Advising

Professor Peter B. Levy
Office, Life Science, 304
Hours, M & W 1-3, Tu & Th 1-2, or by appointment
Phone: ext. 1497
email Plevy@ycp.edu

Introduction:

Information regarding advising will be posted periodically on this page. Professor Levy's recommends that advisees visit
it on a regular basis. All advisees are strongly encouraged to meet with Professor Levy in Life Science, 331, during
scheduling. A list of sign-up times for advising during the scheduling period will be posted on this page and on his office door.
In addition, Professor Levy encourages advisees to visit him regarding other questions they have, regarding their classes,
choice of majors and minors, careers, internships, and/or other issues that arise.

Career Information:
General:
Students often ask "what can I do with a history major?" Most simply, my answer is anything. Majors in history can teach, go to law or graduate school in business or an assortment of other fields, work in the business world, government, private and public sector. Those who have majored in history have gone on to become President, most prominently Woodrow Wilson and Teddy Roosevelt, both of whom were professional historians, headed Fortune 500 companies and commanded armies. More practically, students should visit Career Services , preferably early in their York College career. Let me reiterate, a history major does not limit one to a career as a teacher or an archivist. Only five out of sixteen students who entered graduate school with me completed their Ph.D.'s. The other eleven went on to careers in various fields, almost all of which paid very well. This included working in the field of public relations for one of the most prominent public relations firms in the nation, real estate appraisal for Chase Manhattan Bank, and the state department as the undersecretary for political and cultural affairs in several countries. Just remember, that as an historian you will develop skills that are valued in the "real world." I also encourage you to become involved in extra-curricular activities, from the newspaper to community service. Who knows what these activities might lead to?

Teaching:
One obvious career for history majors is to teach, particularly at the middle and high school level. Those who are certain that they want to tech are encouraged to consider taking on a double major, in secondary education Citizenship and History. It is possible to graduate with a B.A. and this double major without spending any extra time at York College. Please consult with me about this possibility if you are interested. For more information on teaching check out the website HeyTeach.org . This site has information about getting a teaching certificate in Pennsylvania. It also contains information on how one can get a teaching job without an undergraduate degree in education. This site also has many links to other valuable teching sites. A less obvious path to a career in teaching, is to explore the possibility of teaching in a private or independent school. A good place to explore this possibility is to peruse the National Independent School Website
Still another possibility, it to get a job in a public school through the Teach for America program
In addition, there are opportunities to get some teaching experience by teaching abroad. For example, the CIEE offers those with B.A. degrees an opportunity to teach English in various countries, such as in China
Additional information about teaching abroad can be found at a website on Teaching Abroad maintained by the U.S. State Department.

If you already know you want to teach, please feel free to me about the requirments for a degree in Secondary Education Citizenship, the possibility of double majoring in Secondary Education and History, and any other concern you might have about your program of study and career plans. Among the valuable web sites you may wich to consult are: the York College Web site on teaching requirements , the web site maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Education , and the Listing of State Department of Education links maintained by the University of Del. As I only recently became the coordinator of the Secondary Education Citizenship major program, you can expect me to update this information in the near future.

Graduate School:
Another possibility is graduate school. Students interested in graduate school are strongly encouraged to meet with Professor Levy to discuss the range of options and the process of applying to graduate school. In addition to going to graduate school in history, other related fields are Public History, Historical Preservation, Archival Management, and Library Science. History is also an excellent major for those interested in attending law school.

Americorps:
Still another possibility is to work for Americorps or related programs. Graduates who go to work for Americorps gain valuable experience, serve their country and community, and earn money and funds for graduate school. For more information visit the Americorps website .

Internships:
One way to better determine what you might want to do for a living and to enhance your employment opportunities is to work as an intern. You can earn college credit and/or intern on your own. Internships do not have to be in the field of history and they can be taken over the summer. Career Services provides information on internships; students may also develop a new internship on their own (with the approval of a faculty sponsor). Students should also consult the college catalog for guidelines on internships. A valuable website on internships and career opportunities, particularly in Pennsylvania and the mid-Atlantic states has been assembled by the University of Pittsburgh. Still another website on careers for history majors has been assembled by Portland State University.

National Parks and Museums
Still another possibility is to consider working at a National Park or a musuem. Remember, many national parks, from Gettysburg to the Mall in Philadelphia, are historic in nature. Often, one way to gain entry to such jobs is to intern or volunteer as a seasonal employee at one of these parks in the summer months. For more on Employment with the National Parks check out the National Parks system's web site and follow its links.