Office:
Craven Hall, First Floor

Telephone:
(760) 750-4152

Department Chair:
Patricia S. Seleski, Ph.D.

Faculty:
Peter J. Arnade, Ph.D.
Jeffrey Charles, Ph.D.
Anne Lombard, Ph.D.
Reuben Mekenye, Ph.D.
Carmen Nava, Ph.D.
Earl A. Schwartz, Ph.D.
Alyssa G. Sepinwall, Ph.D.
Patricia S. Seleski, Ph.D.
Jill Watts, Ph.D.
Zhiwei Xiao, Ph.D.

Programs Offered:

• Bachelor of Arts in History
• Single Subject Preparation in Social Science, History Major Option
• Minor in History

History interprets the past for the present by exploring the institu­tions, ideas, cultures, and creations of men and women in the context of time and place. It is focused on change over time; both change of the subjects of study and of his­torians’ attempts to make sense of those subjects. History ranges over all of recorded human experience, naturally interfacing with the arts, sciences, social sciences, and other humanities.

The student of history will learn to evaluate evidence critically, to sift and organize evidence fairly and persuasively, to analyze the evi­dence for its patterns and meanings, and to integrate this into a broad context of human experience. Historical study pro­vides perspective, helping indivi­duals to place their own lives, values, and world events in con­text, and to recognize the pro­cesses of change that have brought them to the present.

History majors find careers in a great variety of fields. History is a tradi­tional preparation for law, foreign service, teaching, public affairs, journalism, and work in museums or historical societies. History majors hold such diverse positions as presidents of banks, personnel officers, senators, net­work news anchors, purchasing agents, city managers, judges, small business owners, and public safety officers. In addition, there is a growing arena of careers directly related to history — museum directors, curators, historical consultants, archivists, historical site administrators, and historic preservation officers. Both govern­ment agencies and private corpora­tions hire historians to research, analyze, and organize their records. Many of these latter careers require some graduate work in history.

Preparation for the Major

Completion of twelve (12) units of lower-division history study, which must include exposure to two world areas in sequence is required.  Completion of a writing composition course is required. Completion of nine (9) units of work in related fields comprised of six (6) units of coursework in one of the following: literature, religion, political sci­ence, economics, sociology, fine arts or in a single interdisciplinary field is required. One course (3 units) in a second and distinct subject from those listed above.  Competency in a foreign language, equivalent to three semesters (an intermediate level) of study at the university or college level, is also required.

Major Requirements

In addition to the lower-division courses completed as preparation, the major requires thirty-three (33) upper-division units including nine (9) units in a primary thematic field, six (6) units in a secondary thematic field, successful completion of HIST 301 and a 400-level history seminar course, and twelve units of electives in history.  One upper-division course must have the majority of its content before 1800.  Courses in the major must be taken from at least three different world areas that include:  Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, Middle East, United States and Comparative/Transnational History.  One course must have considerable content on Women's History/Gender.  All majors must complete and submit a portfolio of their coursework including a written narrative for evaluation by the department during their final semester before graduation.  Stu­dents must complete all courses for the major with a grade of C (2.0) or better, and may include no more than three (3) units of internship toward the major.

 

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN HISTORY

Units

General Education **51
Preparation for the Major* 24
Major Requirements 33
Students must take a sufficient number of
elective units to bring the total number of
units to a minimum of124

*Refer to explanations of units in the section that follows. These may simultaneously fulfill major preparation and General Education Requirements.

**Three (3) lower-division General Education units in Area A (Basic Skills) are automatically satisfied by GEW 101.

Preparation for the Major

Units

Lower-division (24) Lower-division History
courses including:
Two sequences in two different
world areas12

Related breadth courses including:
Two courses in Literature,
Religion, Political Science, Economics,
Philosophy, Sociology, Anthropology,
the Arts or a single interdisciplinary field6

 

One course in a second and distinct subject
from those listed above3

GEW 101 or equivalent*3

*Strongly recommended to be taken at the beginning of the junior year. Prerequisite for 400-level seminar.

Total Units24

Major Requirements33

Upper-division (33 units)

HIST 301***3

 

Upper-division History courses drawn from the five thematic areas which include: Politics and Institutions, Race and/or Ethnicity, Culture and Ideas, Gender, and Economics and Class (Students may create their own theme by petition and with the approval of the History program.)

Upper-division History courses are to be distributed as follows:
Primary theme to include:

300 level History courses9
400 level History seminar course3

Secondary theme distinct from the primary
theme (courses may not be the same courses
as used for the primary theme)6

Upper-division History Electives12

Total Units33

Of the 33 units:

1. One course must have the majority of its content before 1800.
2. Courses must be taken from at least three areas that include:  Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, Middle East, United States and Comparative/ Transnational History.
3. Note: One course must have considerable content on Women’s History/Gender.

Note: requirements a,b,c may be
fulfilled simultaneously with other upper-division History requirements.

Supplemental requirement:

Students must complete and submit a portfolio of their coursework including a written narrative.

 

Single-Subject Preparation in Social Science, History Major Option

Students interested in majoring in History and teaching at the secon­dary level may elect the Single-Subject option in Social Science.  For certification of this option, students must maintain a 2.7 GPA both in overall work and in all courses used to complete the major and option.

Summary of Requirements
Lower-division Preparation (27)

Lower-division History Courses including:

United States History Survey6
HIST 130*** and 131*** or equivalent

World History6

HIST 201 and 202 or equivalent

Related breadth courses including:

United States Government3
Choose one of the following:
PSCI 100***
PSCI 300
PSCI 415 or equivalent  

Political Science Electives
(may be taken at the lower-or
upper-division level)3

Economics including Macro/Micro
economics6

Choose two among:
ECON 201                
ECON 202
or
ECON 250                
ECON 302
or
ECON 301                
ECON 303 or equivalent

GEW 101 or equivalent**3

Total Units27

Supporting requirements:
Lower- or upper-division electives in Psychology
and/or Sociology6

**Strongly recommended before taking History courses numbered higher than 299.

***Also satisfies a lower-division General Education requirement.

 

		Theme
Area		Politics and Institutions	Race and or Ethnicity	Culture and Ideas	Gender	Economics
	Africa	HIST 370 HIST 371 HIST 375	HIST 371 HIST 374 HIST 375	HIST 370 HIST 374
	Asia	HIST 363 HIST 364 HIST 365	HIST 362	HIST 362 HIST 363 HIST 364 HIST 365
	Europe	HIST 305 HIST 307 HIST 308 HIST 313 HIST 318 HIST 323 HIST 324 HIST 325 HIST 326	HIST 307 HIST 320 HIST 321	HIST 308 HIST 313 HIST 316 HIST 317 HIST 318 HIST 322 HIST 323 HIST 324 HIST 327	HIST 316 HIST 327	HIST 305 HIST 317 HIST 325 HIST 326
	Latin America	HIST 352 HIST 359	HIST 350 HIST 355 HIST 356	HIST 352 HIST 356	HIST 355	HIST 350 HIST 359
	Middle East	HIST 384 HIST 385			HIST 384
	United States	HIST 330 HIST 335 HIST 336A HIST 336B HIST 336C HIST 336D HIST 336E HIST 336F HIST 337 HIST 338 HIST 347 HIST 349	HIST 332 HIST 334 HIST 335 HIST 336C HIST 336A HIST 337 HIST 338 HIST 339 HIST 343 HIST 344 HIST 345 HIST 346 HIST 347	HIST 330 HIST 334 HIST 336D HIST 336F HIST 341 HIST 343 HIST 344 HIST 348	HIST 332 HIST 336B HIST 341 HIST 343 HIST 343 HIST 344 HIST 348	HIST 336E HIST 339 HIST 345 HIST 346 HIST 349
	Comparative/ Transnational History	HIST 388 HIST 389		HIST 388 HIST 390		HIST 389 HIST 390

 

Major Requirements   

Units

HIST 301***3
GEOG 3013

Upper-division History courses(30)
Drawn from the five thematic areas which include:  Politics and Institutions, Race and/ or Ethnicity, Culture and Ideas, Gender, and  Economics and Class (Students may create  their own theme by petition and with the  approval of the History program.)

***Strongly recommended to be taken at the beginning of the junior year.  Prerequisite for 400-level seminar.

Primary Theme distributed as follows:

300 level History courses9
400 level History seminar course#3
Secondary Theme distributed as follows 
(courses may not be the same courses as used
for the primary theme):6

California History
HIST 3473

Upper-division History Electives9

#Excluding HIST 494,495,499

Note: Of the thirty units above:

• a.  ‑One course must have the majority of its content before 1800
• b.  ‑Courses must be taken form at least three world areas that include:  Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, Middle East, United States and Comparative/Transnational History
• c.   ‑Note: One course must have considerable content on Women’s History/Gender (this requirement may be fulfilled simultaneously with other History requirements).

Supplemental requirement:

Students must complete and submit a portfolio of their coursework including a written narrative.

Total Units30

 

MINOR IN HISTORY

A Minor in History shall consist of twenty-one (21) units of study in History. Twelve (12) units must be in upper-division courses. Students must include in their program courses in at least two world areas, and one six-unit sequence of course work, either at lower or upper-division. A six-unit (6-unit) sequence may consist of either two courses at the same level in which the content of the second con­tinues chronologically the content of the first or a 300-level course and a 400-level seminar which builds on a theme covered in the 300-level course.  Students must complete all courses for the minor with a grade of C (2.0) or better, and may include no more than three (3) units of internship toward the minor.