History major (36 credit hours total)

Requirements for a history major consist of 36 credit hours distributed as follows:

Total credit hours required for graduation: (120)

Courses taken to fulfill the requirements listed above must include:

• At least two courses, at the 300 level or above, with primary chronological emphasis prior to 1800
• At least one course, at the 300 level or above, from each of the following three areas: U.S., European, and neither US nor European history.

Students are urged to consult with advisors and other faculty members in order to develop programs that best suit their interests and needs. Students are encouraged to develop an area of concentration within their upper-division courses (300-, 400- and 500-level). These areas might involve a geographical focus (e.g., the Americas – including the U.S., Europe, or Asia) or a thematic emphasis (e.g., military history, STEM history, gender history).

Double majors

Students earning double majors may satisfy the requirements with 30 credit hours in history. The remaining 6 credit hours will be waived by the completion of an additional major. The distribution requirements are the same as for the standard history major with one exception: Requirement III is changed to read ”upper-division courses 15 credit hours.” Students will need to complete six credit hours at the 300+ level, and nine credit hours at the 400+ level for the double major option.
 

Dual majors and teacher licensure

Students majoring in history may also prepare for teacher licensure in Secondary Education-Social Sciences (EDSST) Teacher Licensure program. Dual major students must complete the full History major, but may choose to reduce their general Arts & Sciences requirements. They should select their courses in consultation with advisors in both the history department and the College of Education to ensure that they meet the requirements of both programs. See the Department of Curriculum and Instruction for social science licensure requirements.

Advanced program in history

Certain highly qualified students may elect to define their own programs for the major in consultation with a committee of three faculty members chosen by the student and approved by the head. This program of study should be broadly conceived, not narrowly circumscribed. This option is available to students seeking a BA or BS degree in history. To enter this program a student must have a GPA of 3.5 at the end of the freshman year or later, submit two letters of recommendation and a statement of purpose, and receive approval from the undergraduate studies committee.

A student selecting this option must enroll prior to his or her senior year and meet the following minimum requirements:

• Write a senior thesis (6 credit hours over one or two semesters);
• Pass an oral examination over a specific body of historical knowledge, the scope of which will be defined by the student in consultation with the faculty committee;
• Enroll in 30 hours of history courses (24 credit hours for double majors and teacher education students), including the HIST 586, to be selected by the student in consultation with the faculty committee. Students are encouraged to supplement regular course offerings with tutorial instruction.