History (B.A.)

The American and World History Concentration is a general history major intended for students who do not want to become secondary education teachers.

It includes some basic distribution requirements, but leaves students free to focus on courses that are most interesting to them.

This concentration is capped by the two-semester seminar sequence, History 390 and History 495. In these courses students do original historical research on a topic of their choice and write an article-length paper.

This experience marks history majors’ abilities to work independently, analyze a problem rigorously, and communicate clearly. All of these are very marketable skills in a variety of fields.

Students in the American and World Concentration often go on to graduate school, law school, or careers in business and other fields.

The Secondary Education Concentration is for students who want to teach social studies at the middle or high school level.

It is a demanding program that requires students to take a full complement of history courses, all the education courses they need to obtain state certification, and several directed General Education courses.

This concentration has two capstone experiences

The two-semester seminar sequence, History 390 and History 495, required of all majors. In these classes students will do original historical research on a topic of their choice and write an article-length paper.
The Student Teaching Internship, in which students get hands-on experience in area schools. This can also provide a valuable entry point into the job market.
Students in this concentration have two faculty advisers. An adviser from the History Department guides them through history courses and an adviser from the Education Department assists them in education courses.

The Public History Concentration is for students who want to work in museums, national parks, historical associations, or other settings in which they interpret history for the public.

Students take the core history curriculum as well as several courses in history and other departments specifically geared to public history careers.

This concentration as two capstone experiences

The two-semester seminar sequence, History 390 and History 495, required of all majors. In these classes students will do original historical research on a topic of their choice and write an article-length paper.
An internship in public history, which students get on-the-job experience working in a public history setting. These internships provide hands-on training and can offer an entry point into the job market.

The History Minor allows students in other majors with an interest in history to take a smaller number of history courses and obtain a credential.

The minor is an excellent way to supplement a major in the social sciences, humanities, business, or any other field that intersects with history. Students who minor in history gain the benefit of historical perspective on their major field of study and take courses that hone critical reading, writing, and analytical skills.

The minor requires the completion of 18 credits of specific courses and is particularly popular with students who are majoring in Earth Space studies and Environmental Studies whose programs include a significant number of geography courses as requirements.