Welcome to the Department of History and Political Science

The study of history and political science are essential components of a liberal arts education designed to help students cultivate awareness of the responsibilities of democratic citizenship and develop the versatile skills and knowledge needed to meet the many challenges of 21st century working and community life. It is our shared conviction that understanding the rich complexities of past societies as well as the diversity of political ideas and systems that span the globe today, and how both have shaped and been shaped by a panoply of cross-cultural encounters and exchanges, are integral to these aims.

Our mission is to help students achieve the broad cultural and civic literacy and social awareness needed to communicate and thrive professionally in today’s world. Our curriculum is structured to give students a proficiency in research and analytical methods –critical reading, reasoning, written and oral communication – that will prepare them for advanced graduate study and a wide array of careers in education, law, business, administration, public service, government, and non-governmental organizations. Undergraduates can choose from four specialized major degree programs the department offers: History (BA), Political Science (BA), Interdisciplinary History/Political Science (BA), and Social Studies 7-12 Adolescence Education (BA). We also offer an interdisciplinary MA focused on US history and politics in international context which students can pursue part-time or full-time in our evening seminars.

Explore the Disciplines

Internships

Field Experience
The programs in the department of History and Political Science are sufficienly flexible to allow you to choose from a broad range of internship opportunities in the Capital Region and many Saint Rose history and political science majors complete more than one field experience. For History and History/Political Science majors, Albany is an ideal location. Political science internships and history field experiences are readily available. Field experiences are designed to provide students interested in history with an opportunity to investigate public history by working at historic sites, in museums, and in historical organizations. Students interested in history have gained hands-on experience at the local public television station, the New York State Museum, Albany Institute of History and Art, and other historic sites.

Conveniently located on a direct bus route only five minutes from New York state's capitol, Saint Rose students have taken advantage of internship opportunities with the New York State Legislature, Governor's Office, Attorney General's Office, Democratic and Republican Party offices, political campaigns, private and public interest lobbyists, law firms, labor unions, and community agencies. These internships are designed both to connect interested students with prospective employers and provide them an opportunity to study the political process first hand. Some interns even receive a stipend for their work.

For students interested in exploring national politics, opportunities also are available for Congressional or Executive internships in Washington D.C. The department of History and Political Science has a formal affiliation with The Washington Center, which offers housing accommodations, internship placements, and seminars in D.C. For more information, contact the local campus liaison, Professor Ryane Straus. Ordinarily, students are limited to three credit hours of history field experience and three credit hours of political science internships to satisfy their 45 credit hour requirement in the major. In addition, all Social Studies 7-12 majors preparing for initial certification to teach at the middle or high school level complete a student teaching field experience.


The College of Saint Rose
432 Western Avenue | Albany, New York 12203 | 1-800-637-8556