Turn your passion for history into a career where you play a leadership role in developing solutions for critical issues that impact your community. Focus on public history, policy or social studies … and apply what you learn by engaging with influential public and private institutions.
The undergraduate history, policy and society degree offers specializations that enable you to examine the ways in which stories of our past are presented to the general public, as well as understand and apply problem solving to benefit your community. As a graduate from the program, you will make a difference in the world.
Specializations in public history, policy or social studies secondary education certification allow you to focus your studies on your particular area of interest.
Our dedicated faculty provide hands-on instruction and mentorship tailored to your unique interests, while the E360 program gives you the opportunity to apply your knowledge and skill in some of the region’s most important public and private institutions. You will develop skills which all employers seek, such as:
- critical thinking
- quantitative and qualitative analysis
- research
- writing
- communication
- ability to work collaboratively
I love the history, policy, and society program because the professors get to know you on a personal level and truly try and help you succeed in all of your endeavors."
Core Courses
- Introduction to Museums: History and Practice
- Memories, Histories and Identities
- Introduction to Public History
- Introduction to Policy Studies
- International Political Economy
- Comparative Politics
- History of Pennsylvania
- History of Technology and Material Culture
- US Foreign Policy
- African-American History
- Gender and Society
- Political and Cultural Geography
Recommended Minors
- Agribusiness
- Biochemistry
- Business Administration
- Communication
- Food Systems
- One Health Communication
- Policy Studies
- Writing
This specialization examines the various ways in which stories of our past are taken out of the confines of academia and presented to the general public. You will receive a strong foundation in traditional history courses but will also learn to apply historical knowledge and methods in settings as diverse as archives, museums, historical sites, businesses, and mass media.
This specialization provides you with the skills and knowledge to go out in the world and make a difference. While DelVal’s STEM majors provide you with the knowledge needed to advance scientific and technical knowledge of the world around us, the policy studies specialization teaches you to understand the significance of these discoveries and to apply them in ways which benefit society.
Are you interested in teaching at the secondary level? The History, Policy and Society degree has been specially designed so that courses in the major overlap with requirements for the Social Studies Education degree, allowing students enrolled in the major to add a secondary education certification. This option allows a greater degree of flexibility if you are not certain whether you wish to ultimately pursue a career in teaching.
The minor in Policy Studies is designed to provide students with the analytical foundations they will need to understand policy development, implementation, and evaluation in both the United States and in other countries. It draws on the existing strengths of Delaware Valley college with our solid foundations in the Life, Environmental and Agricultural Sciences, and a strong Liberal Arts core.
The Policy Studies minor is an interdisciplinary program of study housed in the Liberal Arts Department though it reaches across other disciplines, including Agribusiness and Natural Resources and Biosystems Management. Students will have the chance to focus on a broad range of issues in agricultural, environmental, economic and social policy. Students completing the minor will find that these studies can enrich any major degree program and may have the potential to provide opportunities for employment in local, state, and federal governmental institutions and both U.S. and international non-governmental organizations and professional associations. In addition, a minor in Policy Studies would augment the program of any student wishing to pursue graduate work.
Housed in the Department of Liberal Arts, this 15-credit minor may be combined with any undergraduate major.
The minor in Public History not only provides students with a strong foundation in traditional history courses but provides them the opportunity to apply historical knowledge and methods in museums, historical sites, businesses, mass media or law. Courses require students to complete hands-on, integrative projects including oral histories, historic preservation, video documentaries and museum exhibits. Whether you are interested in working with the National Park Service, a local museum or historic site, a government or community organization, or simply enjoy learning about history, then a minor in Public History will provide you with the skills and mentorship necessary to succeed. Students completing the minor will find that a minor in public history will enrich their major degree program and enhance opportunities for employment or graduate study
Housed in the Department of Liberal Arts, this 15-credit minor may be combined with any undergraduate major.
The Experience360 Program in history, policy and society gives you the opportunity to apply classroom lessons to real-world activities through internships, career exploration experiences, student research, study abroad, leadership development and more.
Career Paths
With 100 percent of our students having real-world, hands-on experience, graduates with a degree in history, policy and society are able to work in areas such as:
- National Park Service
- Museums
- Historic Sites
- Not-for-Profit Organizations
- Historical Societies
- Corporate Historian/Researcher
- Policy Analyst, State, local, national government
- Policy Analyst, Non-governmental organizations
- Corporate Historian/Researcher
- Analyst, regional planning organizations
- Analyst, advocacy groups
- Law
Office Location: Lasker Hall 301
