Course descriptionThe History Department's Undergraduate Program consists of 16 courses in history (six lower-division - the "Preparation for the Major," including the pre-major requirements; and ten upper-division - the "Major"). Students must complete the history pre-major before applying for admission to the major.
Preparation for the Major, Including the History Pre-Major
Required for the pre-major: Three courses including two Western Civilization (History 1A, 1B, 1C) or two in World History (History 20, 21, 22); and History 97 (or 96W).
All prep for the major classes must be taken for a letter grade. After completing the three required courses for the pre-major with a minimum grade-point average of 2.0, the student should petition to enter the major at the Department's Undergraduate Counseling Office in 6248 Bunche Hall. Transfer credit for the pre-major courses is subject to department approval. Transfer students should consult the undergraduate counselor before entering any courses for the major.
Preparation for the Major: In addition to the three courses required in the pre-major, three additional lower-division history courses are required as preparation for the major. These three lower-division requirements can be substituted with upper-division history courses. See the Undergraduate Advisor for a list of appropriate substitutes. NOTE: Students cannot take substitutes for any of they courses required for the pre-major (1A-1B-1C; 20, 21, 22; 97).
The Major
Required: In addition to the preparation for the major, history majors must take at least ten additional courses in history at the upper-division level. The following courses are required of all majors.
1.
Two courses in U.S. History
2.
Two courses in non-Western history from the same field (Asia, Africa, Latin America, Near and Middle East)
3.
Two courses in European History
4.
History 191
NOTE: The requirements for U.S., non-Western, and European history may be fulfilled with either lower or upper-division courses, but majors are required to take a minimum of ten upper-division courses in history.
All courses connected to the major must be taken for a letter grade (i.e., no major courses can be taken on a Pass/No Pass basis).
No more than two History 191's and/or 197's may be taken for letter grades and count towards the Major.
There is no language requirement for the major; however, students wishing to enter the honors program or planning to do graduate work in history are urged to pursue language study early in their undergraduate careers.