The B.A. in History is aimed at preparing students for a variety of career options. Students will study primary sources extensively and learn to read critically and write analytically, which are skills valued by employers in many different fields.

Students who wish to pursue teacher certification in Georgia can either complete the Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education offered by the School of Education and Behavioral Sciences or complete the Bachelor of Arts in history followed by the Master of Arts in Teaching.

The B.S. in Political Science is aimed at preparing students to pursue a variety of career options in the public, non-profit, and private sectors. Students might also use the Political Science degree as a starting point to attend law school or study public administration or political science at the graduate level. Another option for political science graduates is to pursue teacher certification to teach at the middle and high school levels in the social sciences, such as through MGA’s Master of Arts in Teaching program.

Regardless of the career path students choose, in the political science program they will learn how to read and critically analyze primary and secondary source materials, collect and understand data, synthesize existing and new research, and present findings to various audiences.

A minor is a concentration including several courses in a particular area, designed to complement another field of study. A minor is an opportunity to explore an area of interest without making the commitment to complete a second major. Students who complete a minor in a particular area will have the minor designated on their transcript, in addition to their degree and major.

A certificate program is similar to a minor; the main difference is some certificates can be earned without completing a degree. Certificates are designated on students' transcripts and, in some cases, may be awarded a separate diploma as well.

Students should consult with an advisor on making a choice of a minor, certificate program, or second major to pursue.

• To add a minor to their current degree, students should complete the Request to Add/Change Minor form.
• Students who want to pursue a certificate program should complete the Declaration of Second Major/Degree form.
• Students who want to add a second major to their existing major should use the Declaration of Second Major/Degree form.

Both tracks require that students take a minimum of twelve credit hours in U.S. history and a minimum of 18 credit hours of non-U.S. history. Students in the traditional history track can choose their remaining history courses based on their interest.

The European Union Studies Certificate Program is an interdisciplinary collaborative program involving several of Georgia's public universities that focuses on the study of the European Union (E.U.) and its member states. The E.U. is one of America's largest trading partners and includes most of the countries of Europe. An understanding of the E.U. is increasingly important in the business world, as well as being an asset to students who plan to pursue careers in government service.

To earn the certificate, students complete five courses (15 semester hours) on the European Union, which include courses offered by MGA faculty in various departments along with classes with the EURO prefix offered online by faculty from various colleges and universities in the state.

For details on the program's curriculum, please see the current MGA catalog. More information is also available at the central website for the program at www.eustudiesprogram.org.

Students who are currently enrolled in any four-year major can pursue the E.U. Studies Certificate by completing the Declaration of Second Major/Degree form.

The political science degree program emphasizes American political institutions and processes, although all students also complete coursework that covers politics and government in other countries (comparative politics) and international conflict and cooperation as well. Students will also get a solid foundation in research design, data analysis, and the interpretation and presentation of data.

Students have elective opportunities to study a variety of topics including constitutional law, U.S. foreign policy, environmental policy, British politics, southern politics, and political parties and elections, as well as special topics courses offered on an infrequent basis.

Traditionally, History majors have been employed in historical site interpretation, research, historic preservation or archival and museum work. Many history majors also find careers in broadcasting, politics, government service, non-profit organizations, and lobbying, among other areas. A history degree is also a very popular way to prepare for law school or graduate school.

Political Science majors pursue a variety of career options in the public, non-profit, and private sectors. Students might also use the Political Science degree as a starting point to attend law school or study public administration or political science at the graduate level.

Middle Georgia State students have excellent campuses in Dublin and Warner Robins to begin any baccalaureate that the college offers. Once the core curriculum is completed at one of these campuses, students will be able to continue their junior and senior course work either in Cochran or Macon. Students can also complete the core curriculum online.

Classes on the Eastman campus are generally only open to students in aviation degree and certificate programs, in accordance with FAA and Homeland Security requirements.

Some introductory history courses are offered online and quite a few political science courses are offered online every semester, including sections of American government along with several 2000-level and upper-level courses. However, students will not be able to complete their major with only online courses.

Most of our online courses are full-session (15-week) courses in the fall and spring terms, although we do offer some short-session courses as well.

Since the study of foreign language is essential to any thorough education in history, we encourage students to enjoy and value their exposure to a second language. All history majors must take six credit hours in a foreign language. Students who are considering graduate school are strongly encouraged to take at least twelve credit hours in a foreign language.

Of course. Students sometimes must take a few core courses as prerequisites when they transfer, but many of your degree-specific credits may transfer.

Current students can change their major using the Change of Major form; they should meet with an academic advisor in their desired discipline to assist with the process.

Rather than expecting students to complete a particular undergraduate major, according to the American Bar Association—the largest organization of U.S. attorneys—most law schools are looking for students who have taken challenging courses and succeeded in them, as well as those who perform well on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and have strong letters of recommendation.

However, political science is a very popular major for students who attend law school, although many arts and sciences majors are also common choices, including biology, English, history, and psychology. It can also be valuable for future lawyers to take classes in a variety of fields, as a broad base of knowledge beyond legal studies is useful for people who plan to practice law; for example, a personal injury lawyer would benefit from some knowledge of anatomy and physiology.

The Department of History & Political Science now offers a specific minor in pre-law that introduces students from any major to legal writing, the U.S. judicial system, and constitutional law. This minor is designed to be a solid foundation for a successful law school application for many students. In the coming months, we also plan to designate a pre-law advisor, who will serve as a resource for students who are planning to attend law school regardless of major.

Alternatively, students who major in English can pursue the pre-law concentration in that degree program. For more information, please contact the Department of English. Students with a major in English may also complete the pre-law minor offered by our department.