Bachelor of Arts in History

	History Topics
		•	Overview
		•	History Major
		•	History Minor
		•	Master of Arts in History
		•	Course Descriptions
		•	Primary Historical Documents
		•	Notable Alumni

The history major is designed to help students develop an understanding of the complex factors that have produced the civilization of the present century. Such an understanding is necessary for becoming responsible citizens in our society. A history major also offers a valuable background for many careers including government service, law, education, library work, business, and journalism.

Course Requirements

HUM 111, HUM 212, HUM 313, and POSC 104 are preparatory for the major and will be computed as part of the grade point average of the student's major. Twelve upper-division history courses are required.

HUM 111, HUM 212, HUM 313, HIST 304 and POSC 104 as well as the other general education courses should be completed during the first two years. Students planning to study in Europe during their sophomore year should enlist the help of the advisor for their major in planning their freshman-year program.

 

CourseID	Course Description	Units
Lower-Division Courses: 17 units
HIST 304	History on the American Peoples (GE)	4
HUM 111	Western Heritage I	3
HUM 212	Western Heritage II	3
HUM 313	Western Heritage III	3
POSC 104	The American People and Politics	4
Upper-Division Courses: 44 units
Core Courses - 11 units
HIST 300	Introduction to Research	3
HIST 304	History on the American Peoples (GE)	4
HIST 580	Historiography	3
HIST 581a/b	Senior Thesis (WI, RM, PS)	1
HIST 300 should be taken during the first semester of the student's sophomore or junior year, while HIST 580 should be taken during the first semester of the senior year. History 581 is a year long course. HIST 581a should be taken during the fall of the senior year and HIST 581b in the spring semester of the senior year. A total of eight additional upper-division courses is required. One of them may be from another division if the course is pertinent to the student's program and if it has been approved by they chairperson of the Humanities and Teacher Education Division. The student must choose either the breadth distribution or concentration option described below.
Choose either breadth distribution or concentration option: 32 units
Breadth Distribution Option: Two American, two European, two global/non-Western, and two elective upper-division history courses.
American History (8 units): Choose two courses
HIST 500	Native Americans	4
HIST 520	Colonial America, 1492-1763	4
HIST 521	The American Revolution and New Nation, 1763, 1815	4
HIST 522	Jacksonian America and the Civil War, 1815-1877	4
HIST 523	United States: 1877-1920	4
HIST 524	United States: 1920-1952	4
HIST 525	United States: Since 1952	4
HIST 526	History of California and the Pacific Coast	4
HIST 527	Westward Movement in the United States	4
HIST 528	Topics in Intellectual and Cultural History of the United States	4
HIST 529	Foreign Relations of the United States Since 1890	4
HIST 530	Social History of the United States	4
HIST 535	Topics in the History of Women in the United States	4
HIST 538	History of Religion in America	4
European History (8 uits): Choose two courses
HIST 510	The Greco-Roman World	4
HIST 511	The Middle Ages	4
HIST 512	The Renaissance and the Reformation	4
HIST 513	Early Modern Europe	4
HIST 515	Europe in the Nineteenth Century
HIST 516	Europe in the Twentieth Century	4
HIST 518	Modern History of Eastern Europe	4
HIST 306	Topics in National History (may be selected when topic deals with European national history)	4
Global/Non-Western History (8 units): Choose two courses
HIST 305	Topics in Global History	4
HIST 310	A Modern History of Japan	4
HIST 330	Chinese Civilization to A.D. 1644	4
HIST 331	Modern China Since A.D. 1644	4
HIST 500	Native Americans	4
HIST 531	Latin-American History: The Colonial Period to 1800	4
HIST 532	Latin-American History: The National Period Since 1800	4
HIST 533	History of Mexico and the Borderlands	4
HIST 550	Modern History of Africa	4
HIST 560	Modern History of the Middle East	4
HIST 306	Topics in National History (may be selected when topic deals with a non-Western nation)	4
Upper-Division Electives (8 units): Choose from any upper-division history course. One course may be from outside the division.
Concentration Option: Choose one concentration (20 units) plus electives (12 units).
Ancient-Early Modern History Concentration (20 units): Choose five courses
HIST 330	Chinese Civilization to A.D. 1644	4
HIST 509	Ancient Civilizations	4
HIST 510	The Greco-Roman World	4
HIST 511	The Middle Ages	4
HIST 512	The Renaissance and the Reformation	4
HIST 513	Early Modern Europe	4
HIST 520	Colonial America, 1492-1763	4
HIST 531	Latin-American History: The Colonial Period to 1800	4
HIST 305	Topics in Global History (may be selected when topics deal with the period before 1750)	4
HIST 306	Topics in National History (may be selected when topics deal with the period before 1750)	4
Modern History (20 units): Choose five courses
HIST 310	A Modern History of Japan	4
HIST 515	Europe in the Nineteenth Century	4
HIST 516	Europe in the Twentieth Century	4
HIST 518	Modern History of Eastern Europe	4
HIST 521	The American Revolution and New Nation, 1763, 1815	4
HIST 522	Jacksonian America and the Civil War, 1815-1877	4
HIST 523	United States: 1877-1920	4
HIST 524	United States: 1920-1952	4
HIST 525	United States: Since 1952	4
HIST 526	History of California and the Pacific Coast	4
HIST 529	Foreign Relations of the United States Since 1890	4
HIST 532	Latin-American History: The National Period Since 1800	4
HIST 550	Modern History of Africa	4
HIST 560	Modern History of the Middle East	4
HIST 305	Topics in Global History (may be selected when topics deal with the nineteenth and twentieth centuries)	4
HIST 306	Topics in National History (may be selected when topics deal with the nineteenth and twentieth centuries)	4
American History (20 units): Choose five courses
HIST 500	Native Americans	4
HIST 520	Colonial America, 1492-1763	4
HIST 521	The American Revolution and New Nation, 1763, 1815	4
HIST 522	Jacksonian America and the Civil War, 1815-1877	4
HIST 523	United States: 1877-1920	4
HIST 524	United States: 1920-1952	4
HIST 525	United States: Since 1952	4
HIST 526	History of California and the Pacific Coast	4
HIST 527	Westward Movement in the United States	4
HIST 528	Topics in Intellectual and Cultural History of the United States	4
HIST 529	Foreign Relations of the United States Since 1890	4
HIST 530	Social History of the United States	4
HIST 535	Topics in the History of Women in the United States	4
HIST 538	History of Religion in America	4
European History (20 units): Choose five courses
HIST 510	The Greco-Roman World	4
HIST 511	The Middle Ages	4
HIST 512	The Renaissance and the Reformation	4
HIST 513	Early Modern Europe	4
HIST 515	Europe in the Nineteenth Century
HIST 516	Europe in the Twentieth Century	4
HIST 518	Modern History of Eastern Europe	4
HIST 306	Topics in National History (may be selected when topic deals with European national history)	4
Global/Non-Western History (20 units): Choose five courses
HIST 305	Topics in Global History	4
HIST 310	A Modern History of Japan	4
HIST 330	Chinese Civilization to A.D. 1644	4
HIST 331	Modern China Since A.D. 1644	4
HIST 500	Native Americans	4
HIST 531	Latin-American History: The Colonial Period to 1800	4
HIST 532	Latin-American History: The National Period Since 1800	4
HIST 533	History of Mexico and the Borderlands	4
HIST 550	Modern History of Africa	4
HIST 560	Modern History of the Middle East	4
HIST 306	Topics in National History (may be selected when topic deals with a non-Western nation)	4
Upper-Division Electives (12 units): Choose any upper-division courses outside your concentration. If your concentration is not Global/Non-Western, at least one course must be in Global/Non-Western History. One course may be from outside the division.

Business Emphasis for History Majors

History students interested in pursuing business careers should take certain business-related courses in addition to their major. These courses should assist them in entering MBA programs or in finding employment upon graduation. Copies of this list are on file in the Humanities and Teacher Education Division office (CAC 300).