History & Political Science

Contact Information

phone: (716) 839-8281
daemen.edu/historyandpoliticalscience

Chair

Penny Messinger
(716) 839-8280

Degrees Offered

Minors

Admission to Upper Division (for History; History & Political Science; History & Political Science – Environmental Studies Specialization; Political Science):
  1. An overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or better.
  2. An overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.25 or better in History & Political Science courses.
  3. Submission of at least 5 pages of writing sample(s) from History & Political Science courses.
  4. Submission of an essay (no more than two typed double-spaced pages) describing what the student intends to do with his or her bachelor’s degree (intended career choice,, areas of graduate study, etc.)
  5. Students are expected to have completed at least the introductory level of language studies or its equivalent. A complete description of the requirement is available in the Foreign Language section of the Daemen catalogue.
  6. Successful completion of:
    • BA, HISTORY: HST105, HST106, HST220, HST221
    • BA, HISTORY & POLITICAL SCIENCE); HISTORY & POLITICAL SCIENCE WITH ENS SPECIALIZATION); ADOLESCENCE EDUCATION: SOCIAL STUDIES: HST105, HST106, HST220, HST221, and one of the required PSC courses
    • BA, POLITICAL SCIENCE: PSC101, PSC113, PSC121 and PSC125

Admission To Upper Division Requirements: History & Political Science – Adolescence Education: Social Studies

  1. An overall grade point average of 3.00 or better for all completed college courses.
  2. A grade point average of 3.00 or better in all education courses (ECSE, EDU & SED prefix).

Please go to http://www.college-scholarships.com/online_college_gpa_calculator.htm to calculate.

  1. A grade of B or better in all education courses.
  2. A personal interview.
  3. Scoring in the top 50 percentile on a nationally normed entrance exam (SAT or ACT).
  4. Compile and submit, for Education Department faculty review, a comprehensive emerging e-portfolio, the contents of which include the following exhibits: artifacts, facsimiles, projects, grades. Projects must be the scanned originals submitted to the professors and, therefore, include the professors’ comments/corrections/annotations.
  • A researched, scholarship-based paper submitted for EDU 203.
  • An outline of an instructional unit, including a fully designed 3-lesson learning segment, prepared for EDU 237.
  • A researched, scholarship-based paper submitted for SED 270.
  • A written emerging professional resume.
  • A written emerging philosophy of education
  • A written emerging comprehensive reflective narrative detailing perception of current status, skills gained during coursework, targets or goals for continuing professional development, and expectations for the future (i.e., intended career choice).
  • A completed Disposition Self-Assessment (DSA) containing narrative reflection showing examples to support the ranking of each of the criteria.

Absence of any of these items or an overall GPA lower than 3.0 will constitute an incomplete submission, and the portfolio will not be accepted for review. If you are missing assignments, please see your advisor before the submission date to seek advice about your options.

  1. Traditionally admitted students (non-transfer students) who are seeking admission to upper division status must apply by March 19 of the second year of study. 
  1. Transfer students must apply by March 19 during the semester in which they are completing EDU 267 or ECSE 280. Transfer students who enter Daemen College with an Associate degree must submit a portfolio which includes an emerging professional resume, a written emerging philosophy of education, a comprehensive reflective narrative, and, if available, artifacts from comparable courses taken at other institutions, indicating where they were taken and the grade earned.
  1. In the event of a resubmission due to extenuating circumstances approved by the department chair, the GPA will be considered as closed as of the end of the spring semester. The review process will be complete by August 31 before the start of the new fall semester.
Requirements For Student Teaching (for History & Political Science – Adolescence Education: Social Studies)
  1. An overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.00
  2. An overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 in all courses in the major
  3. Apply for student teaching, usually at the end of the third year
  4. Be recommended for student teaching by the chairs of the Education and History & Political Science departments
Graduation Requirements (for History; History & Political Science; History & Political Science – Adolescence Education: Social Studies; History & Political Science – Environmental Studies Specialization; Political Science)
  1. An overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.00
  2. A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.25 in courses in the major
  3. Successful completion of the thesis (HP443)
  4. Completion of any portfolio requirements
  5. ADOLESCENCE EDUCATION: SOCIAL STUDIES PROGRAM: Minimum GPA of 3.00.

Pre-Law Studies

At Daemen College, Pre-Law Studies is housed in the History and Political Science Department. Guidance in preparing for applying to law school and a career in law are available, along with advice and resources to prepare for LSAT exams. Many students who are interested in Pre-Law choose to major in History and/or Political Science. However, many other fields in the liberal arts, sciences, and business can provide a sound preparation for the legal profession. A rigorous Pre-Law minor is available to provide students with a broad pre-law preparation. This minor is open to students pursing any major.

VISIT OUR PRE LAW STUDENT ASSOCIATION WEBSITE

Mission Statement

The History and Political Science faculty is guided by the philosophy that how students learn is as important as what they learn. The study of history and political science helps to develop “higher order” thinking and transferable skills, producing citizens who become participants and leaders in their communities and the world. The intellectual abilities that will be nurtured by our department for use in the professional world include: learning to analyze and think critically about the past and the present; the ability to read and grasp essential ideas in print, visual and electronic media; feeling at home in the world of ideas; speaking and writing clearly and forcefully; doing productive research; examining a problem from many different angles often from opposing points of view; combining factual analysis with deductive and inductive reasoning; constructing logical arguments and spotting flawed reasoning; employing comparative analysis relating the past to the present; and fostering an appreciation for diversity both locally and globally and an understanding of the history and culture of other peoples.

Student Learning Objectives

Students receiving a degree in any of the majors within the History and Political Science Department, will be able to:

  1.  Identify major social, political, economic, geographic, technological, and cultural developments and concepts in history and political science and be able to place them within the appropriate cultural and temporal context.
  2. Make connections between historical events and current social, political, economic, geographic, technological and cultural issues and be able to analyze how historical and political events are the result of multiple and integrated causes.
  3. Recognize the diversity of humankind and the multiplicity of cultures that are found locally, nationally and globally.
  4. Develop awareness as a global citizen and be able to analyze the complexity of current world issues and events in a global context.
  5. Identify the changing interpretations of historical events in the works of historians and political scientists.
  6. Recognize the value of diversity, and the diversity of values, in public discourse and interpretation of historic and political events.
  7. Exhibit political efficacy and civic responsibility in an informed manner.
  8. Employ the scientific approach (i.e., critically analyze the argumentation, data, evidence cited, interpretations, and conclusions of historical and political scholarship) in studying history, political behavior and public policy.
  9. Generate, develop, present and defend a thesis in both oral and written form through argumentation supported by detailed valid and reliable evidence from a multiplicity of written, visual and oral sources.
  10. Pursue employment in related professions, advanced graduate studies and/or professional training.