History Bachelor of Arts
If you’re fascinated by the past, Mercyhurst’s history program can help prepare you for a successful future whether you choose to study traditional history, public history or history paired with secondary education as a path to teaching. The unique and individually tailored aspects of this program will equip you with the abilities to conduct thorough research; to analyze and weigh facts; and to produce sound and eloquent conclusions both orally and in writing.
History majors leave Mercyhurst ready to pursue a wide-range of career paths in teaching, research, journalism, law, public service, or public history, among many others. Whatever career you pursue post-graduation, a Mercyhurst history degree will prepare you for the challenges of today’s job market. Students without a concrete career goal in mind are guided to their passions through interactions with dedicated faculty, internships, service opportunities and the Senior Capstone experience.
Several of our majors choose to teach history at the high school level after graduation. Most recently, they’ve found work with schools in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland and Virginia.
We help facilitate internships all over the country. Students have interned at the Gettysburg National Battlefield and Military Park, the Historic Mount Vernon Gardens and Estate, the San Diego Archaeological Center, and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
We try to explore historical sites within the states and abroad as often as possible. We’ve traveled from Pittsburgh, PA, all the way to Rome, Italy, and many places in-between.
Students experienced a journey of a lifetime, setting sail for two weeks on the reconstructed replica of the 19th century warship that sailed and fought during the 1813 Battle of Lake Erie.
Students traveled Erie’s streets, photographing the city’s historical buildings and gathering oral histories from local experts. These students contributed to the very first countywide survey of historic buildings in more than three decades.
Our students have been placed in a variety of internship settings across the country.
Senior Sydney Van Leeuwen wanted her senior project to be cinematic magic. Professors from history and communication helped her create a cross-disciplinary project: a documentary film about the PA Soldiers and Sailors Home.
Every year, history students are involved in special celebrations such as Women’s History Month and Black History Month. Click on the links above to see what offerings were available to the Mercyhurst campus.
In Digital History: Storytelling, students researched western Pennsylvania history in spring 2017. To mix in a bit of contemporary flair, students recorded their stories for a series of podcasts they dubbed “Hurstories.”