History is truly interdisciplinary in its enquiry and, of necessity, in the nature of the tools used to understand people in the past. Historians do not merely compile data to tell a sequential tale. To be informed as well as is possible is the prerequisite to the equally important task of interpretation. The goal of historians is thus multifaceted.
Students who choose to major in history receive the training to develop skills in a number of areas.
Some of them are how to research effectively; how to write on a complex topic in a way that is generally understandable, not mystifying; how to state one’s case orally as well as in written form; to discuss and defend one’s point of view drawing from evidence to substantiate and strengthen the argument; how to sift through large bodies of evidence to discover which is of more, which of lesser, importance to making sense of the topic; to develop the immensely valuable faculty of thinking historically, of seeing the fluidity and evolution over time of women, men, their attitudes and values, and the societies they have created and which contain them.
Many of those who majored in history have, over the years, been disproportionately represented in leadership roles in society. The training and skills instilled in history students are designed to develop the individual’s capacity for judgment and decision-making.
History Major
The number of courses required for the major is 14 (36-42 semester hours). At least six of these courses (18 semester hours) must be at the 300-level or above.
Required Courses
All of the following (7 sem. hrs.)
HIST 375 Writing History: Theory and Practice (3 sem. hrs.)
HIST 401 Senior Essay in History (3 sem. hrs.)
HIST 402 Senior Seminar in History (1 sem. hr.)
One of the following (3 sem. hrs.)
HIST 101 Introduction to World Civilizations, Antiquity to 1650 (3 sem. hrs.)
HIST 103 Introduction to World Civilizations, 1650-Present (3 sem. hrs.)
At least one of the following (3 sem. hrs.)
HIST 228 The Making of Modernity, 1815-1914 (3 sem. hrs.)
HIST 241 Interpreting U.S. History I (3 sem. hrs.)
HIST 242 Interpreting U.S. History II (3 sem. hrs.)
The following (3 sem. hrs.)
HIST 285 Topics in History (2-4 sem. hrs.)
Six additional courses, at least four of which must be at the 300-level or above. Courses counted toward the core may not be counted here. (14-20 sem. hrs.)
HIST 101 Introduction to World Civilizations, Antiquity to 1650 (3 sem. hrs.)
HIST 103 Introduction to World Civilizations, 1650-Present (3 sem. hrs.)
HIST 210 Women and Gender in Europe, 1550-Present (3 sem. hrs.)
HIST 212 Introduction to the History of Science (3 sem. hrs.)
HIST 215 The Growth of Industrial Society, 1750-Present (3 sem. hrs.)
HIST 228 The Making of Modernity, 1815-1914 (3 sem. hrs.)
HIST 229 20th Century Europe and the World (3 sem. hrs.)
HIST 241 Interpreting U.S. History I (3 sem. hrs.)
HIST 242 Interpreting U.S. History II (3 sem. hrs.)
HIST 245 Civil War and Reconstruction (3 sem. hrs.)
HIST 290 Internship in History (2-4 sem. hrs.)
HIST 310 Colonial and Revolutionary America (3 sem. hrs.)
HIST 325 The African American Experience (3 sem. hrs.)
HIST 327 The Gilded Age and Progressive Era (3 sem. hrs.)
HIST 328 The Early American Republic (3 sem. hrs.)
HIST 330 The Enlightenment and the French Revolution (3 sem. hrs.)
HIST 335 Popular Culture in Early Modern Europe, 1400−1800 (3 sem. hrs.)
HIST 357 Modern America (3 sem. hrs.)
HIST 360 History of American Feminism (3 sem. hrs.)
HIST 361 Voices of African-American Women (3 sem. hrs.)
HIST 372 Colonial Encounters (3 sem. hrs.)
HIST 385 Topics in History (2-4 sem. hrs.)
HIST 390 Advanced Internship in History (2-3 sem. hrs.)
HIST 399 Independent Study in History (1-3 sem. hrs.)
Two courses with significance for the study of history from the following selection of courses in related fields (6 sem. hrs.)
ARTH 255 A Survey of Renaissance Art (3 sem. hrs.)
DANC 316 Dance History (3 sem. hrs.)
ECON 340 History of Economic Analysis (3 sem. hrs.)
ENGL 215 Survey of American Literature (3 sem. hrs.)
ENGL 362 The British Novel (3 sem. hrs.)
MUS 112 Listening: A Survey of Western Music (3 sem. hrs.)
PHIL 230 Ancient Philosophy (3 sem. hrs.)
PHIL 325 Belief and Knowledge (3 sem. hrs.)
POLS 155 American Politics (3 sem. hrs.)
POLS 332 Old and New Paradigms in World Politics (3 sem. hrs.)
RELG 255 Islamic Civilization and Culture (3 sem. hrs.)
RELG 263 The Hebrew Bible and Jewish Tradition (3 sem. hrs.)
RELG 264 The New Testament and Early Christianity (3 sem. hrs.)
RELG 269 History, Myth and Religion (3 sem. hrs.)
RELG 275 Religions of Asia (3 sem. hrs.)
SOC 277 Social Inequality: Class and Ethnicity (3 sem. hrs.)
THEA 315 Theatre History (3 sem. hrs.)
WGS 385 Topics in Women’s and Gender Studies (3 sem. hrs.)
History Minor
Total number of courses required for the minor is 6 (18 semester hours).
Required Courses
The following course (3 sem. hrs.):
HIST 375 Writing History: Theory and Practice (3 sem. hrs.)
Five additional history courses involving some introductory and some advanced work to be arranged with members of the department (15 sem. hrs.)