BA Degree in History {2025-26}

B.A. Degree in History

Description
The History program will take you through national and world movements, from ancient civilization to industrialization and from the rise of monarchies to the causes and consequences of war. Unique teaching techniques and hands-on learning provide you with the knowledge and skills to achieve success in graduate school or your chosen career path. To receive the B.A. Degree in History, the student must meet the minimum university requirements and specific requirements for the program.

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Reading Comprehension and Cognitive Skills: Students should be able to identify the main point or thesis in a piece of historical writing; analyze how authors develop their theses and support them with evidence; and recognize and evaluate the differences in historical interpretation among different authors.
  • Historical Thinking Skills: Students should be able to recognize potential sources of bias in historical writings; understand and interpret events in their appropriate historic context; understand and interpret relations of cause and effect and other sequential relations; understand the complexity of human motivations, and appreciate cultural differences in patterns of behavior and ideation; and synthesize a variety of evidence into a coherent and plausible account of events.
  • Research Skills: Students should be able to recognize the difference between primary and secondary sources, and understand the uses and importance of each type; select and refine an appropriate topic for a given assignment; identify a variety of different kinds of source materials that could shed light on a particular topic; use the library and various bibliographic aids to identify and locate different sources relevant to a particular topic; evaluate which of their sources are the most authoritative; compile and annotate a bibliography and present in proper format; and conduct an oral history interview.
  • Written Communication Skills: Students should be able to formulate a thesis on the basis of insights gained from research; develop their thesis in an organized logical progression; use appropriate evidence to support points; cite their sources properly; summarize points made in source materials and make the connections between different points of view and their own; recognize the shortcomings of their evidence and anticipate possible objections; respond constructively to criticism and make appropriate revisions; write clear and grammatical prose; and critically evaluate the work of other students.
  • Oral Communication Skills: Students should be able to respond clearly and thoughtfully to questions and comments in class discussion; draw upon and summarize reading materials in ways that address larger themes and issues; deliver an effective oral presentation; and critically evaluate the work of other students.
  • Computer Literacy: Students should be able to produce a paper using work processing software; use email; and conduct research using the internet in addition to traditional sources.

Program Delivery Mode
Land plus: face-to-face where some online courses may be available or required

Core Requirements ( 19 credits )

Students must earn at least a C in all HIST courses in this program.

HIST 104 World History I (3)
HIST 105 World History II (3)
HIST 205 Contemporary Historical Methods: Digital Humanities and Research Techniques (3)
HIST 492 Senior Seminar (4)

Students will take two out of three US History survey courses below:
HIST 121 History of the United States to 1877 (3)
HIST 122 History of the United States Since 1877 (3)
HIST 204 US History: Perspectives, Narratives, and Contexts (3)

Designated Writing Intensive Course for Major
HIST 492 Senior Seminar (4)

Restricted Electives ( 18 credits )

Students must complete:

  • 6 credits at the 300 level or above in European history
  • 6 credits at the 300 level or above in Global history
  • 6 credits at the 300 level or above in United States history

Electives ( 37 credits )

Students must earn at least 37 credits in courses with the History rubric. The elective total credits in History may vary, depending on the credit value of the History courses which students present for graduation.