Bachelor or Arts or Bachelor of Science in the following disciplines:
Economics
History, with possibility of Secondary Education Teaching Licensure
Political Science
Minors:
African-American Studies
International Studies
Peace Studies
Social Studies
Women's Studies
Extra-curricular Initiatives (Political Science):
Moot Court
Model United Nations
Fitchburg State College's Economics, History, and Political Science Department offers students a choice of three academically distinct but interrelated majors-economics, history, and political science-and a range of associated minors. Students gain the academic background and research capabilities for both graduate study and immediate entry into a variety of career fields, including secondary school teaching. In addition, the department offers graduate degrees in the field of history. Focused field training experiences and national-internationally focused extra-curricular initiatives enhance what is learned in the classroom and broaden students' career options.
Economics
The economics major trains students to understand the theoretical concepts of economics and their applications to economic problems both domestic and global. Students learn how economic agents, namely, consumers, business, and government interact in the marketplace and determine the allocation of society's scarce resources. They are trained to use the main tools of economic analysis, i.e., mathematical equations, graphs, tables to analyze the relationship among economic variables. A degree in economics prepares students for graduate study in economics and related fields - including business and public policy - locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally.
History
Because it is impossible to understand the present without some knowledge of the past, history serves as a cornerstone for any liberal arts or pre-professional program. History major course offerings range from the ancient worlds of Europe, Asia and the Americas to the modern world in a global culture. Students gain proficiency in reading, writing and critical thinking through coursework that emphasizes research methods and interpretive skills. Our graduates are prepared for advanced degree programs as well as careers in public history and teaching. History/secondary education majors graduate with initial licensure from an accredited program that offers a broad introduction to high school teaching, specific instruction in the theory and practice of secondary history teaching, and field-based experiences in the school setting supervised by our faculty. The major supports two graduate programs leading either to a master of arts in history or a master of arts in teaching history.
Political Science
The constant and rapid changes in the U.S. and global arenas reflect the political science major's focus on American politics (pre-law) and international politics (pre-doctoral) graduate career tracks. Political science integrates economic and historical facets to understand contemporary power, decision-making, theory, and methodology of political systems. Analytical and statistical research centers on the structure and operations of local, regional, state wide, national or federal American governmental institutions; comparative foreign governments at the countrywide level; and international political organizations and institutions (inclusive of participation by countries). American and international based career fostering, via internship and simulation/decision-making training programs, build on concerted student-professor collaboration in extra-curricular activities such as Moot Court and Model United Nations. These political science priorities and experiences contribute to increasing numbers of graduates obtaining advanced degrees and serving in public policy leadership positions.
Faculty
The Economics, History, and Political Science faculty offer a wide variety of knowledge and experience to Fitchburg State College students. Every faculty member holds a doctoral degree and post-doctoral experience, and many provide leadership in their fields through research, publishing, consulting and involvement in more than 30 regional, national and international professional organizations. Our faculty members are recognized scholar-researchers, having authored or edited nearly 20 books, written more than 80 articles, and presented hundreds of papers at scholarly conferences. The faculty's commitment to scholarship and research has been recognized through grants and awards from Fitchburg State, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Fulbright program.
The faculty is deeply involved in a number of interdisciplinary initiatives on campus, from the Leadership Academy, the education and interdisciplinary majors, criminal justice and learning communities, to a variety of minor programs that include women's studies, African-American studies, peace studies, international studies, and social studies. The faculty has also compiled an impressive record of campus-wide leadership in several major academic and cultural programs, including Women's History Month, International Week, the Civil Rights Conference, the Advanced Placement Summer Institute, the Faculty Center for Teaching Excellence and a faculty sponsored lecture series.
The economics faculty focuses on microeconomics, urban economics, historical economics, and international economics. The history faculty specializes in the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America, and employs methodological approaches from social, cultural and political history, including material culture. The political science faculty has expertise in the following areas: U.S. Government, elections, civil rights, the Constitution, civil liberties, international politics and security (Asia, Europe, Eurasia, Middle East), international economic institutions, national security decision-making, political risk analysis, investment and stability strategies, globalization, public policy, ethno-national conflict/resolution and civil-military relations.
Internships
Students in the Economics, History, and Political Science Department are offered numerous opportunities for internships that complement their course work and provide extensive experiential learning, supervised by specialists in a variety of fields. Our students have held internship positions or participated in training/simulation programs at many different public and private agencies, including: the Fitchburg Historical Society, New Ipswich Historical Society, Higgins Armory Museum, the Massachusetts State House, the Washington Center Program, federal agencies and non-governmental organizations, and the International Institute for Mediation and Conflict Resolution Program (training abroad). Students in the history teacher education program have been placed in several regional high schools, including Fitchburg High School, Lunenburg High School, Leominster High School, and Oakmont Regional High School.
Results
Economics, History, and Political Science Department graduates have gained positions with local, state, federal and private agencies and educational institutions, as well as in business and industry. Leading employers of our graduates include:
Disney World
Federal Reserve Bank of Boston Museum
Fitchburg Ward 4 Councilor
Higgins Armory Museum, Worcester
Historic New England, Sturbridge Village
Housing and Urban Development
Massachusetts House of Representatives
New Balance Athletic Shoe Company
Suffolk County District Attorney
U.S. Investigations Service
U.S. State Department
U.S. Treasury
Contact
For more information about the Economics, History, and Political Science Department at Fitchburg State College, please contact the Admissions Office for open house and visit options.
Economics, History, and Political Science Department: 978-665-3397
