadelphia
• Research analyst, Legislative Office for Research Liaison, Harrisburg, PA
• Legislative intern, Corporate Public Affairs Division, Philadelphia Electric Company
• Assistant lobbyist, Government Relations Office, Drexel University
• Education intern, Philadelphia Museum of Art
• Researcher, Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce
• Assistant, Office of the Governor, Harrisburg, PA

Career Opportunities

The flexible programs allow students to shape a curriculum that meets their needs, whether they are preparing for the business world, graduate school in history or political science, the MS in Science, Technology, and Society program, an MBA or other business program, or law school.

Accelerated/Dual Degrees

About the Programs

Two accelerated/dual degrees are available:

• BA in History and MS in Science, Technology and Society program
• BA in History and the MS(LIS) program

Drexel University permits undergraduate students in 5-year programs to apply for graduate programs while completing their undergraduate programs, allowing students to complete their master's degrees in a shorter amount of time.

The accelerated-degree program provides an opportunity to simultaneously earn both a BA degree and an MS degree (two diplomas are awarded) in the time normally required to finish a bachelor's degree alone.

Students entering the program must:

• have and maintain a minimum of 3.0 grade point average throughout the program
• have no fewer than 90.0 earned credits
• have no more than 120.0 registered credits
• complete only 2 co-ops if in a BA/MS program.

BA in History and the MS in Science, Technology, and Society Accelerated Degree

The accelerated degree program in History and Science, Technology and Society provides an opportunity to earn both a BA degree and an MS degree (two diplomas are awarded) in five years.

This program was created to meet the academic needs of History students who are interested in History, Technology and Science, and interested in pursuing careers in the rapidly growing field of STS.

Recommended Plan of Study

Students should work closely with undergraduate advisor and the graduate Science, Technology & Society advisor to schedule an individualized plan of study for their accelerated degree completion.

The following is a sample plan of study.

Students are strongly encouraged to take a course during each term while on co-op.  Please refer to university policy for more information.

For more information about the accelerated BA/MS program, contact:

Irene Cho
Assistant Director
Center for Science, Technology, and Society
3600 Market Street, 7th Floor
215.895.3852

BA in History and the MS(LIS) Accelerated Degree

This program pairs the undergraduate History major with the school's MS in Library and Information Science in an accelerated time-frame. Students have the opportunity to earn both the undergraduate and graduate degrees in five years. Two diplomas are awarded. For students completing this program, the undergraduate background in history provides a natural fit with areas of library specialization, such as archival studies, records management, and related fields

About the Program

Applicants may be provisionally admitted into the program as incoming freshmen. Participants have the option of choosing either a one or a two co-op history program. The non-co-op option is not available for students choosing this accelerated degree option.

When students have accumulated 90.0 credits, but have not yet registered for 120.0 credits, they can apply to formally enter the graduate program. The student must have at least a 3.2 GPA and must maintain this 3.2 GPA for the graduate portion of the program.

Advising/Plan of Study

Students should work closely with faculty advisers to schedule and maintain a plan of study throughout the accelerated program.

Additional Information

For more information on the undergraduate history portion of the program, contact:

Irene Cho
Department Administrator
Department of History
3025 MacAlister Hall
itc25@drexel.edu

For more information on the graduate portion of the program, contact:

Susan E. Davis
Associate Teaching Professor
College of Computing and Informatics
sedavis@drexel.edu

Minor in History 

History Faculty

Emeritus Faculty