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Department of History

From disaster preparedness to nanoscience to food security, Drexel's Department of History is embroiled in some of the most critical issues of our day.

In the Department of History at Drexel University, our students learn through experience — from full-time co-op positions in archives, museums and other sites, to conducting and presenting original research, to visiting sites of historical significance. The department has particular strengths in the History of Science, Technology and the Environment, and in Global History.

Historians are not traditional scientists; there are no experiments we conduct that can predict future events — we have no theories of evolution or universal gravitation to guide us. Instead, we have the historical record — this is our laboratory. Though we are often looking at events and people long past and dead, historians are often embroiled in the most heated political arguments of our day. This is especially true in a democracy, where the open discussion of history and shared values is necessary, and where this discussion constantly defines and redefines public policy and democratic practice. In other words, the practice of history is also the practice of democracy. Does this kind of learning, research and debate interest you? If so, you are in the right place.

The Drexel Co-Op

Through Drexel's renowned cooperative education program, students embark on six-month periods of full-time employment, exploring their career options, strengthening their résumés and building a professional network in the process.

Learn More About the Drexel Co-op Program

student Nathaniel “Bucky” Stanton
“What makes history the study of history is not the assemblage of facts, it is the debate over the facts, the interpretation of what we know. Much is revealed not only about the past, but also about ourselves and our modern perspective.”
Nathaniel “Bucky” StantonBA history ‘16
Graduate Student, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Meet more history alumni

Recent News

  • CoAS faculty published many books in 2022

    Celebrating CoAS Authors

    Congratulations to the College of Arts and Sciences faculty and students who were honored at the 11th annual Celebrating Drexel Authors event. Hosted by the Drexel University Libraries and the Office of the Provost, this event recognized members of the Drexel community who authored or edited books or highly-cited journal articles in 2022. 

  • Jamie Clifford A Passion for Research: Meet History and Art History Major Jamie Clifford From the small class sizes and personal attention from professors to the research opportunities, co-op and flexibility in course selection, studying history at Drexel has been a great experience for Jamie Clifford. Learn how these experiences have prepared Clifford for a future in graduate school and museum curation.
  • Alina Palimaru sits at a desk in front of a computer History Alum Alina Palimaru ’08
    Works to De-Radicalize Violent Extremists
    With extremism on the rise, Drexel history alumna Alina Palimaru ’08 has turned her work to addressing it. The associate research analyst at the RAND Corporation will deliver a virtual talk on the topic on Thursday, November 18. Here she discusses the importance of studying history, her current work, truth decay and her least favorite memory of Drexel, among other things.
  • Library shelves featuring grey archival boxes History Co-ops Dive Deep into Drexel Archives Over the spring and summer Teaching Professor of History Lloyd Ackert, PhD, mentored a diverse group of co-op students in research projects centered on three Drexel archives and special collections. Exploring the archives of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Legacy Center and the Schramm Inc. Collection at University Libraries, the twenty-two co-op students investigated their own unique and individualized research projects based on their background, interests and career plans.
  • Blue Drexel dragon logo CoAS Accomplishments in Brief We are pleased to recognize the recent grants, publications, presentations, awards and honors of the members of the College of Arts and Sciences.

More News

Upcoming Events

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Prospective Students

Please email coas@drexel.edu or call us at 215.895.1805 with any questions you may have. We look forward to hearing from you!


Undergraduate Advising

Kate Hughes, Associate Director of Advising and Student Success, Drexel University College of Arts and Sciences

Kate Hughes

Associate Director of Programming and Partnerships
Academic Building, 311
215.895.1208 | kfh28@drexel.edu

Contact Us

Department of History

3025 MacAlister Hall
3250-60 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
215.895.2463 | history@drexel.edu