The History Major

History major Tyler Denison explores how Tibetan Buddhists view the intersection of environment and spirituality. See the Inquiry Journal for Tyler's article entitled Reaffirmation of "Ritual Cosmos": Tibetan Perceptions of Landscape and Socio-Economic Development in Southwest China

Undergraduate Major Requirements

To complete a major in history, students must take ten 4-credit history courses or their equivalent. To declare history, students must have taken for two history courses.  Majors must take HIST 500 Introduction to Historical Thinking and HIST 797, Colloquium in History.  Students must take History 500 as a prerequisite to taking History 797.  The colloquium is usually taken during the student's senior year. In addition to 500 and 797, a major must take at least eight courses, of which a minimum of three must be at the 600 level or above. Only one 695, Independent Study, may be used to fulfill the 600-level requirement, and no more than two independent study courses may count toward the ten-course requirements. No more than two 400-level courses may be counted toward the major requirements.

Students must receive at least a C in HIST 500 and a C- in HIST 797, and at least a C- in the other eight courses. They must maintain a 2.00 or better in all history courses. General education courses offered by the department may be counted for major credit or for general education credit, but not for both.

A student's program of study must include two parts:

(1) An area of specialization. A student must select at least four courses to serve as an area of specialization within the major. Up to two courses (each 4 credits or their equivalent) in the area of specialization may be taken in other departments; such courses must be 500 level or above and have the approval of the student's adviser. The area of specialization may be in a nation, region, a time period, or an interdisciplinary field.

(2) Complementary courses. A student must select, in consultation with his or her adviser, at least three history courses in fields outside the area of specialization, chosen to broaden his or her understanding of the range of history. Normally, each major should take at least one course from each of Groups I, II, and III, unless explicitly excused by the student's adviser.

The program must be planned in consultation with an adviser. A copy of the program, signed by one's adviser, must be placed in one's file no later than the second semester of one's junior year. Courses at the 700-level will be judged by the adviser as to their applicability for area of specialization or complementation. The program may be modified with the adviser's approval.

For transfer students, a minimum of five of the courses used to fulfill the major requirements must be taken at the University. One upper-level course may be transferred to satisfy the requirement that a major must take at least three courses numbered 600 or above. Transfer students must complete both HIST 500 or its equivalent and HIST 797.

Students intending further work in history beyond the bachelor's degree are urged to take HIST 775, Historical Methods.

Declaring a Major in History

Students entering the University as first-year or transfer students may declare a major in History as part of the Admissions process.

If you are a continuing student interested in declaring History as your major, you must first complete two history courses with a C- or better. Once you meet these prerequisites, please obtain a change of program form from the Registrar's Office or online and bring this form, plus your advising file from your previous major department, to the History Department in room 405 of the Horton Social Science Center.