History BA
Total Units Required: 120
The student of history is a traveler in many lands. Like all travel, the study of the past broadens and enriches the human mind and provides us new perspectives on our lives today. The Bachelor of Arts in History offers two options for approaching this vital study. The social science pre-credential option is designed for students whose love of history leads them to teach history and social studies in secondary schools, while the general option attracts history enthusiasts considering a variety of careers (in business, law, museums, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and more).
Grading Requirement
All courses taken to fulfill program course requirements must be taken for a letter grade except those courses specified by the department as credit/no credit grading only.
Course Requirements for the Major: 46-61 units
Completion of the following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, is required of all candidates for this degree. Courses in this program may complete more than one graduation requirement.
Some courses appear under more than one heading, but each course may be used to fulfill requirements in only one area.
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Major Core | ||
| HIST 101 | World History to 1400 | 3 |
| HIST 102 | World History since 1400 | 3 |
| HIST 300W | Historians and Historical Methodology (W) | 3 |
| HIST 345 | Race, Power, and Privilege in American History | 3 |
| HIST 490W | Seminar: Historical Research (W) | 3 |
| Core Electives | ||
| No more than 3 units may be taken at the 200 level. | ||
| Premodern: | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Greek History | ||
| Roman Empire | ||
| The Age of Caesar and Augustus | ||
| Middle Eastern Empires | ||
| Middle Eastern Empires (W) | ||
| Premodern East Asia | ||
| Europe: | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Romans of the East: The Byzantine Empire | ||
| Medieval Europe | ||
| Modern Europe | ||
| Russian and Soviet History | ||
| Gender and Sexuality in Modern European History | ||
| Modern Germany: From Unification to Reunification | ||
| The Scientific Revolution | ||
| Renaissance and Reformations | ||
| Enlightenment and Revolutions | ||
| Gender, Sex, and Power in the Soviet and Post-Soviet World | ||
| Extreme Politics: Communism, Fascism, and Nazism in 20th Century Europe | ||
| Global: | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Global Environmental History (W) | ||
| Islam and the World | ||
| Catastrophe, Memory, and Society | ||
| Food in World History | ||
| Introduction to Digital History | ||
| Muhammad and the Qur'an | ||
| The Modern Middle East | ||
| Modern East Asia | ||
| Colonial Latin America | ||
| Modern Latin America | ||
| Modern Mexico | ||
| Modern Mexico (W) | ||
| Islamic Civilization | ||
| Asia and the City | ||
| Modern Korea | ||
| Modern China | ||
| Social Revolution in Latin America | ||
| Native Latin Americans | ||
| History, Memory, and Nationalism | ||
| Early United States: | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| American Indian Histories Past and Present | ||
| Early American History | ||
| Nineteenth-Century US History | ||
| Popular Memory and Commemoration in Early America | ||
| The American Revolution | ||
| The Early American Republic | ||
| The Civil War and Reconstruction | ||
| The Westward Movement | ||
| Gender and Sexuality in Early America | ||
| History of the American South | ||
| Material Culture | ||
| Modern United States: | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| African American History | ||
| Mexican American History | ||
| Museums, Monuments, and Memorials: A Reckoning | ||
| Music and the Politics of Race in US History | ||
| Gender and Sexuality in American History | ||
| Volatile Decade: America in the 1960s | ||
| Twentieth-Century US History | ||
| Topics in Contemporary US History | ||
| Twentieth-Century War in American Society | ||
| Major Option | ||
| Select one of the following options: | 13-28 | |
| Total Units | 46-61 | |
Major Option Course Requirements
Students must select one of the following options for completion of the major course requirements.
The General History Option: 13 units
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Course Requirements | ||
| HIST 310 | Careers for Historians | 1 |
| Public History 1 | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Museums, Monuments, and Memorials: A Reckoning | ||
| Introduction to Digital History | ||
| Popular Memory and Commemoration in Early America | ||
| Internship in Public History | ||
| Archival Research Seminar | ||
| History, Memory, and Nationalism | ||
| Introduction to Public History | ||
| Material Culture | ||
| Upper Division Electives 1 | ||
| Select three of the following: | 9 | |
| Renaissance and Reformations | ||
| Enlightenment and Revolutions | ||
| Gender, Sex, and Power in the Soviet and Post-Soviet World | ||
| Extreme Politics: Communism, Fascism, and Nazism in 20th Century Europe | ||
| Popular Memory and Commemoration in Early America | ||
| The American Revolution | ||
| The Early American Republic | ||
| The Civil War and Reconstruction | ||
| Twentieth-Century War in American Society | ||
| The Westward Movement | ||
| Gender and Sexuality in Early America | ||
| History of California | ||
| History of the American South | ||
| Islamic Civilization | ||
| Asia and the City | ||
| Modern Korea | ||
| Modern China | ||
| Social Revolution in Latin America | ||
| Native Latin Americans | ||
| Internship in Public History | ||
| Archival Research Seminar | ||
| Introduction to Public History | ||
| Material Culture | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Total Units | 13 | |
- 1
Some courses appear under more than one heading, but each course may be used to fulfill requirements in only one area.
The Social Science Pre-Credential Option: 28 units
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Course Requirements | ||
| History | ||
| HIST 313 | Early Modern History | 3 |
| HIST 445 | History of California | 3 |
| HIST 495 | Portfolio Evaluation | 1 |
| Economics | ||
| ECON 102 | Principles of Macroeconomic Analysis | 3 |
| ECON 103 | Principles of Microeconomic Analysis | 3 |
| Education | ||
| EDTE 255 | Introduction to Democratic Perspectives in K-12 Teaching | 3 |
| Geography | ||
| GEOG 352 | The United States | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Global Economic Geography (W) | ||
| Geography and World Affairs | ||
| Spatial Concepts: Geographical Patterns and Processes | ||
| Political Science | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| State and Local Government | ||
| Interest Groups and Lobbying | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Constitutional Law: Powers and Restraints | ||
| Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Civil Liberties | ||
| American Political Thought | ||
| Total Units | 28 | |
History and Art History Double Major
Students may elect a History and Art History double major. Up to nine units of appropriate upper-division Art History (ARTH) courses may be applied to the History major. Prior approval by a department advisor and the chair is required.
History and Economics Double Major
Students may elect a History and Economics double major. Up to six units of appropriate upper-division Economics (ECON) courses may be applied to the History major. Prior approval by a department advisor and the chair is required.
History and Geography Double Major
Students may elect a History and Geography double major. Up to nine units of appropriate upper-division Geography (GEOG) courses may be applied to the History major. Prior approval by a department advisor and the chair is required.
Electives Requirement
To complete the total units required for the bachelor's degree, select additional elective courses from the total University offerings. You should consult with an advisor regarding the selection of courses which will provide breadth to your University experience and possibly apply to a supportive second major or minor.
Honors in the Major
Honors in the Major is a program of independent work in your major. It requires six units of honors coursework completed over two semesters.
The Honors in the Major program allows you to work closely with a faculty mentor in your area of interest on an original performance or research project. This year-long collaboration allows you to work in your field at a professional level and culminates in a public presentation of your work. Students sometimes take their projects beyond the University for submission in professional journals, presentation at conferences, or academic competition. Such experience is valuable for graduate school and professional life. Your honors work will be recognized at your graduation, on your permanent transcripts, and on your diploma. It is often accompanied by letters of commendation from your mentor in the department or the department chair.
Some common features of Honors in the Major program are:
- You must take six units of Honors in the Major coursework. All six units are honors courses (marked by a suffix of H), and at least three of these units are independent study (399H, 499H, 599H) as specified by your department. You must complete each course with a minimum grade of B.
- You must have completed 9 units of upper-division coursework or 21 overall units in your major before you can be admitted to Honors in the Major. Check the requirements for your major carefully, as there may be specific courses that must be included in these units.
- Your cumulative GPA should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5% of majors in your department.
- Your GPA in your major should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5% of majors in your department.
- Most students apply for or are invited to participate in Honors in the Major during the second semester of their junior year. Then they complete the six units of coursework over the two semesters of their senior year.
- Your honors work culminates with a public presentation of your honors project.
Honors in the Major is not part of the Honors Program. Each department administers its own program. Please contact your major department or major advisor to apply.
See Bachelor's Degree Requirements for complete details on general degree requirements. A minimum of 39 units, including those required for the major, must be upper division.
General Education Requirements: 48 units
See General Education and the Class Schedule for the most current information on General Education Requirements and course offerings.
Diversity Course Requirements: 6 units
You must complete a minimum of two courses that focus primarily on cultural diversity. At least one course must be in US Diversity (USD) and at least one in Global Cultures (GC). See Diversity Requirements for a full list of courses. Most courses taken to satisfy these requirements may also apply to General Education.
Upper-Division Writing Requirement
Writing Across the Curriculum (EM 17-009) is a graduation requirement and may be demonstrated through satisfactory completion of four Writing (W) courses, two of which are designated by the major department. See Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning and Writing Requirements for more details on the four courses. The first of the major designated Writing (W) courses is listed below.
- HIST 300W Historians and Historical Methodology (W)
The second major-designated Writing course is the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GW) (EO 665). Students must earn a C- or higher to receive GW credit. The GE Written Communication (A2) requirement must be completed before a student is permitted to register for a GW course.