Program:

If you are reading this message and can remember your name, you are a historian. Your sense of what has occurred in the past makes it possible for you to find the right words with your family or friends or boss, make well informed personal and work decisions, and get back to your car in the mall parking lot. You could not make it through the day unless you had history.

Not only are you the product of your personal history, you are also the product of larger events and trends. The stream of history both forms and limits all human thoughts and actions. You cannot know who you really are without knowing the past. Nor can you fully understand a culture, a country, or the world itself without knowledge of its journey through time.

The History program's full-time faculty hold degrees from prestigious graduate schools and has published scholarly books in several fields. They have won awards for their teaching and research. The required courses are generally taught by this prestigious group of full-time faculty who give students much personal attention.

Courses for the History major are offered at the Dobbs Ferry and Yorktown campuses every Fall and Spring semesters in both day and evening sessions. Selected major level courses are also available on online.

Download a PDF version of our Program Brochure

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Program Contacts:

	Manny Santapau, M.A. Program Director, History msantapau@mercy.edu Telephone: 914-674-7312
	Paul Steinman, M.A. Chair, Division of Civic and Cultural Studies psteinman@mercy.edu Telephone: 914-948-3666 ext. 3335

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Career Opportunities:

In addition to the content of history, students are taught to read, write, speak, and think with increased imagination, sophistication, and precision. The History major also provides special training in research and analysis. These various skills are of great value in many fields, including business, law, paralegal work, educational administration, and teaching at the primary, secondary, or college levels.

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Curriculum:

The History major takes up the human past for all major areas of the world: America, Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia. The offerings range from courses covering the sweep of centuries, such as the World of Antiquity, and Medieval Culture and Society, to those focusing on specific groups, time periods, events or areas, such as women; the Great Depression; and uprisings against imperialism in Africa.

For the complete course curriculum click here.

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Campuses where program is offered:

Dobbs Ferry, Yorktown with some courses offered online.

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Frequently Asked Questions:

How long is the History major course of study?
The History major is a four-year course of study leading to a BA or BS degree. In general, students take 15 credit hours per semester, over the course of eight terms, excluding summer study. Moreover, students can elect to study part-time; however, the time period to complete the course of study will be longer.

How many classes or credits are required to complete the History major?
Students majoring in History take a series of ten classes or thirty credits from the following areas: six credits in American History, six credits in European History, six credits in Non-Western History, three credits in Historiography and Historical Method, three credits in Senior Seminar in History, and six credits in major History electives.

Are there any financial assistance programs or scholarships for History majors?
Mercy College offers a wide variety of financial aid programs, both economically need based and academic, to its students. In addition, there are many historical associations and societies, museums and private foundations that offer specific scholarship to history majors. Prospective candidates should contact the Mercy College Financial Aid Office and the Program Director for History, for more information.

What can I do with a BA or BS degree in History?
College graduates with History degrees go on to pursue careers in a multitude of professions, including law, business, government and education, as well as non profit foundations and organizations. Furthermore, the History major provides individuals with an excellent preparation for graduate work on the master's and doctorial level.

Why should I consider a History major when I enroll in college?
The major in History is a dynamic liberal arts field of study, providing students the opportunity to mature intellectually, excel scholastically, and conduct research into the places, people and events that have shaped our world. Upon completion of the major, students will be fully prepared to tackle the forthcoming challenges, both personal and professional, that will present themselves, in their lives.

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