Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have questions about studying History at Ithaca College? Below are some frequently asked questions; if you cannot find the answers you seek, please contact the department chair, Professor Matthew Klemm

What can I do with a History major?

History is a remarkably flexible major and it helps prepare students for a variety of careers.  Our majors become teachers and lawyers, but alumni enter a wide variety of careers, from business to urban planning, from museum work to psychology, and even underwater archaeology!  

Students are able to succeed in myriad careers precisely because the major develops valuable skill—such as clear communication, persuasive argumentation and gathering and using data appropriately—while honing their global awareness, both current and historical.

How do my Advanced Placement (AP) credits apply to my degree?

The History Department awards AP credit for scores of 4 or 5.  For each test, a score of 4 or 5 earns 3 credits of HIST 18888.  For a full table of the credits awarded by Ithaca College for each test, consult the online catalog.  

For both History and Social Studies Education majors, AP credit counts toward the 120 credits needed to graduate with a B.A.  However, AP credits do not count towards the History degree requirements.

For the History minor, 3 credits of AP credit count toward the 21 credits required to complete the minor.

I want to be a teacher. Do I have to major in social studies education?

Many majors in our department become teachers and students can achieve that career goal in different ways.  The social studies education major prepares students for teaching certification in New York State.  Students who immediately want to enter the classroom upon graduation often choose this major, especially because of the opportunity to student-teach their senior year.  However, at 93-99 credits, the social studies education major is heavily proscribed leaving scant room for electives.  Thus, students with diverse interests often prefer to major in History even if they intend to teach.  At 41-47 credits, the History major allows students more room for exploration and History majors often double minor.  To prepare to teach, one of those minors is usually Education Studies.  In addition, upon graduation, many History majors go directly into an MAT program that allows students to earn a master's degree while studying pedagogy and student-teaching.  This can be desirable as it gives students an extra year of maturity and allows them to start their career with a master's degree which New York State requires teachers to earn within five years.