Mar 13, 2025

2024-2025 General Catalog

2024-2025 General Catalog ARCHIVED CATALOG: To search archives, MUST use search box to left. Current catalog: catalog.usu.edu.

History - BS

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College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department of History

About This Degree

The History Department has been recognized by the American Historical Association as one of 12 outstanding history departments in the United States and Canada, selected for its “brilliant teaching and leadership.” The department’s strongest areas include the modern American West, classics, early modern Europe, and the Atlantic World.

USU history majors have the opportunity to work in depth on undergraduate research projects. Students learn how to conduct and present their research all while taking advantage of faculty mentoring, study abroad opportunities, and more. Students learn the skills needed to research, analyze, think critically, and communicate clearly – all of which are highly valued skills in various career paths. About one-third of history graduates from USU go on to teaching, while two-thirds go into law, medicine, or business fields.

For more information about History, see the History Department website.
Admitted and current students must meet with an academic advisor.
Log on to Degree Works to check student-specific program progress.
The highest math requirement for this degree is Quantitative Literacy (QL) of the student’s choice.

Minimum University Requirements

Total Credits: 120
Credits of C- or better: 100
Total credits taken at USU: 30
Credits of upper-division courses required for the major taken at USU: 10
Minimum Grade Point Average (many majors require a higher GPA): 2.0 GPA
Credits of upper-division courses (#3000 or above): 40
Upper-division credits taken at USU: 20
General Education Requirements
University Studies Requirements
Undergraduate Degree Requirements

Admission Requirements For This Program

New freshmen must be admitted to USU in Good Standing.
Transfer students from other institutions or other programs at USU must have a 2.50 GPA.

Major Requirements (36 credits)

Minimum GPA for Graduation: 2.5, Major; 2.0, Cumulative

Number of Required Credits: 36

Major requirement courses may not be taken pass/fail.

History majors must complete at least four introductory survey courses, two required methods courses, and a number of upper-division electives.

History Major Lower-Division Requirements (12 credits)

Complete the following lower-division survey course requirements in sections A, B, and C with a grade of C or better in each class, for a total of 12 credits.

A. European Perspectives (3 credits)

Complete ONE of the following courses:

HIST 1100 - European History to 1500 (BHU) 3 credit(s)
HIST 1110 - European History from 1500 (BHU) 3 credit(s)

B. World Perspectives (3 credits)

Complete ONE of the following courses:

HIST 1500 - Pre-Modern World (BHU) 3 credit(s)
HIST 1510 - The Modern World (BHU) 3 credit(s)

C. American Perspectives (6 credits)

Complete BOTH of the following courses:

HIST 2700 - United States to 1877 (BAI) 3 credit(s)
HIST 2710 - United States 1877-Present (BAI) 3 credit(s)
NOTE: HIST 1700 may not be counted toward the history major

History Required Methods Courses (6 credits)

After satisfying the lower-division major requirements, students will complete two required methods courses (HIST 3000 and HIST 4990 ), and they must earn a C+ grade or better in each class to earn credit toward the major.

HIST 3000 - History Research Methods 3 credit(s)
Prerequisite: Two HIST courses with a grade of C or better. Note: HIST 1700 does not count toward the prerequisite.
HIST 4990 - Undergraduate Research Capstone (CI) 3 credit(s)
Prerequisite: HIST 3000 with a grade of C+ or better is required as well as senior standing.

History Upper-Division Course Electives (18 credits)

Students take their remaining 18 credits in 3000- and 4000-level history courses (with a grade of C or better in each class). The upper-division classes provide a more focused, detailed and rigorous examination of historical periods and themes.

Any course with a HIST prefix at 3000 or above is acceptable as an elective. No more than 3 credits of HIST 4930 may be applied toward the major.

Bachelor of Science Track (3 Credits)

Students interested in a BS degree must complete 3 credits using EITHER Option A or Option B below.
Students who minor in a science field will automatically fulfill the BS requirement through their minor.

Option A

Complete one of the following courses with a grade of C or better:

HIST 3900 - Science and Technology in World History (DSC) 3 credit(s)
HIST 3910 - Health, Disease, and Medicine in North America (DHA) 3 credit(s)
HIST 3950 - Environmental History (CI/DHA) 3 credit(s)
HIST 4020 - Public History 3 credit(s)
HIST 4625 - The History of Natural Disasters 3 credit(s)
HIST 4940 - Historical Internship 1-3 credit(s)
HIST 4945 - Archives Management/Archives Internship 1-3 credit(s)
RELS 3125 - Religion & Science: Examining a Complex History of Interaction 3 credit(s)

Option B

Students must complete one course from the approved list of BLS, BPS, BSS, DSC, or DSS courses with a grade of C- or higher. This cannot be a course that is already being used to fulfill a basic General Education science or social science requirement.

Requirement for a Minor

Since the study of history requires an understanding of many fields of human behavior, students majoring in history must select a minor. These may include related disciplines such as religious studies, literature, economics, geography, anthropology, political science, sociology, classics, philosophy, and foreign languages, or students may choose a minor in any other program on campus.

Students who minor in a science field will fulfill the Mathematics and Science Track requirements of the BS degree through their minor.

Open Electives

Total elective credit is determined by General Education courses taken, degree type selected, additional credits earned, and any additional math or other prerequisite courses needed. Please consult your Academic Advisor for details.

Total Credits: 120

Suggested Degree Map - History BS

History BS - 4 Year Degree Map