Major in History (students enrolled before 2015)

Students majoring in history take 39 credit hours (thirteen 3-credit courses), of which at least 18 (six 3-credit courses) must be at the 300 or 400 level. Two courses are required: History as Art and Science (HS 261), ideally in the sophomore year, and either Senior Seminar in History (HS 490) or Senior Thesis (HS 491), as seniors. As a major, you may choose the rest of your course of study as you please, so long as you enroll in at least two courses in each of the following areas:

United States
Europe
Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Majors also must take at least two courses that concentrate in the pre-1800 period, and two in the post-1800 period.

39 credit hours will allow you to immerse yourself in a wide variety of courses while also providing you with the opportunity to focus on an area of interest to you. It is also a manageable number of credits that will allow you to add a minor or concentration (or two), or even a double major.

As a History Major, you will be assigned a full-time faculty member in the department as your adviser. With your adviser, you will develop a concentration on a historical period, theme, or geographical era that suits your interests. We encourage majors to seek experiential learning opportunities such as internships at a local historical society or museum, course- or service-related travel experiences, or other opportunities. Pertinent courses from other departments may be included in the major program upon the written approval of your major adviser

Combining a History Major with a second major, minor, or concentration complementing your interests–and with an experiential learning component or internship–puts you in an excellent position to enter careers in law, business, secondary education, social service professions, non-profit organizations, or graduate study in history.

For students working toward licensure in secondary education, careful and early planning in consultation with the Department of Education and the academic advisor is essential. These programs may require work beyond the normal four years. For students in the Integrated Social Studies teaching licensure program, 12 hours at the 300 and 400 level satisfy major requirements. Please see the AYA Course Checklist here.

To declare a History Major, complete the declaration of major form here. Bring a copy to the department administrative assistant or Chair along with a degree evaluation printed from Banner, and that’s it!