Bachelor of Arts (BA) Major in History

Dive Deeply Into History to Build Skills for Your Future

GMercyU's Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in History will prepare you for graduate education or career opportunities in law, government, industry, and other public and private sectors.

As a history major, your interactive courses and learning experiences will help you become fluent in global political and social developments, develop your research abilities, and perform original scholarship.

In October 2023, GMercyU hosted the International Peace History Society 2023 Conference. Read about it here.

Photo: History major James Davey '25 and History minor Ines Monsalve '26 co-curated an exhibit on the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) for the Peace History Society Conference hosted at GMercyU. They partnered with AFSC archivist Don Davis to create the exhibit as part of an internship designed for them by Professor Michael Clinton. View an online version of the exhibit here.

Student exhibit at Peace History Conference, Fall 2023

Program Details

We offer two exciting options:

BA in History with Teacher Certification
Want to teach social studies in a secondary school setting? With this option, you'll graduate in four years with a Bachelor of Arts in History and your choice of the following teacher certification options:

Secondary education certification
Dual certification: secondary education certification and special education (grades PreK-12) certification

With either option above, you'll earn six graduate credits that can be applied to a future Master’s degree in Education.

4+1 Master of Science in Education with Teacher Certification
With this unique 4+1 MsEd degree option for future educators, you can take graduate level courses during your senior year – as part of your undergraduate tuition. In your fifth year, you will complete your MsEd degree with 18 credits of online classes and your student teaching requirement. This degree offers a path to certification.

*Certification: Both programs above were designed to meet the certification requirements of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. If you reside in a different state, you should carefully review your home state’s certification requirements prior to enrolling in this program.

Gwynedd Mercy University offers an impressive mix of top-notch liberal arts education. Here you'll find ample opportunity to hone your skills, develop a career path, and map out your future while gaining professional experience through our history program.

As a GMercyU history major, you can:

Earn hands-on experience through internship placements at historical societies, archives, and sites throughout Pennsylvania
Perform original research at area archives
Participate in academic conferences, such as:
- The American Historical Association Conference in New York City
- The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Convention in Paris
- A conference commemorating the centenary of the Paris Peace Conference held at the end of the First World War.

Thanks to a multidisciplinary background in arts, sciences, and humanities along with their particular understanding of history, GMercyU's history major graduates go on to pursue careers in law, education, politics, media, management, and more.

Beginning Fall 2025, a minimum of 120 credits (previously, 125 credits) is required for this degree. In addition to general education requirements, our BA in History degree students will complete the following courses:

Major Requirements – 30 Credits

HIS 107	World History I
HIS 109	World History II
HIS 131	American Civilization to 1877
HIS 132	American Civilization from 1877
HIS 449	Historiography
HIS 4000	Capstone Seminar
HIS	History Elective (4)

For more information and course descriptions, please refer to the undergraduate catalog.

Undergraduate Minors

Increase the value of your BA in History degree by adding an undergraduate minor. GMercyU offers a wide variety of minors so you can choose the one that best meets your personal and professional goals.

A bachelor's degree in history offers a wider and more flexible range of career paths than most other majors. See this list from the American American Historical Association, and check out the opportunities shared below:

Anthropologist
Archeologist
Archivist
Biographer
Clergy
Community Relations Director
Congressional Aide
Consumer Advocate
Demographer
FBI/CIA Agent
Foreign News Correspondent
Foreign Service Officer
Genealogist
Government Official
Historian
Historic Preservation Specialist
Historic Site Tour Guide
Historical Society Staff Member
Intelligence Analyst
International Relations Specialist
Journalist
Judge
Lawyer
Lecturer
Legal Assistant/Paralegal
Librarian
Lobbyist
Market Research Analyst
Media Consultant
Museum Curator
Museum Technicians & Specialist
Newspaper Reporter
Paralegal Assistant
Park Ranger
Peace Corps/Vista Worker
Political Scientist
Public Administrator
Public Relations Specialist
Research Assistant
Research Library Assistant
Teacher, Social Studies
Travel Agent
Urban Administrator
Urban Planner
Writer/Author

* Some of these careers may involve acquiring additional education.
* This is only a partial list and not meant to limit you.

Michael Clinton, PhD
Position: Professor, History
Did You Know? Dr. Clinton has previously served as president of the Peace History Society and book review editor of its journal, Peace & Change.
Read bio

Wayne Huss, PhD
Position: Professor Emeritus, History
Did You Know? A recipient of the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching, Dr. Huss has taught at GMercyU for more than 30 years.
Read bio

Challenging Ideas About War and Peace
Professor Michael Clinton challenged students to consider the relentless pursuit of peace as equally impactful to civilization as war. Listen to the podcast, produced by GMercyU Digital Communications students, for his thoughts.

I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for all of the professors who have made an impression on me... If you choose GMercyU, come here for the professors. They are here to not only teach you but to mold you as a person.

—History graduate Andreana Ely '17

Next Steps

Have you already earned college-level credits at other institutions? GMercyU makes it easy for you to transfer — learn how on our Transfer Admissions page.

You can also explore our agreements with area schools on our Transfer Your Credits page, and check out our guaranteed scholarships for transfer students.

Have questions about GMercyU's admissions requirements? Our Admissions staff is ready to walk you through the process of applying to GMercyU’s History program.

Email: admissions@gmercyu.edu
Phone: 215-641-5510

Apply now

At GMercyU, we strive to make a quality education accessible to all through financial aid, scholarships, and grants. As a military-friendly university, we welcome service members and participate in all VA educational benefits programs.