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History Undergraduate Majors

Undergraduate Programs

MAJOR IN HISTORY

In addition to the General Education (GenEd) requirements, History majors are required to complete 45 units with a grade equivalent of 2.00 or higher. The Bachelor of Arts degree may be earned by adding a foreign language to the major course requirements. The language requirement can be met by completing the intermediate courses (or their equivalent) of a modern foreign language.

Required Courses (6 units)

HIST 100  Using Information Effectively in History* (3)

HIST 300  Introduction to Historical Study** (3)

History Electives (39 units)

Five lower-division survey courses (15 units) including the following:

minimum of one course in pre-modern history (history prior to 1500)

minimum of one course in U.S. survey (HIST 145, HIST 146, or HIST 148)

minimum of one course in European survey (e.g. HIST 101, HIST 102, HIST 103, HIST 105, HIST 108)

minimum of two courses in global surveys (must be non-U.S. AND non-European history, e.g. HIST 117, HIST 118, HIST 121, HIST 122)***

Eight upper-division courses (24 units) including the following:

minimum of two courses in pre-modern history (history prior to 1500)

minimum of one course in U.S. history

minimum of one course in European history

minimum of two courses in global history***

*Course must be taken during the first year as a declared major

**Course must be taken during the junior year or equivalent

***Of the four required global history courses (two lower and two upper), students must take at least one course from two of the four sub-regions (Africa, Middle East, Asia, Latin America).

MINOR IN HISTORY

History minors are required to complete 24 units with a grade equivalent of 2.00 or higher in each course taken from among the following courses:

Required Courses (6 units)

HIST 100  Using Information Effectively in HIstory** (3)

HIST 300  Introduction to Historical Study (3)

History Electives (18 units)

Three lower-division survey courses (9 units) including the following:

minimum of one course in pre-modern history (history prior to 1500)

minimum of two different geographic categories (U.S., Europe, global)

Three upper-division courses (9 units) including the following:

minimum of two different geographic categories (U.S., Europe, global)

**HIST 100 may be waived under special circumstances if the General Education I.B. requirement has been fulfilled prior to declaration of the minor.

HISTORY SECONDARY EDUCATION PROGRAM

History majors may wish to obtain certification to teach history at the secondary level. Students in this Secondary Education Program receive certification to teach in Maryland upon graduation. See Department of Secondary Education requirements. Students must contact the Department of Secondary Education about admission to the Secondary Teacher Education Program. In addition to the GenEd requirements, and the requirements specified by the Department of Secondary Education, students must complete 57 units with a grade equivalent of 2.00 or higher in each course taken from among the courses listed below. Of the 57 units, 24 must be completed in the required history courses, and 24 in social sciences courses and 9 units in history electives before student teaching.

Required History Courses (24 units)

HIST 100  Using Information Effectively in History (3) (or ISTC 201 with permission of history chair)*

HIST 102 History of European Civilization through the 17^th Century (3)

HIST 103 History of European Civilization from the 17th Century (3) OR

HIST 108 Honors History of European Civilization from the 17^th Century (3)

HIST 145 History of the United States to the Mid-19th Century (3)

HIST 146 History of the United States since the Mid-19th Century (3) OR

HIST 148 Honors History of the United States since the Mid-19^th Century (3)

HIST 300 Introduction to Historical Study (3)**

plus two courses in lower-division global surveys

History Electives (9 units)

Three upper-division survey courses including the following:

minimum of two different geographic categories (U.S., Europe, global)

*Course must be taken during the first year as a declared major

**Course must be taken during the junior year or equivalent

Required Social Sciences Courses (24 units)

ECON 201 Microeconomic Principles (3)

ECON 202 Macroeconomic Principles (3)

SOSC 401 Topics in Social Science (3)

SOCI 101 Introduction to Sociology (3)

POSC 103 American National Government (3)

One of the following:

GEOG 101 Physical Geography (3)

GEOG 102 World Regional Geography (3)

GEOG 105 Geography of International Affairs (3)

GEOG 109 Introduction to Human Geography (3)

One of the following:

POSC 101 Introduction to Political Science (3)

POSC 107 Introduction to International Relations (3)

POSC 137 Governments of the World (3)

POSC 207 State Government (3)

One of the following:

ANTH 207 Cultural Anthropology (3)

ANTH 209 American Culture (3)

SPECIAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MAJORS AND MINORS

Students must declare their majors and minors in the department.  The major or minor should be declared during the second term of the freshman year or at the beginning of the sophomore year.  Students will be given major/minor forms listing additional rules for a History major/minor.  They will also be required to select an academic adviser who will help in preparing a program of courses.  Students should consult their advisers regularly.  Students also must update their records each term.  A History minor who wishes to student teach must have completed 15 units of the required courses in history.

TRANSFER CREDIT POLICY

No more than 18 credits in history will be accepted toward a major or a minor from a regionally accredited four-year college.  No more than 12 lower-division credits in history will be accepted toward a major or a minor from a regionally accredited two-year college.  The 12 credits must be in lower-division courses which have Towson University equivalents at the 100-200 level.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT AND CREDIT FOR PRIOR LEARNING

The department awards units through the Advanced Placement Program of the university.  The department also offers units for lower-division courses, and for upper-division courses upon appeal, through the Credit for Prior Lerning Program.  Students applying for credit under this program complete a departmental examination, an interview and a paper or book review in the field.

DEPARTMENTAL HONORS AND ACTIVITIES

The department offers an honors program in history.  Eligibility requirements and rules governing the departmental honors programs are described in the University catalog.  Students interested in the history honors program should consult their advisor and their department chair no later than the first term of their junior year.

The department sponsors the Theta Beta Chapter of the national history honor society, Phi Alpha Theta.  The society presents lectures, films, and other programs.  Students may inquire about membership requirements at the department office.

The department awards at graduation each year the Medal of the Daughters of American Colonists, presented by the Cecilius Calvert chapter of that organization, and the Disabled American Veterans Prize in History.

The Mary Catherine Kahl Prize is awarded annually to a History major or minor of outstanding promise who has not yet graduated.  An essay in history written by the nominees is submitted as an integral part of the prize competition.

The Arnold Blumberg Prize is awarded annually to the senior History mjaor who has compiled the most outstanding  record in the field of European History.

The Douglas D. Martin Sr. History Award provides scholarship support for undergraduate History majors with a minimum of 85 units who have demonstrated an interest in the study of Western U.S. history or native peoples.

Each year, under an endowment established to honor Professor Herbert Duane Andrews, an outstanding scholar will be invited to lecture at the university.  The lecture will emphasize scholarly research which demonstrates the integration of history with other disciplines or which utilizes newer methodologies to enhance understanding of traditional areas of specialization.

The department also offers travel-study courses that in the past have introduced students to China, Japan, Mexico and several European countries.

Interdisciplinary Programs

• Click here for IDIS Programs