History & Government
Why Study Government and History?
Government
As a student of government, you will hone the writing, communication, analytical, and data skills that are fundamental to a liberal arts education. This kind of education will prepare you to think critically and independently, help you appreciate differing points of view, and broaden your knowledge of current affairs
Government delves into the study of political systems, public policies, and political behavior. It is a social science which uses both humanistic perspectives and scientific skills to examine the United States and all countries and regions of the world.
Studying government, or, in the future, political science can qualify you for many different careers in private, for-profit, and non-profit organizations, as well as the public sector.
Graduates can pursue careers in:
- consulting
- research
- business and finance
- state, local, and federal government
- elected office and campaign management
- journalism, media, and communications
- community service
- advocacy
- non-governmental and non-profit organizations
- teaching
- law
History
History is both a science and an art, combining the careful analysis of evidence with compelling storytelling. History increases cultural literacy and sensitivity. You will learn to consider multiple points of view and changing global contexts. It also offers a unique education in the curation of content, teaching you how to collect, evaluate, and arrange a variety of sources into persuasive arguments and narratives.
Understanding history helps one understand the world today. The study of history is not just a chronicling of the human past, but an analysis of past events in an effort to explain the social, cultural, and political effects that shape the present.
Among the jobs you can consider with your degree in history are:
- educator
- researcher
- communicator or editor
- information manager
- advocate
- journalist
- librarian
- law
- public relations
- domestic and foreign service
Skill Building
The study of government and history increases our knowledge of the past, our understanding of the present and provides a vision for the future. It also serves to build a valuable skill set that can be utilized both academically and socially. These skills include:
Effective Writing Skills: The ability to successfully and precisely communicate one’s ideas in text is vital to any job for which a college degree is a necessity.
Critical Analysis Skills: A key part to the decision-making process for any job, critical analysis means the ability to analyze a situation and come up with creative and practical solutions.
Research Skills: Vital to any job, research skills mean the ability to understand past practices and policies and to trace the roots of any issue, to find new information which bears on that issue, and to incorporate that information into one’s analysis of an issue.
Interdisciplinary Thinking and Training: Interdisciplinary thinking and training means the ability to think about a problem in a multitude of ways, to analyze it using multiple tools, and to provide solutions which draw from different traditions of thought.
Curiosity and Inquisitiveness: The desire to learn more, to examine reasons beneath issues, and to come to understand them as part of a continual, life-long, education process is an important skill both professionally and personally.
The study of either of these valuable disciplines will serve to build an academic foundation capable of supporting a variety of diverse career choices and provide you with the skills necessary to continually grow, both professionally and personally.
Interested? For more information about Government and History, check out these websites:
The American Political Science Association
The American Historical Association