History Major
Admission Requirements For This Major
Admission to the History Department is competitive and limited. Admission is based on a student’s current GPA and completion of the pre-major requirements for history. The Department may require students to submit additional materials to the History Admissions Committee.
New freshmen admitted to USU in good standing qualify for admission to the History Department as pre-majors.
Students may apply for major status upon completion of a minimum of 30 credits, including the pre-major requirements, while maintaining a 2.5 cumulative GPA. History majors must maintain a minimum overall GPA in order to remain in good standing in the History Department. Students whose GPA drops below 2.75 will be placed on probation and may be dropped from the major if their grades do not improve.
Undergraduate Program Learning Outcomes in the Department of History
Historical Knowledge
- Develop a wide range of historical information
-identify the key events which express/define change over time in a particular place or region
-identify how change occurs over time
-explain historical continuity and change
-describe the influence of political ideologies, economic structures, social organization, cultural perceptions and natural environments on historical events
-discuss the ways in which factors such as race, gender, class, ethnicity, region and religion influence historical narratives
Historical Thinking
- Recognize the past-ness of the past
-explain how people have existed, acted and thought in particular historical periods
-explain what influence the past has on the present
- Emphasize the complex nature of past experiences
-interpret the complexity and diversity of situations, events and past mentalities
-compare eras and regions in order to define enduring issues
- Emphasize the complex and problematic nature of the historical record
-recognize a range of viewpoints
-compare competing historical narratives
-challenge arguments of historical inevitability
-analyze cause-and-effect relationships and multiple causation
Historical Skills
- Develop skills in critical thinking and reading
-evaluate debates among historians
-differentiate between historical facts and historical interpretations
-assess the credibility of primary and secondary sources
-formulate historical questions
-obtain historical data from a variety of sources
-identify gaps in available records
-recognize the discipline’s standards for accurate and ethical research
- Develop the ability to construct reasonable historical arguments
-construct a well-organized historical argument
-support an interpretation with historical evidence from a variety of primary and secondary sources
Career Opportunities
The Department’s “learning outcomes” suggest the ways in which historical study develops expertise in our discipline as well as broader skills in the liberal arts. In other words, our programs not only provide specialized academic training but also prepare students to work in a wide variety of fields. Historical study develops one’s ability to investigate problems, identify reliable sources, analyze information, contextualize complex questions—and communicate conclusions in a clear and thoughtful manner. Such skills are in demand by employers in many areas.
Not surprisingly, our alumni move on to a diverse range of careers. USU history graduates manage multi-national companies and local businesses, serve in many public capacities (including Congress), run charitable organizations, administer university services, work in military intelligence, train as medical doctors, and teach history. Many history students are preparing themselves to teach in public schools and at colleges and universities, while others find employment as ”applied” historians. Some graduates qualify to be curators and archivists in museums and libraries, working to classify and preserve materials, setting up exhibits, and working with researchers. Others work as preservation historians for historical societies, collecting data and working to preserve historic sites. Historians also work as editors and researchers in publishing or consult on sets and clothing in the making of films. Some historians work as biographers, while others collect information on family lineage.
History is an excellent undergraduate major for students wishing to work in international relations, journalism, or management. Students preparing for law school, advanced business degrees, and management or sales training also benefit from a history degree. History is a good major for those preparing to work in the growing information management field. Career opportunities for history majors continue to expand and diversify.
Degrees and programs Offered Through This Department
Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (BS), Master of Science (MS), and Master of Arts (MA) in History; participates in Master of Social Sciences (MSS)
University Graduation Requirements: BA or BS Degree in History
Minimum University Requirements**
| Total Credits |
120 |
| Grade point average |
2.00 GPA |
| Credits of C- or better |
100 |
| Credits of upper-division course (#3000 or above) |
40 |
| USU credits (20 of which must be upper-division, including 10 required by major) |
30 |
| Completion of approved major program of study |
See department |
| Credits in minor (if required by department) |
12 |
| Credits in American Institutions (ECN 1500 ; HIST 1700 , HIST 2700 or HIST 2710 ; POLS 1100 ; or USU 1300 ) |
3 |
| University Studies requirements |
See below |
| |
|
**Colleges and departments may require more credits or a higher GPA. See requirements below.
Students must complete the General Education Requirements :
- One course chosen from HIST 1060 , HIST 1100 , HIST 1110 , HIST 1500 or HIST 1510 will fulfill the Humanities (BHU) requirement
- Since several courses having a BHU designation are listed as required or elective courses for the History major, one of these courses will fulfill the Humanities requirement, while another will fulfill the Exploration requirement
Students must also complete the University Studies Depth Requirements :
- For students in the History major, HIST 4990 (the required Capstone Course) will fulfill one of the Communications Intensive (CI) requirements
- PHYS 2210 or PHYS 2220 will fulfill the Quantitative Intensive (QI) requirement
- Complete at least 2 credits in approved 3000-level or above courses from each of the following two categories: Life and Physical Sciences (DSC) and Social Sciences (DSS)
Transfer Students
The History Department accepts all history courses taught by institutions within the Utah System of Higher Education. Students who are transferring may wish to consult the online Advisor Handbook for articulation information for the institution from which they are transferring. This information can be found at: www.usu.edu/advising/for_advisors/handbook/
AP Credit
The History Department does not accept AP credit for use towards its degrees. We do make allowances for the following considerations:
- if a student following the “History Major” track has passed an AP exam with a score of 3 or better, the equivalent lower-division course will be waived; however, the student must complete the equivalent number of credits in an upper-division course.
- If a student follows the “History Teaching Emphasis” track, the waiver stated above does not apply; however the department will accept AP credit of 3 or better earned in POLS 1100 as a means of fulfilling that particular requirement.
Using the same courses to meet Multiple Requirements
Students may not count any course taken to fulfill a basic General Education science requirement (BLS, BPS) toward the History BS. If a student takes more than one course designated as BLS or BPS that course may be used in the History BS. History Majors completing minors in Classics, Latin, or Greek may count one course in both the major and the minor.
Grades
Candidates for a degree must earn a grade of C+ or better in all history courses used to meet the requirements for a history major or minor, a history teaching emphasis or teaching minor, or a classics minor.
Degrees
Since history can be classified in both the humanities and the social sciences, majors may receive either a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree. Because history primarily involves the study of written documents, the department strongly encourages students to choose the BA (requiring proficiency in a foreign language).
History Major Requirements (36 credits)
Minimum GPA for Admission: 2.5, major; 2.5, Career
Minimum GPA for Graduation: 2.75, major courses; 2.0, USU
Minimum Grade Accepted: C+ in major courses
Number of Required Credits: 36
History Major PRE-MAJOR Lower-Division Requirements
Students who wish to become History majors must apply for admission after completing the Department’s pre-major program (at least 30 credits with an overall GPA of 2.5). The pre-major provides a set of “foundation courses” (including broad surveys of Western World, and U.S. history, General Education classes closely tied to the humanities, and USU “competency” courses), all of which prepare students for upper-division work in the major. The pre-major involves the completion of the following THREE categories of requirements:
Complete both of the following (6 credits)
Complete at least two of the following courses (6 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. Premodern History (3 credits)
Complete one of the following courses:
B. Modern History (3 credits)
Complete one of the following two courses:
C. American History (6 credits)
Complete both of the following courses:
Note:
HIST 1700 cannot be applied toward requirements for the history major or minor.
No student, including transfer students, may count more than 12 credits of lower-division coursework in History toward the history major.
History Major Upper-Division Requirements
After satisfying the pre-major requirements, students will complete their remaining 24 credits by taking 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.
- One of these courses must be HIST 4990 , the capstone course for the major, taken in a student’s senior year
- Since new courses may be approved from time to time, any upper-division course having a HIST prefix is acceptable
- No more than 3 credits of HIST 4930 may be applied toward the major
NOTE: All History majors must also complete a separate minor.
Since the study of history requires an understanding of many fields of human behavior, students majoring in history must select a minor. Historians are encouraged to take electives in fields that will broaden their knowledge of the world and are closely allied to history, such as religious studies, literature, economics, geography, anthropology, political science, sociology, classics, philosophy or foreign language.
Students who wish to undertake graduate work should pursue the BA degree. During their senior year, they should take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE).
History Teaching Emphasis Requirements (45 credits)
Plus the 35 credit Secondary Teacher Education Program (STEP)
Minimum GPA for Admission: 2.75, major; 2.75, Career
Minimum GPA for Graduation: 2.75, major courses; 2.75, Career
Minimum Grade Accepted: C+ in major courses
Number of Required Credits: 45, plus 35-credit Secondary Teacher Education Program (STEP)
History Teaching Emphasis: PRE-MAJOR Lower Division Requirements
Students who wish to concentrate in the History Teaching Emphasis must apply for admission after completing the Department’s pre-major program (at least 30 credits with an overall GPA of 2.5). The pre-major provides a set of “foundation courses” (including broad surveys of Western World, and U.S. history, General Education classes closely tied to the humanities, and USU “competency” courses), all of which prepare students for upper-division work in the major. The pre-major involves the completion of the following THREE categories of requirements:
Complete both of the following courses (6 credits):
Complete at least two of the following courses (6 credits)
In order to prepare for the “World/US” PRAXIS exam in teacher education required for certification, complete ALL of the following lower-division survey courses (with a grade of C+ or better in each class, for a total of 21 credits).
Note:
HIST 1700 cannot be applied toward requirements for the History teaching emphasis (major or minor)
Note:
No student, including transfer students, may count more than 21 credits of lower-division coursework toward the history teaching emphasis.
History Teaching Emphasis: Upper-Division Requirements:
After satisfying the pre-major requirements, students will complete their remaining 24 credits by taking 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.
- A minimum of two upper-division courses must be completed in each of the following areas: U.S. History; European history; and World history
- Since new courses may be approved from time to time, any upper-division course having a HIST prefix is acceptable
- No more than 3 credits of HIST 4930 may be applied toward the major.
- One of the upper-division courses must be a senior capstone class
Choose from either:
Other Requirements:
Licensing:
To be licensed to teach history, students must be admitted to the Secondary Teacher Education Program (STEP). A 2.75 GPA is required for admission, as well as a writing test, a speech and hearing test, and a criminal background check. Application should be made as soon as practical after the History Teaching Emphasis has begun. Applications for admission to the STEP program are available in the History Department office. The STEP requires 35 credits of coursework, in addition to the 45 credits of history courses. For additional information about the STEP program, contact Shelly Wiegand, Secondary Education undergraduate advisor: shelly.wiegand@usu.edu, 435-797-0383.
Any student who does NOT complete the STEP program must take the HIST 4990 capstone course (in place of the teaching capstone options) in order to meet the requirements of this program.
Teaching Minor:
All students in the History Teaching Emphasis must also complete a separate minor in an area where teacher licensure can be granted-unless they choose the Social Science Composite Option described below.
Social Studies Composite Option
Students in the History Teaching Emphasis may substitute the Social Studies Composite Option for a minor in a teaching field (25-28 credits)
Students who choose this option may wish to take the “Social Studies” PRAXIS exam as they certify for teaching.
Note:
Students who complete GEOG 4220 , in addition to the other Geography courses listed above, qualify to receive a Geography Teaching Minor (optional).
Note:
Requirement Changes
Graduation requirements shown on this sheet are subject to change. Students should check with their assigned advisor concerning possible changes.
Materials for Persons with Disabilities
This requirement sheet is available in digital format, recordings, or large print upon request to the USU Disability Resource Center.
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