History Major Description and Requirements

The department offers a four-year program leading to a Bachelor of Arts in History. Following completion of foundation courses, students pursue different fields of history depending upon their intellectual and career interests. As appropriate, political science and liberal arts courses (up to 15 hours) can be used to fulfill some requirements of the major.

1st Year Courses
HIST 103 Pre-Modern World Civilization (3 credits)
Studies the cultural and historical traditions of the major geographical regions of the pre-modern world up to 1492: Greece and Rome, South and Southeast Asia, East Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. Emphasis will be placed on such factors as international trade routes, the spread of ideas and religions, and the formation of state-systems that become the basis of the post-1492 world.

HIST 104 Modern World Civilization (3 credits)
Provides an introductory historical survey of the major events, ideas, and people which have shaped world civilizations since 1500, the beginning of the modern era of history. Takes a comparative, interdisciplinary, and non-Eurocentric approach to historical analysis, emphasizing diversity and global awareness.

HIST 203 American History I (3 credits)
Focuses on the development of American political, economic, social, philosophical, and cultural values and institutions from Colonial beginnings up to 1877. Sufficient emphasis will be placed on the Massachusetts and Federal Constitutions to meet the state requirement.

HIST 204 American History II (3 credits)
Focuses on the development of American political, economic, social, philosophical, and cultural values and institutions from 1877 to the present. Sufficient emphasis will be placed on the Massachusetts and Federal Constitution to meet the state requirement.

2nd Year Courses
HIST 200 Research and Bibliography (3 credits)
Acquaints the students with the methods and materials of basic bibliography and research. Introduces a variety of reference sources such as bibliographies, periodical indexes, government publications, handbooks, computer databases and CD-ROMs.

HIST 205 Historiography (3 credits)
Provides students, in seminar style, with an introduction to the classic issues and interpretations in the study of US and world history and political theory. Through readings, research, and discussion students will become familiar with important primary sources and major contributions of scholars.

POSC 201 US Government and Public Policy (3 credits)
Introduces the major institutions of national and state government and the discipline of political science. Through interdisciplinary study, students will develop an understanding of political behaviour and the public policy processes in the United States.

POSC 202 Comparative Government and Public Policy (3 credits)
Provides a comparative introduction to world political cultures and the discipline of political science. Through an interdisciplinary study of various nation-states, students will develop an understanding of political behavior and public policy processes.

3rd Year Courses
Four upper-level elective courses, with at least one from each of the areas of Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia (12 credits)

4th Year Courses
Two 400-level Senior Seminars (6 credits)

One of the following: (3 credits)

One Teaching Assistantship
or internship
or senior thesis
or 400-level course

Total Credits for a Major in History: 45