The History Department offers a wide variety of chronological, geographical, and thematic courses that enhance individuals’ understanding of themselves and the contemporary world by expanding their experiences to include the experiences of other peoples, both past and present. These courses range from ancient times to the present, cover most geographical regions of the world, and allow topical specialties ranging from women’s or environmental history to the history of technology or sports. History graduates can and do find employment in a wide range of occupations. Traditionally they have gone into teaching and education careers in primary and secondary schools and, with appropriate graduate-level training, colleges or universities. More recently, increasing numbers of history graduates find their way into private, non-profit as well as public organizations or agencies, such as museums, archives and libraries, research and service institutions, legislative bodies, and planning agencies. Others find career opportunities in the private sector, including publishing, journalism or broadcasting, or law firms; in fact, history is an ideal pre-law major.
The Department of History offers lower level baccalaureate courses (HTY 103-HTY 280), upper level baccalaureate courses (HTY 301-HTY 499), and graduate level courses (HTY 501-HTY 699). Senior history majors may take 500-level graduate courses. Other students may take graduate level courses by permission.
Majors must complete at least twelve three-credit courses in history, including:
- At least 2 courses (1 must be upper level) from each of the following groups:
- United States history
- European history
- The history of areas outside Europe and the United States or history with either a worldwide or a topical focus.
- At least eight upper-level history courses, distributed as follows:
- A primary concentration of four courses from a single geographical, chronological or topical area.
- One senior seminar (HTY 498) normally taken during the student’s final undergraduate year.
- Three upper-level elective history courses from any area.
In addition, History majors must complete an “outside field” requirement that may be satisfied by one of the following:
- Demonstrated proficiency in a foreign language at the intermediate level, by either examination or through course work.
- Completion of a minor in another discipline requiring at least four courses above the survey level. Almost all approved University minors meet the Departments “outside field” requirement. These courses may not have been presented to satisfy the General Education Requirements.
- Completion of an approved Interdisciplinary Curriculum (see section on “Interdisciplinary Curricula” in this catalog) requiring at least four courses beyond the survey level. These courses may not have been presented to satisfy the General Education Requirements. The History Department reserves the right to devise and approve additional, but comparable, “interdisciplinary curricula” other than those listed in this catalog.
- Completion of a second major.
Students who transfer from other institutions must take a minimum of 6 courses within the department. All students must earn at least a “C” in all courses applied to the major.
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