History, B.A.

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Every person, every place, everything on earth has a history, a story of its past that can help us understand human existence and human behavior. The History Program’s major and minor draw upon a broad curriculum that encompasses regional, national, and international history, as well as such special topics as the revolutions in history and diplomatic history. The History Program offers two types of majors. The Bachelor of Arts degree has the traditional emphasis on language skills, especially through study of a foreign language. It is a good choice for students thinking about postgraduate study. The Bachelor of Science degree develops basic capabilities in statistics and computer science. It is a good choice for students interested in the modern social science approach to historical understanding.

The great advantages of historical study are:

Emphasis on developmental and evolutionary aspects of human experience.
Examination of many different fields of human activity.
Use of insights and methods of many other fields.

Students completing a bachelor’s degree in history may enter professional practice in academic history (teaching and writing), public history (archives and special research, consultancy) or publishing (print, electronic, film and television documentary). The history major also provides excellent preparation for careers in law, government, politics, foreign service, historical preservation and journalism.

Degree Requirements

Core Curriculum Requirements (30-33 Credit Hours)

For details on the required courses, refer to the Core Curriculum program.

Major Courses (22 Credit Hours)

HIST 1107 - United States History I Credit Hours: 3
HIST 1108 - United States History II Credit Hours: 3
HIST 2211 - World Civilizations I Credit Hours: 3
HIST 2212 - World Civilizations II Credit Hours: 3
HIST 2213 - World Civilizations III Credit Hours: 3
HIST 2250 - The Historian’s Craft Credit Hours: 3
HIST 4498 - Senior Seminar Credit Hours: 3
HIST 4480 - Senior Portfolio Credit Hours: 1

Major Electives (27 Credit Hours)

Selected with advisor’s approval. Advanced electives may be taken only when prerequisites are met or with the instructor’s permission.

HIST 3302 - West Virginia Credit Hours: 3
HIST 3305 - History of National Security and Intelligence Credit Hours: 3
HIST 3310 - Diplomatic and Military History of the United States Credit Hours: 3
HIST 3314 - History of the American Revolution Credit Hours: 3
HIST 3312 - Colonial America Credit Hours: 3
HIST 3316 - The Early Republic Credit Hours: 3
HIST 3317 - Civil War and Reconstruction Credit Hours: 3
HIST 3320 - Gilded Age and Progressive Era Credit Hours: 3
HIST 3322 - Modern American History from 1920-1960 Credit Hours: 3
HIST 3324 - Recent America from 1960 to the Present Credit Hours: 3
HIST 3333 - Women in American History Credit Hours: 3
HIST 3335 - Women in World History Credit Hours: 3
HIST 3340 - Popular Culture in Modern American History Credit Hours: 3
HIST 3344 - African-American History and Culture Credit Hours: 3
HIST 3351 - History of England Credit Hours: 3
HIST 3352 - History of Russia Credit Hours: 3
HIST 4405 - History of Africa Credit Hours: 3
HIST 4410 - History of Asia Credit Hours: 3
HIST 4415 - History of the Middle East: Muhammad to the Present Credit Hours: 3
HIST 4421 - Colonial Latin American History Credit Hours: 3
HIST 4422 - Modern Latin American History Credit Hours: 3
HIST 4425 - Medieval Europe Credit Hours: 3
HIST 4429 - Early Modern Europe Credit Hours: 3
HIST 4430 - 19th Century Europe Credit Hours: 3
HIST 4431 - Recent Europe Credit Hours: 3
HIST 4450 - History of American Sexualities Credit Hours: 3
HIST 4455 - Revolutions in History Credit Hours: 3
HIST 4475 - Philosophy of History Credit Hours: 3
HIST 4499 - Selected Topics Credit Hours: 3

Global Awareness and Humanities Electives (9 Credit Hours)

Students will select 9 credit hours from the following–at least two disciplines must be represented. Substitutions may be allowed in consultation with the student’s faculty advisor. Note: Global Awareness and Humanities Electives may overlap with minor or double major requirements up to 6 credit hours and up to 3 credit hours of Core Curriculum requirements.

Any foreign language courses with the FREN, ITAL, SPAN, or LANG course prefix will be accepted in this category.

ART 3374 - Art History from Prehistory to 1450 Credit Hours: 3
ART 3376 - Art History from 1450 to 1750 Credit Hours: 3
ART 3378 - Art History from 1750 to 1950 Credit Hours: 3
ART 3380 - Art History since 1950 Credit Hours: 3
ENGL 2220 - World Literature I: Origins to 1650 Credit Hours: 3
ENGL 2221 - World Literature II: 1650 to the Present Credit Hours: 3
ENGL 2240 - Introduction to Literature: Prose, Poetry, and Drama Credit Hours: 3
FOLK 2201 - Lab Field Research/Oral History Techniques Credit Hours: 1
FOLK 3301 - Material Culture Credit Hours: 3
HONR 3301 - Honors Study/Travel Credit Hours: 3
HONR 3350 - Honors Seminar in Special Topics Credit Hours: 3
HONR 3351 - Consumption, Consumerism, and Sustainability Credit Hours: 3
PHIL 2200 - Introduction to Philosophy Credit Hours: 3
PHIL 2250 - Great Philosophers Credit Hours: 3
PHIL 3350 - Comparative Religion Credit Hours: 3
PHIL 4499 - Special Topics in Philosophy Credit Hours: 1-12
POLI 2220 - Comparative Government Credit Hours: 3
POLI 3331 - Intelligence and Covert Action Credit Hours: 3
POLI 3370 - World Religions and Politics Credit Hours: 3
POLI 4455 - Model United Nations Credit Hours: 1-12
SOCY 3301 - Cultural Anthropology Credit Hours: 3
WGST 1150 - Women’s and Gender Studies Colloquium Credit Hours: 1
WGST 2201 - Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies Credit Hours: 3

Social and Behavioral Science Electives (9 Credit Hours)

Students will select 9 credit hours from the following–at least two disciplines must be represented. Substitutions may be allowed in consultation with the student’s faculty advisor. Note: Social and Behavioral Science Electives may overlap with minor or double-major requirements up to 6 credit hours and up to 3 credit hours of Core Curriculum requirements.

CRIM 2212 - Deviant Behavior Credit Hours: 3
CRIM 3310 - Comparative Criminal Justice Credit Hours: 3
CRIM 3395 - Constitutional Law Credit Hours: 3
GEOG 2210 - Introduction to Geography Credit Hours: 3
GEOG 2213 - History of 21st Century Geography Credit Hours: 3
GEOG 3305 - Economic Geography Credit Hours: 3
GEOG 3315 - Urban Geography Credit Hours: 3
GEOG 3330 - Geography of North America Credit Hours: 3
NSIS 3315 - National Security and Intelligence Credit Hours: 3
NSIS 3380 - Propaganda and Politics Credit Hours: 3
PHIL 2275 - Introduction to Logic and Critical Reasoning Credit Hours: 3
PHIL 3325 - Ethics Credit Hours: 3
POLI 3315 - National Security and Intelligence Credit Hours: 3
POLI 3380 - Propaganda and Politics Credit Hours: 3
POLI 3395 - Constitutional Law Credit Hours: 3
POLI 4404 - Civil Liberties in the US Credit Hours: 3
POLI 4405 - Terrorism Credit Hours: 3
PSYC 2240 - Behavioral Statistics Credit Hours: 3
SOCY 2205 - Principles of Race, Class, and Gender Credit Hours: 3
SOCY 2240 - Behavioral Statistics Credit Hours: 3
SOCY 3325 - Work, Stratification, and Class Credit Hours: 3
SOCY 3365 - Sociology of Appalachia Credit Hours: 3
SOCY 3390 - Social Change Credit Hours: 3
SOCY 4450 - Race and Ethnicity Credit Hours: 3

Minor Requirement (18 Credit Hours)

Minor requirements may overlap with Global Awareness and Humanities Electives up to 6 credit hours and/or Social and Behavioral Science electives up to 6 credit hours. Up to 3 credit hours may overlap with Core Curriculum requirements.

Students earning a Bachelor of Arts in History will declare a minor in one of the following disciplines UNLESS the student is double majoring:

Art History
English
Folklore Studies
Geographic Information Science
Museum Studies
Philosophy
Political Science
National Security and Intelligence
Sociology
Psychology
Spanish
Women’s and Gender Studies

Minors outside of the pre-approved lsit will be allowed in consultation with the student’s faculty advisor.

Degree Total = 120 Credit Hours

Academic Advising

Students are encouraged to work with their advisor to ensure any electives are in line with the student’s career goals. Students will determine in consultation with an advisor whether the pursuit of a double major or minor(s) would be appropriate. Majors/minors that complement a history degree well and are commonly pursued by history students include, but are not limited to: Social Studies Education, National Security and Intelligence, Political Science, English, Museum Studies (minor only), Women’s and Gender Studies (minor only), Philosophy (minor only).

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