History, B.A.

Major Requirements (48 Total Credits)

Forty-eight (48) credit hours are required in the major. Students are required to take two courses in the U.S. Concentration (at the 200 level or higher), four courses in the Global Concentration (at the 200 level or higher), three courses in Methods and Research, and 12 additional credits in history courses of the students’ choosing. Students must have a grade of C- or better for the courses to count towards the completion of the major requirements.

World Language Requirement

For specific information about world language requirements and expectations, see the General Education Requirements  in the Academic Programs section of this catalog.

General Education Requirements

For specific information about general education requirements and expectations, see the General Education Requirements  in the Academic Programs section of this catalog.

Minimum Total Credits for The Degree: 128

Learning Goals and Assessment

Learning Goals:

This program encourages students to step outside their own cultural and social experiences to examine past events with new eyes, realizing there are multiple perspectives on the meaning of historical events and their impact on the present and future.

• Students will become proficient in the development of a historical argument;
• Students will become independent historical researchers;
• Students will be able to think critically about the human condition in the wider world; and
• Students will learn to work with others, including other students as well as members of the community and history professionals.

Assessment Criteria:

• Students will write essays in exams, make presentations in class, and write research papers using primary and secondary sources. Evaluation by individual faculty members teaching upper-division courses focuses on student proficiency of argument development, writing, and verbal skills.
• Introductory and upper-division courses provide exposure to historical evidence, including independent or collective research. HTY 400  offers in-depth historiographical and methodological strategies for independent research in history. A student in HTY 400  will plan and carry out a research project that will measure the student’s abilities as a researcher.
• History courses may require reaction papers and include opportunities for class discussion, during which students are expected to apply what they know about the historical content of the class. The student will periodically be given an opportunity to participate in planning visits by outside speakers to class and campus.
• The student will learn to work with others, including other students as well as members of the community and history professionals. The student will be provided with opportunities for internships. HTY 400  requires that students evaluate others’ written work based on prevailing standards of the profession. Written analysis from students is required in all of these activities.
• Similarly, internships will be evaluated upon consultation with the student’s supervisor and the student’s own assessment of the experience.