OVERVIEW OF DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
Minimum number of credits required to graduate: 120
Minimum Cumulative GPA required to graduate: 2.0
Minimum Grade requirements for courses to count toward major: A “C” or better is required in all History (HTY) courses.
Other GPA requirements to graduate: A minimum accumulative GPA of 2.0 (“C”) in the major.
Required Course(s) for fulfilling Capstone Experience: HTY 498
Department Residency Requirement: At least 18 credits must be earned from the History Department at the University of Maine
Contact Information: Stephen M. Miller, Chair, Department of History, 255 Stevens Hall, 581-1923 or Wendy Morrill , Administrative Assistant II, Department of History, 255 Stevens, 581-1908
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 labor history. History graduates 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 and universities. More recently, increasing numbers of history graduates are finding their way into private and public non-profit organizations and 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 and broadcasting, and law firms; in fact, history is an ideal pre-law major.
The Department of History offers a variety of undergraduate courses 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. Only one Canadian course may count.
- Complete a minimum of twelve three-credit history courses, with a grade of “C” or better including:
- Six intermediate/advanced level courses. (These include HTY 240, HTY 241, HTY 279, and all 3xx or higher). (No more than two of the above 200 level courses may be counted as intermediate/advanced courses).
- HTY 311, normally taken during the student’s junior year.
- At least four additional courses at any level, to make up the minimum of 12.
- First and Second Year students are required to take HTY 130.
- HTY 498, normally taken during the student’s final undergraduate year.
- All History majors must complete the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences’ minor requirement.
All students must earn at least a “C” in all courses applied to the major. For students who matriculated prior to Fall 2017, a limit of forty-eight (48) hours of degree credit within the major can be counted toward the Bachelor of Arts degree. Thus a maximum of sixteen (16) history courses may be applied toward the 120 total credits required for graduation, with at least 72 credits taken outside the major department. History majors should be careful to limit the number of courses taken below the 300-level; the minimum of eight upper-level courses required for the major leaves a maximum of eight 100-level and 200-level courses to be counted toward graduation. At least 18 credits must be earned from the History Department at the University of Maine. For purposes of this requirement, institutional credit is defined as all University of Maine (Orono) courses regardless of delivery method (face-to-face, online, ITV, etc.).
The requirements listed on this page are specific to this particular major. Students are also responsible for meeting any graduation requirements set out by their college. Students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) should make sure to review those requirements as stated on the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences page of the catalog.