Hey y'all, I'm really into history and looking to major in it. I've been looking around for schools in Pennsylvania specifically, can someone point me to some of the top choices in PA for History majors nevertheless? Thanks!
Absolutely! Pennsylvania has several fantastic options to consider for anyone with a passion for history.
University of Pennsylvania, often regarded for its social sciences programs, including History, provides students with tremendously well-connected faculty, coursework that is both in-depth and abundantly diverse—ranging from Ancient history to post-modern—and even opportunities for research or internships in the history field.
Another strong contender is Pennsylvania State University—University Park which boasts a rich variety of subfields within its History major. Not only does the department offer traditional chronological and geographical focused courses, but it also has thematic courses focusing on topics like gender and ethnicity, environment and technology, politics and culture, war and society, among others.
Carnegie Mellon University, despite its reputation as a tech and engineering school, also offers a strong History program. The History department at CMU emphasizes interdisciplinary study and students have the chance to explore special thematic minors like Global Studies, Ethics, History and Policy, or Anthropology & History, leveraging their other strengths.
Swarthmore College, one of the top liberal arts colleges in the nation, is also worth considering. Their History department equips students with the skills to understand and analyze the past through a variety of thematic, geographical, and methodological approaches. You'll have very small class sizes and lots of professor interaction here.
Don't forget smaller colleges like Haverford and Bryn Mawr either. They have strong history departments and offer the unique benefit of the Quaker Consortium—students are able to easily cross-register for classes at Swarthmore and UPenn, broadening available course and faculty options.
Remember to also consider the overall fit of the school—class size, campus culture, location, cost, available aid, etc. While these universities offer strong history programs, it's important to choose a place where you'll thrive in all aspects. Happy hunting!
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