History

History majors at Misericordia University gain excellent training in the liberal arts, and have several professional specializations available to them.
Majors are trained to evaluate evidence and communicate persuasively, both verbally and through effective writing. Our courses are intellectually stimulating, and can include experiential learning experiences or professional opportunities.

Faculty in the History & Government Department have recently had their work featured on The Academic Minute

Chinese Cultural Diplomacy in the United States, 1875-1974

Find out more about how cultural diplomacy helped China get on track to become a major world player again. Dr. Yanqui Zheng, professor of history and government, delivered a 2 1/2 minute podcast entitled "Chinese Cultural Diplomacy in the United States, 1875-1974" on The Academic Minute, looking into the history of two distinctive Chinese pedagogies.

Click here to listen

The Secret History of Race and Comics

What do superheroes show us about ourselves?

This is the question that Dr. Patrick Hamilton, professor and chair of English, explored during his 2 1/2 minute podcast on The Academic Minute. The podcast, "The Secret History of Race and Comics," draws upon the book he and Dr. Allan Austin of MU's History & Government department co-wrote.

Click here to listen

The Academic Minute features researchers from colleges and universities around the world, keeping listeners abreast of what's new and exciting in the academy and of all the ways academic research contributes to solving the world's toughest problems and to serving the public good.

Dream Big, Act Local

Hear from History alumni within this 3-part video series entitled "Q&A with B&A"

In the History program, we understand the importance of training students to become better global citizens. Our courses are designed to give students a deeper understanding of the past and contemporary society by examining the workings of government, the implications of public and foreign policy decisions, and how each of these have influenced social, cultural, and political experiences of individuals. Our faculty come highly-trained from some of the top research universities in the country, and we take an active role in mentoring undergraduates and encourage them to become leaders in their communities. Students in our programs graduate having honed their critical research and writing skills, and are well-prepared to pursue careers in museums, government agencies, the legal profession, non-profit administration and management, journalism, libraries, education, and a host of other professional paths.

Variety of Program Options

Real-World Experience

Abundance of Career Opportunities

History students — The History major at Misericordia University is based on the disciplinary standards set by the American Historical Association, which states that:

“History is the study of the human past as it is constructed and interpreted with human artifacts, written evidence, and oral traditions. It requires empathy for historical actors, respect for interpretive debate, and the skillful use of an evolving set of practices and tools ..."

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History Students Archive Project — The Secondary Education Program in Citizenship is designed to prepare students to become secondary school social studies teachers, including equipping them with the skills to identify and assist students with learning disabilities. The emphasis is on history, along with a number of courses in political science, geography, sociology, anthropology, and economics.

Fully approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, this program leads to a teaching certificate valid in Pennsylvania (grades 7–12) and transferable to many other states.

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David Wright — The specialization in History and Media combines a strong preparation in historical methodologies, research, and writing with courses in Mass Communications and Design. A true interdisciplinary major, this specialization cultivates historical thinking and prepares students for a variety of careers related to media, such as public relations. From these courses centered on media design and evaluation, students further develop strong written and verbal communication skills while gaining professional-level training across media platforms and building aesthetic awareness and creativity.

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Taking Notes in Notebook — The specialization in History for Business gives students a foundational understanding of business principles—including economics, marketing, management, and accounting—while concentrating their study on historical methodologies, research, and writing. Students in this specialization benefit from an interdisciplinary training designed to develop students’ awareness of ethical and social issues related to society and the business world in particular; cultivate a critical understanding of the past and its impact on the present; develop and enhance students’ research and writing skills; and prepare students for a variety of careers in the business field.

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Male Student in Classroom — Students have the option to complete the BA in History prior to entering the entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy program.

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Brian Carso — The Pre-Law specialization was developed in accordance with the Association of American Law Schools, which recommends that prospective law students have a broad liberal arts background. The program provides sound preparation for the Law School Admission Test and the graduate study of law.

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History Internship Coal Mine — The specialization in Public History immerses students in service-oriented study to foster independent thinking, develop strong communities, cultivate informed decisions, and inspire leadership. The program provides a firm foundation in the methods and practice of Public History, preparing students for diverse career paths, including museums; archives; non-profit agencies at the local, regional and national levels; libraries; historic preservation firms; and other like institutions; as well as graduate study in law, libraries/archives, non-profit management, and the humanities.

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Program Options

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B.A. History
B.A. History (Citizenship Secondary Education Certification)
B.A. History (History and Media Specialization)
B.A. History (History for Business Specialization)
B.A. History (Pre-DPT Specialization)
B.A. History (Pre-Law Specialization)
B.A. History (Public History Specialization)

Minor Options

History Minor

Political Science Minor

Public History Minor

The public history minor offers students interested in non-profit agencies and historical work outside higher education a useful foundation for a variety of professional paths. The minor will introduce the principles and methods of public history and will guide students through practical experience in the field. The public history minor is open to all majors, except those majoring in history.

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Social Studies Minor

4+1 History BA/MBA

Why wait to begin the MBA program when you can get started as an undergraduate student?

Specializations:
Healthcare Management, Human Resources Management, Management, or Sport Management

Find out more by emailing Karen Cefalo at

The 4+1 History BA and MBA program offers students interested in history and business a useful foundation for a variety of professional paths. The program introduces students to the study of history and the practice of business, providing an interdisciplinary basis for successful citizenship and entrepreneurship over a five-year course of study.

Benefits
4+1 History BA/MBA Admission Requirements

Benefits

Saves you $ — covered by your regular tuition
Earn your master’s degree in as little as one additional year
No GMAT or GRE exam
Get experience with graduate level classes as an undergrad
Network with business professionals

Specializations are available in Management, Human Resource Management, Sport Management, and Healthcare Management.

Ask about the ALUMNI DISCOUNT to save you even more money!

4+1 History BA/MBA Admission Requirements

To qualify for the program, students must:

have a minimum 3.0 GPA at the time of application, and must maintain that GPA throughout the remainder of their degree requirements
complete an application to the program prior to the end of junior year;
complete their MBA core classes with a minimum 3.0 GPA; and,
complete their BA degree in History as scheduled.

Registration for MBA courses in the senior year will be overseen by Graduate Admissions.

An applicant may be required to complete leveling courses in business functional areas through Peregrine. The graduate admissions committee will determine if the leveling courses will be taken concurrently with MBA courses or completed prior to starting the MBA program.

Student Testimonial

Antonio Whyte

The 4+1 program is a great opportunity to challenge yourself during the end of your undergraduate journey and get a third of your MBA completed at rates that save you money.

Career Preparation

Valuable Professional Skills

We offer a wide range of professional opportunities designed to give Misericordia graduates an edge as they enter the job market. These include:

Faculty-directed research
Internships
Study-abroad programs
Summer research fellowships
Semester-Away at American University (Washington, DC)
Networking opportunities with regional and local institutions, through volunteer and service-learning programs

Our majors have gone on to pursue graduate degrees in law, history, political science, library science, and medicine; they have become teachers and museum educators; they have risen to leadership positions in their local communities and governments; they have embarked on careers in business; and they have worked for government agencies in Washington, DC.

Careers in History

Students who study History at Misericordia may enter a wide range of careers, including:

Business and non-profit sector jobs, especially through our History for Business, Public History, and 4+1 MBA / MS-OM programs
Librarianships at research, public, and governmental libraries
Law School and Medical School
Teachers and Professors at schools, colleges, and universities
Local government
Historical preservation firms
Corporate archives and record keeping
Editors and publishing
Grant-writing for non-profit organizations
Professional writers and journalists
Museum work, including exhibition preparation and curation, education, development, and public outreach

Career Preparation

Career Preparation

Majors in History are designed to prepare students for professional work, by:

Helping the student connect to his/her local community and region
Promoting awareness of national and global politics
Encouraging civic participation at the local, regional, and national levels
Teaching students to think critically
Cultivating the student's analytical skills
Teaching and emphasizing strong writing skills

Explore Your Future

It Starts At The Arch

Briana Scorey '19

I have developed incredible relationships with professors who care about me and support me as both a student and a person. As an officer of the History Club and member of the Phi Alpha Theta Honor Society [History's honor society], I am able to pursue my love of history outside the classroom and build a repertoire of experience that will help me in graduate school.

Amber Kelley '18

Throughout my four years at Misericordia University, I met incredible professors in the History department who wanted to see me succeed and achieve my career goals. With their encouragement, I have pursued many opportunities that have given me the experience needed to achieve my goal.

Cassandra Lockhart

It was Misericordia’s wonderful history faculty and captivating history classes that showed me that my true path in life is history. Switching my degree to history my Sophomore year of college was the best decision of my life.

Testimonial Slideshow

Meet our Students

Student Opportunities and Activities

Faculty-Directed Research

Students receive summer research stipends and course credit to work directly with faculty on research as part of the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program. Since 2015, students in history have worked on several public history exhibits with local historical societies to preserve history in the Wyoming Valley.

Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF)

Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF)

As part of a special Presidential Initiative--the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships-- students in History and Government have the opportunity to work one-on-one with faculty on dedicated research projects during the summer term. The benefits of working as a student research fellow are numerous: students gain valuable professional experience working on dedicated projects that often lead to publications and exhibits, and they receive generous financial support for the summer term.

In the summer of 2015 Dr. Black supervised the first student research team to be part of the program in the Department of History and Government. During the ten-week session, Dr. Black's students work intensively with collections from the Greater Pittston Historical Society, providing a much-needed service to the community while learning the practice of Public History and museum work.

Since then, students in the SURF program have continued to build important, collaborative relationships with members of the local and regional community. Their exhibitions have been featured in local and national media, and the program has served as a model for collaborative work at other institutions. An online showcase for this work can be found at MU Local History Projects.

Applications for the SURF program open in the fall. For more information visit the

History Students Researching — *Image courtesy of the Pittston Sunday Dispatch*

Semester in Washington DC

Students in History and Government have the opportunity to spend a semester in Washington, DC, studying at American University and working at a government or non-profit agency in our nation's capital. The AU program, one of the oldest of its kind in the country, brings students from across the country to DC for semester or summer study each year. Students can choose from a variety of programs to study, including Journalism & New Media; American Politics; Foreign Policy; Religion, Politics, Public Policy Peace & Security; Justice & Law; International Law & Organizations; Non-Profit Organizations, and Sustainable Development. While at AU, students participate in a weekly seminar and work as interns in a DC agency. They earn valuable professional experience and course credit to transfer toward their degrees in History. Students interested in the program should talk with their advisor, and visit AU's Semester Away website.

Study Abroad/Away

History majors have the unique opportunity to participate in Misericordia’s Study Abroad / Study Away programs. In the past several years, MU developed several new partnerships to enhance the study away choices for our students. Students may choose to study abroad or away for a semester or summer session, and credits earned during the semester / summer away can be applied toward the Misericordia degree. Recent students in the major have traveled to Australia, Ireland, Montreal, and Washington, DC to earn course credit and valuable professional experience. More information about Misericordia’s Study Abroad / Away Programs can be found here.

Internships

The History Program has been very successful in placing students in internships in the local area. Past history students have worked with the National Park Service at the Steamtown Historic Site, at the Lackawanna Coal Mine, the Anthracite Heritage Museum, Eckley Miner’s Village, Luzerne County Historical Society, the Misericordia Archives, the Greater Pittston Historical Society, the National Federation for the Blind (Baltimore, MD), and the National Archives and Records Administration (Washington, DC). Pre-Law students are required to complete two semesters of internships at a qualified law firm. Students have the opportunity for paid internships on and off-campus. Read more about our students’ internship experiences by visiting the Interns’ Corner blog. For more information on history internships, interested students should contact Dr. Black.

Special Projects

Students in the History Program have a variety of opportunities to work on special projects with faculty, with members of the community, and with other students. Such projects include working on exhibits locally and on campus, volunteering for history-related events, taking oral histories from members of the community, and organizing special events for the community. Many of our students’ local history projects are featured online at the MU Local History Projects site.

Speakers and Master Classes

Each year, the History and Government Department brings important speakers to campus to enrich the learning experiences of our students. Some of these may be former government officials, some are well-known authors or scholars, others have had extraordinary experiences they share with our students. Generous funding from the Soyka Fund for the Humanities often helps to make these opportunities available for History and Government students.

Past speakers have included:

Frances Townsend, Homeland Security Advisor to President George W. Bush
Tim Jarvis, Environmental Scientist, Author, and Polar Explorer
Deni Bechard, award-winning journalist and author
Dr. Randall Miller, on behalf of Historians Against Slavery

Service-Learning

The History Department offers several service-learning courses that give students the opportunity for experiential learning and participation in service to the larger community. These courses are intended to deepen students' understanding of ideas and themes presented in the classroom and encourage students' development as engaged citizens. Recent service-learning placements have included a range of local organizations, including the Greater Pittston Historical Society, the Scranton Anthracite Heritage Museum, the American Red Cross, the Humane Society of Lackawana County, the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, Kids Café, and the Peace Center.

Trips

The Misericordia University campus is beautiful, and Dallas is a peaceful community conducive to a focus on learning; in addition, the college's proximity to major east coast cities provides great opportunities for cultural enrichment. Students can have memorable experiences that bring courses alive. Trips for academic groups and clubs can make the Misericordia experience that much more special. In the past few years, history faculty and students have traveled to Philadelphia, Seneca Falls, Gettysburg, and New York City. In addition, history faculty have traveled with honors students on trips to Boston and Washington, D.C.

Image Gallery

Phi Alpha Theta

Students who meet the academic requirements will be invited to join Phi Alpha Theta, the national history honor society. Undergraduate students must complete at least 12 semester hours in History (4 courses) with a GPA of at least 3.1 in History and have a GPA of 3.4 or better overall. Membership in the society provides opportunities for students to publish their work in the society's journal, The Historian, and to present at regional and national meetings.

Student Clubs

The Department of History and Government sponsors two student clubs: the History Club and the GLNS Club. Each year, these clubs participate in a variety of fund-raising and service projects. Service projects in the past few years have included activities such as collecting oral histories for the Back Mountain Historical Association, participating in Bowl for Kids' Sake, and judging projects at the local History Day competition. In addition to these activities, the club presents a great opportunity to get to know your fellow students, majors and non-majors alike, in an informal and welcoming atmosphere. All students, regardless of major, are invited to join these student clubs. Interested students should contact the department chair for more information.

History Club and GLNS Club

Scholarships

Misericordia University Announces a New Scholarship for NHD Participants

$16,000 annual tuition scholarship for undergraduate, full-time students majoring in a History track (excludes Pre-DPT), who participate in a NHD contest (at the state or regional level)
Includes four years of funding for undergraduate degrees
Eligibility: 3.0 GPA and 1130 SAT or 23 ACT
For first-time, first-year applicants enrolling in the fall of 2019 or later
To apply, visit our online application and indicate your participation in History Day
Selected applicants will be invited to campus for an interview as part of the selection process
Questions should be directed to Dr. Allan Austin, aaustin@misericordia.edu
Download a postcard for the Scholarship