History BA
Total Units Required: 120
The study of history is a journey across many lands and times. Like all travel, the study broadens the mind, enriches understanding, and offers new perspectives on the present. The Bachelor of Arts in History invites you on this journey through two options. The social science pre-credential option is for those who wish to share their passion by teaching history and social studies in secondary schools. The general option is for history enthusiasts considering careers in business, law, museums, government, nonprofit organizations, and more.
Advising Requirement
Advising is mandatory for this program. Consult your department advisor or program coordinator for information.
E-advising Tools
Use the interactive e-advising tools designed to help students graduate within four years. These tools can be accessed through the Student Center in the Portal.
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.
Some courses require a minimum grade to progress in the program. Minimum grade requirements, including those listed on course requisites, are considered graduation requirements.
Course Requirements for the Major: 46-54 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 | |
| Roman Empire | ||
| The Age of Caesar and Augustus | ||
| Romans of the East: The Byzantine Empire | ||
| Middle Eastern Empires | ||
| Premodern East Asia | ||
| Pompeii and the Roman City | ||
| Greek History and Material Culture | ||
| Europe: | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| 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 | ||
| Extreme Politics: Communism, Fascism, and Nazism in 20th Century Europe | ||
| Global: | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| 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 | ||
| The Struggle for Palestine | ||
| Asia and the City | ||
| Modern Korea | ||
| 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 | ||
| Gender and Sexuality in Early America | ||
| Material Culture in Early America | ||
| 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: | 13-21 | |
| Total Units | 46-54 | |
Major Option Course Requirements
Select at least one of the following options to complete 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 | |
| Introduction to Public History | ||
| Museums, Monuments, and Memorials: A Reckoning | ||
| Introduction to Digital History | ||
| Popular Memory and Commemoration in Early America | ||
| Internship in Public History | ||
| Oral History and Community Memory | ||
| Archival Voices and Silences | ||
| History, Memory, and Nationalism | ||
| Material Culture in Early America | ||
| Upper Division Electives 1 | ||
| Select three of the following: | 9 | |
| Renaissance and Reformations | ||
| Enlightenment and Revolutions | ||
| Pompeii and the Roman City | ||
| 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 | ||
| Gender and Sexuality in Early America | ||
| History of California | ||
| The Struggle for Palestine | ||
| Asia and the City | ||
| Modern Korea | ||
| Social Revolution in Latin America | ||
| Native Latin Americans | ||
| Internship in Public History | ||
| Oral History and Community Memory | ||
| Archival Voices and Silences | ||
| Material Culture in Early America | ||
| 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: 21 units
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Course Requirements | ||
| History | ||
| HIST 445 | History of California | 3 |
| Select three units from the general option's Upper Division Electives section. | 3 | |
| Economics | ||
| ECON 102 | Principles of Macroeconomic Analysis | 3 |
| ECON 103 | Principles of Microeconomic Analysis | 3 |
| Education | ||
| EDTE 255 | Introduction to Democratic Perspectives in TK-12 Teaching | 3 |
| 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 | 21 | |
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. Consult with an advisor to help select courses that provide breadth to your University experience and possibly help satisfy credential, professional, or graduate school prerequisites or support completion of a 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: 43 units
See General Education and the Class Schedule for the most current information on General Education requirements and course offerings.
American Institutions Course Requirements: 6 units
The American Institutions graduation requirement, as mandated in Title 5, Section 40404, requires that students satisfactorily complete courses in United States history, the US Constitution, and government and American ideals (including California state and local government). At Chico State, HIST 130 meets the US history requirement (US-1), and POLS 155 meets the US Constitution and government requirement (US-2) and the California state and local government requirement (US-3). POLS 155 also fulfills three units of GE Area 4, Social and Behavioral Sciences. See Bachelor’s Degree Requirements for more information.
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. Many courses taken to satisfy these requirements may also apply to General Education.
Upper-Division Writing Requirement
Writing Across the Curriculum (EM 17-009) requires you to take four Writing (W) courses, two of which are upper-division courses designated for your major. Specifically, you must:
- Take one Writing (W) course.
- Take one Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GW) course.
- Complete a GE English Composition (1A) course before taking the GW course.
- Earn a grade of C- or higher to receive GW credit.
See Writing and Math Requirements for details on additional writing requirements you need to complete for graduation.
Major-Designated Courses
Writing (W) Course
- HIST 300W Historians and Historical Methodology (W)
GWAR (GW) Course
- HIST 490W Seminar: Historical Research (W)
Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) are clear, measurable statements that describe how students demonstrate mastery of the knowledge, skills, and values of the discipline as appropriate to the degree. Graduates of this program are expected to achieve the following PLOs:
- Communicate historical knowledge, interpretations, and arguments clearly and effectively in their work.
- Demonstrate an understanding of political, social, cultural, economic, gender, and environmental history.
- Formulate research questions and strategies, conduct research using print and digital tools and resources, and properly incorporate and cite primary and secondary sources as evidence.
- Identify historical arguments, evaluate them critically and ethically, and apply the study of the past to real world issues of contemporary concern, including structural racism, the erosion of democratic institutions, climate change, and the need for social justice.
- Demonstrate knowledge of diverse human experiences across time and space, reflecting an understanding of the histories of people of varied races and ethnicities, origins and nationalities, sexualities, gender identities, religions, socio-economic classes, and other intersectional identities.
- Engage in making the past accessible and relevant in the public sphere.