The history major is an excellent liberal arts major for students wishing to deepen their understanding of the world and its diverse cultures, past and present. Majors will develop valuable and highly transferable skills in research, textual and cultural analysis, and oral and written rhetoric. These provide an excellent foundation for vocations such as law, journalism, ministry, library science, business, and teaching.
History majors are encouraged to consider minors in closely related fields such as Africana studies, archaeology, classical and medieval studies, or gender studies, as well as minors in more diverse areas.
The history major requires two specific courses on the methods and practice of history; ideally these are taken in the first year (HIST 294 ) and senior year (HIST 395 ). In between these two endpoints, History majors choose their own program of courses according to their particular interests, within certain guidelines that ensure chronological, geographical, cultural, and disciplinary diversity.
One elective (4 semester hours) is waived for students double-majoring in history and another subject.