History, BA

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

The purpose of the History major is to introduce to students the habits of mind that historians use to understand the past and its impact on the present. The major is structured in a way that it first allows students to enroll in broad, thematic classes where they can gain perspective on the variety of human experiences. As they progress in the major, they will then take more specialized classes that hone their analytical, writing, research, and critical thinking skills, and speak to their interests as students of the past and scholars in their own right. At the completion of the degree, history students will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of the development of human societies and cultures by paying special attention to the significant individuals, groups, institutions, ideas, and events that helped to shape political, social, and economic development in past societies. Moreover, history students will become proficient with finding, contextualizing, and analyzing primary source materials so that they can answer historical questions and, in their capstone course, answer a historical question in a lengthy research paper.

For more information about the History department, visit its website.

History Curriculum

	*Department and Number - Descriptive Title of Course*	Fall Cr.	*Spr. Cr.*
First Year
MAJOR	HIST 110 - (CH) History of the United States to 1877 — HIST 111 - (CH) History of the United States from Reconstruction to the Present	3	3
MAJOR	HIST 120 - (CH) Europe: 1500 to the Present — HIST 121 - (CH) Europe: 1815 to Present	3	3
GE WRTG	WRTG 107 - (FYW) Composition	3
GE C/IL	HIST 190 - (FYOC, FYDT) Digital History ¹	3
S/BH ELECT – GE QUAN	S/BH ELECT - Social/Behavioral Elective — QUAN ELECT - Quantitative Reasoning		6
GE PHIL–T/RS	PHIL 120 - Introduction to Philosophy — T/RS 121 - Theology I: Introduction to the Bible	3	3
GE FSEM	First Year Seminar ²
		15	15
Second Year
MAJOR	HIST 290 - (EPW) The Craft of the Historian	3
MAJOR	HIST ELECT - History Electives	3	6
COGNATE	COGNATE ELECT - Cognate Electives³	3	3
GE S/BH	S/BH ELECT - Social/Behavioral Elective		3
FREE ELECT	FREE ELECT - Free Elective	3
GE PHIL–T/RS	PHIL 210 - Ethics — T/RS 122 - Theology II: Introduction to Christian Theology	3	3
		15	15
Third Year
MAJOR	HIST ELECT - History Electives	6	3
COGNATE	COGNATE ELECT - Cognate Electives³	3	3
GE NSCI	NSCI ELECT - Natural Science Electives	3	3
GE HUMN	HUMN ELECT - Humanities Electives⁴	3	3
GE PHIL–T/RS	PHIL ELECT - Philosophy or T/RS ELECT - T/RS Elective		3
		15	15
Fourth Year
MAJOR	HIST 490 - (EPW) Seminar in History — HIST ELECT - History Elective	3	3
COGNATE	COGNATE ELECT - Cognate Electives³	6	6
GE ELECT	FREE ELECT - Free Electives	6	6
		15	15
	Total: 120 Credits

¹HIST 190 is recommended however, this requirement may be satisfied by any FYOC/FYDT Course.

²The selection of a First Year Seminar is likely to fulfill requirements both for the First Year Seminar and a General Education Requirement. Thus, the First Year Seminar will not add to the total credits for the semester. Talk with your advisor if you have any questions.

³ Students may use cognate electives to develop a second major.

⁴Humanities Electives may not be (CH).

History, BA

History Curriculum

First Year

Second Year

Third Year

Fourth Year

Total: 120 Credits