<p>I'm an accepted student and I'm trying to decide between Haverford and Vassar. I'm trying to learn more about the majors I'm interested in at Haverford. I've done some research, etc., but the students I talked to on campus were mostly majoring in the sciences, so I didn't hear much about the humanities and social sciences. I know it's late to be asking, but I'd love to hear anything you can tell me about the history department, classes, and teachers. Also, if you know anything about the political science department, I'd be happy to hear about that as well. I know that the academics are very strong at Haverford, but I just haven't had the chance to learn much about specific departments or classes.</p>
<p>Thank you!</p>
<p>There are a lot of science majors but there are more humanities majors. It’s a strong academic environment, I’m sure the History department is great and I remember the PoliSci department, in particular, is excellent. The History of Art and Archaeology departments at Bryn Mawr are also excellent, if you’re interested in taking classes in those areas.</p>
<p>Thanks for the input! 
Yes, it’s funny–I knew there were lots of humanties majors on campus, I just happened to be talking to all the science/math ones somehow! ;)</p>
<p>I’ve heard great things about Bryn Mawr’s Art History and Archaeology departments, so that’s a good resource to have.</p>
<p>If anyone else has any knowledge of the History department/classes, that would be great!</p>
<p>While HC’s sciences are noteworthy among LACs (I’m thinking I really don’t need to keep on nagging this point anymore), political science and history can hold their own as well… but strong political science and history programs are somewhat more bread and butter among top LACs IMO so there’s less to say. There are several things that I think make studying these fields at HC particularly great. </p>
<p>The 1st is that HC is close to Washington DC and in the north east corridor that makes visiting lecturers more available to students at all times of they year (even in the middle of winter when other schools are snowed in)… these people range from distinguished academics from major research universities, politicians, activists and a few Nobel Laureates sprinkled here and there. These people who visit HC and BMC really add depth to the theories and facts learned in the classroom and makes for a dynamic curriculum. At the same time, geographic proximity allows students to engage theory as well by getting off campus. This “open campus” is one of HC’s greatest attributes and few colleges, because of their remote location, have this.</p>
<p>The 2nd is HC’s relationship with BMC. The coursework provided in the bi-college is that of a school of 2500 students but at the same time you can have the small feel of a 1200 student body campus as well if you want. Be a sociology major and take a few urban planning classes at BMC or engage in their grad school of social research, be a classics major and have the rare opportunity of complimenting your classics curriculum with archeology, double major in chemistry and geology if interested in environmental chemistry, have the opportunity to decide to specialize in behavioral psychology (HC) or developmental psychology (BMC), ect, ect, ect.</p>
<p>The 3rd is that HC strives to put the education one gets in context of something greater than knowledge for the sake of knowledge. Given HC’s roots in social justice and activism, I think this would make studying political science or history particularly interesting. I know even in a few of the molecular bio classes I took, there was always some social bent or life application stressed in what we learned. I don’t believe many other colleges have this tradition or do it to the same degree as HC and the other Quaker schools.</p>
<p>[Haverford</a> College: Center for Peace & Global Citizenship](<a href=“http://www.haverford.edu/CPGC/]Haverford”>http://www.haverford.edu/CPGC/)
[Haverford</a> College News Room](<a href=“http://www.haverford.edu/multimedia/video/2008June/digging/]Haverford”>http://www.haverford.edu/multimedia/video/2008June/digging/)
[Haverford</a> College News Room](<a href=“http://www.haverford.edu/news/stories/19481/51]Haverford”>http://www.haverford.edu/news/stories/19481/51)
[Haverford</a> College: Department of History : Welcome](<a href=“http://www.haverford.edu/history/alumni/]Haverford”>http://www.haverford.edu/history/alumni/)</p>