History and Political Science Track
The History and Political Science Track at Mount Wachusett Community College provides students with the opportunity to earn an Associate of Arts Degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences. Upon completion of the program, students are prepared to transfer to a four-year institution to complete a baccalaureate degree. The History and Political Science Track offers a student the opportunity to explore U. S. and world history while completing a core curriculum used for transfer. Students will gain knowledge in a variety of disciplines including math, science, the humanities and the social sciences.
History and Political Science Track (LAHP)1
A Degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences
This program is for those who want a strong background in history and political science and plan to transfer to a four-year college or university to pursue a degree in history, political science, or government. With a bachelor’s degree in history or political science, the student may pursue a career in government and politics, teach history or political science, pursue a master’s degree in public policy or management, or earn a degree to practice law.
1This program satisfies MassTransfer Pathways for History but does not satisfy all MassTransfer Pathways for Political Science.
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| ENG 101 | College Writing I | 3 |
| HIS 201 | History of United States I | 3 |
| Behavioral Social Science Elective 1 | 3 | |
| MAT 143 | Statistics | 3 |
| HIS 121 | History Of The Constitution | 3 |
| Spring | ||
| ENG 102 | College Writing II | 3 |
| SPC 113 | Speech (formerly THE113) | 3 |
| HIS 202 | History of United States II | 3 |
| Restrictive Elective (see list below) | 3 | |
| Science Elective 2 | 3-4 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| Behavioral Social Science Elective 1 | 3 | |
| HIS 105 | History Of World Civilization I | 3 |
| Lab Science Elective 3 | 4 | |
| Literature Elective 4 | 3 | |
| Spring | ||
| HIS 106 | History Of World Civilization II | 3 |
| Literature Elective 4 | 3 | |
| ENG 290 | Advanced Writing and Research | 3 |
| POL 211 | Introduction to American Government and Politics | 3 |
| Restrictive Elective (see list below) | 3 | |
| Humanities Elective 5 | 3 | |
| Total Credits: | 61-62 | |
- 1
Behavioral Social Science Electives: See Elective Courses by Abbreviation.
- 2
Science Electives: See Elective Courses by Abbreviation.
- 3
Lab Science Electives: See Elective Courses by Abbreviation.
- 4
Literature Electives: See Elective Courses by Abbreviation.
- 5
Humanities Electives: See Elective Courses by Abbreviation.
Restrictive Electives
| Credits | ||
|---|---|---|
| HIS (any course) | ||
| POL (any course) | ||
| LAW 101 | Introduction To Law (Formerly PLS 101) | 3 |
| PHL 110 | Logic | 3 |
| PHL 180 | World Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 220 | Introduction to Social and Political Philosophy | 3 |
See History and Political Science program student learning outcomes and technical standards.
Student Success Tips
Eligible LAS students should consider entering MWCC’s Honors Program. Honors Program students benefit from a challenging, highly individualized academic experience; a tuition waiver during their final semester; active recruitment by four-year colleges and universities; and the use of the Honors Center. Also, because of the program’s Commonwealth Honors Program status, all MWCC Honors courses are transferable as Honors courses within the Massachusetts public higher education system; and MWCC graduates are guaranteed acceptance into the Honors Programs of these colleges and universities. See the Honors Program for more information.
Students are expected to have proficient computer skills and the ability to access the internet via desktop/laptop computer or tablet. Internet access may be from home or through a public site such as a local public library, public college or at any Mount Wachusett Community College campus.
Transfer Options
For transfer options, please click here. It is recommended that you also consult with your academic advisor.
MassTransfer
Students who plan to transfer to a Massachusetts state university or a University of Massachusetts campus may be eligible to transfer under the MassTransfer agreement, which provides transfer advantages to those who qualify.
Please click here for MassTransfer information.
Special Requirements
Technical standards must be met with or without accommodations.
Program Student Learning Outcomes for LAHP
Upon graduation from this program, students shall have the ability to:
- Formulate clear and precise questions about complex problems and ideas relevant to a variety of disciplines—math, science, the humanities, and the social sciences—and gather, assess, and interpret information to arrive at well-reasoned conclusions and solutions.
- Demonstrate an understanding of complex written texts that demand an appreciation of subtext, irony, metaphor, and the subtlety and nuances of language.
- Successfully complete a substantial research paper that demonstrates the ability to formulate a research question, conduct research using the library’s databases, and synthesize information from a variety of sources into a cohesive and in-depth analysis of a topic.
- Demonstrate knowledge of historic, social, and cultural backgrounds necessary for understanding their own and other societies with an emphasis on important ideas and events that have shaped, and continue to shape, their world.
- Demonstrate scientific literacy, which can be defined as the matrix of knowledge needed to understand enough about the universe to deal with issues that come across the horizon of the average citizen, in the news or elsewhere.
- Demonstrate a broad exposure to, and an understanding of, the differences and similarities in the various academic disciplines within their Liberal Arts education.
- Successfully transfer to a baccalaureate degree granting institution if desired, with the proper educational foundation for transition into a chosen field of study.
Capstone Course for LAHP
ENG 290 Advanced Writing and Research is the required capstone course for some Liberal Arts & Sciences majors and is to be taken after successfully completing ENG 101 College Writing I, ENG 102 College Writing II and at least 45 college-level credits.
Technical Standards1 for LAHP
- 1
For general information about technical standards and accommodation, see Technical Standards.
Students entering these programs must be able to demonstrate the ability to:
- Comprehend textbook material at the 11th grade level.
- Communicate and assimilate information either in spoken, printed, signed, or computer voice format.
- Gather, analyze, and draw conclusions from data.
- Work as a member of a team.
HIS 105. History Of World Civilization I. 3 Credits.
This course is an introductory survey of the major world civilizations from ancient times to 1600. The course profiles major events in the development of Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas up to 1600. Special emphasis will be placed on the interrelationships among these civilizations and on the role of religion in their development. Prerequisites: ENG 098, FYE 101, RDG 098, or placement. Fall.
HIS 106. History Of World Civilization II. 3 Credits.
This course is an introductory survey of the major world civilizations from 1600 to the present. The course profiles major events in the development of Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas since 1600. Special emphasis will be placed on European events and their effects on the other civilizations of the world as well as on the interrelationships of the various civilizations toward each other. Prerequisites: ENG 098, FYE 101, RDG 098, or placement. Spring.
HIS 113. History Of Contemporary Issues. 3 Credits.
This course focuses on domestic and world events as they occur, interpreted in the light of both historical background and current issues and events. Prerequisites: ENG 098, FYE 101, RDG 098 or placement.
HIS 121. History Of The Constitution. 3 Credits.
This course surveys the progress of constitutionalism in American life and its shaping of our society since 1776. Special emphasis will be placed on key Supreme Court decisions that have defined judicial review, free expression, religious freedom, due process, and the individual's right to privacy over the past 200 years. Prerequisites: ENG 098, FYE 101, RDG 098, or placement.
HIS 123. History Of Modern America. 3 Credits.
Students study the relationship between foreign and domestic events and the evolution of American history from 1945 to the present. Special emphasis isplaced on the legacies of the New Deal, World War II, Vietnam and their influences on the presidents of the last sixty years. Prerequisites: ENG 098, FYE 101, RDG 098, or placement.
HIS 125. American Ethnic History. 3 Credits.
Students will examine the contributions of various ethnic groups to American society, as well as the problems that these groups encountered in the assimilation process. Prerequisites: ENG 098, FYE 101, RDG 098, or placement.
HIS 140. History Of New England. 3 Credits.
The political, social, economic, and intellectual history of New England from Colonial times to the present is studied. Special emphasis is placed on New England's development as a distinct cultural region and its impact on American life. Prerequisites: ENG 098, FYE 101, RDG 098, or placement.
HIS 151. Contemporary American Military History. 3 Credits.
This course is recommended for veterans. This course will review several incidents from post-World War II United States military history to critically analyze particular elements of doctrine, strategy, and the political context driving such actions. Students will also review the socio-political impact certain military actions had on American culture. Students actively participate by applying knowledge from select case studies to assess their historical value regarding resolution of current politico-military problems. Prerequisites: ENG 098, FYE 101, RDG 098 (or placement). Spring.
HIS 201. History of United States I. 3 Credits.
This course will focus on United States history with an emphasis on how the country developed from settlements to the society it has today. It will analyze the problems encountered in forming a new republic, westward expansion, and sectional conflicts. The analysis will begin with the pre-Colonial period and continue through the Revolution, the War of 1812, Jacksonian democracy, the rise of political parties, and the social, economic, and political developments that formed the backdrop to the Civil War. The course will also look at how theEuropeans and Africans who came to America developed unique American traditions that blended Old World customs into the New World experience. Prerequisites: ENG 098, FYE 101, RDG 098, or placement. Fall.
HIS 202. History of United States II. 3 Credits.
This course will begin with the Reconstruction and will examine the social, economic, and political issues of the late nineteenth century as the country moved from an agrarian society to an industrialized nation, the emergence of the United States as a world power with World War I, the effects of the Great Depression on society and government, World War II, the Korean War, the Cold War, the Civil Rights Movement, Vietnam, Women's Rights, the War on Terror, and the challenges that America faces as it moves into a new century. Prerequisites: ENG 098, FYE 101, RDG 098, or placement. Spring.
HIS 240. History Of Ideas. 3 Credits.
In this course, students survey significant ideas in Western culture from ancient times to modern America. Representative figures to be discussed include Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Aquinas, Machiavelli, Calvin, Hobbes, Locke, Voltaire, Wollstonecraft, Burke, and Marx. Prerequisites: ENG 098, FYE 101, RDG 098, or placement; permission of division dean.