Students who take courses in history will be better prepared to master the art, literature, languages and even business of the West, while the political science department provides students with a broad education in politics and government. Averett also offers a combined major in history and politics, which provides students with a foundation in European and American history along with in-depth study of the theory and practice of politics. Students choosing this major will be prepared for careers in business, the non-profit sector or government service.

The history department focuses on modern and western history and the faculty's specializations are in European and American history. The political science department offers a well-rounded focus that includes the major areas of political philosophy, comparative government, international relations, foreign policy and American government.