College of Humanities & Social Sciences

History provides a general background for studying the humanities or social sciences and understanding the contemporary world. Preparation in history is especially useful for careers which require careful judgment on the basis of limited evidence, such as the United States Foreign Service, journalism, and law, as well as teaching and a variety of civil service functions.

The Department of History supports the concept of international education and encourages students to investigate opportunities for overseas study described in the Global Affairs section of the catalog.

Bachelor of Arts in History

Requirements

Complete University General Education requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree (51 units minimum).
Complete the following prerequisites to the major (8 units).
1. A one-year sequence in American, European, or non-Western history, 6 units
2. HIST 2900 Library Resources and Bibliographical Control for Historical Research, 2 units
  Note: SSCI 3000 also satisfies this requirement.
Complete the major of 30 upper-division units. No courses graded CR may be counted towards the major, except eight units taken in courses graded exclusively CR/NC.

Note: Reading knowledge of a foreign language is desirable for the bachelor’s degree and is required for some of the graduate history programs here and in most other schools.

The Major (30 units minimum)

Select one course in upper-division European history from the following list
(3 units):
HIST 3120 Ancient Mediterranean World, 3 units*
HIST 3140 Medieval Europe, 3 units*
HIST 3210 Renaissance and Reformation, 3 units*
HIST 3220 Absolutism and Revolution, 1598-1799, 3 units
HIST 3230 Nineteenth Century Europe, 3 units
HIST 3240 Twentieth Century Europe, 3 units
Select one course in upper-division United States history from the following list
(3 units):
HIST 3610 Colonial North America, 3 units
HIST 3620 Early National United States, 3 units
HIST 3630 U.S. Reconstruction through World War II, 3 units
HIST 3640 Contemporary United States, 3 units
Complete two upper-division courses in non-Western history from the following list (6 units):
HIST 3510 Colonial Latin America, 3 units*
HIST 3520 Modern Latin America, 3?units
HIST 3800 East Asia in Traditional Times, 3 units*
HIST 3810 East Asia in the Modern World, 3 units
HIST 3860 Africa Before 1885, 3 units*
HIST 3880 Contemporary Africa, 1945 to the Present, 3 units
HIST 3900 Arab-Islamic Civilization: Origins to the Present, 3 units*
HIST 4041 Colonialism and the Modern State in Africa and Asia, 3 units
Note: At least two courses from 1, 2, and 3 above must be in a pre-modern era. Courses fulfilling this requirement bear asterisks (*). Also fulfilling this requirement is:
HIST 4350 English Culture to 1603, 3 units.
Complete the following Writing Proficiency course (4 units):
HIST 4960 Senior Seminar (WP), 4 units
Complete sufficient electives to equal at least 30 upper-division units in history.

Minor in History

Requirements (18 units)
Complete 18 units in history, of which 12 units must be upper-division history courses. All but Winter Term courses are to be taken for a letter grade. Select courses for the degree minor in history in consultation with and approval of the minor adviser.

Minor in World History

The World History minor is designed to provide support and assistance to students who wish to specialize in world history and to provide a coherent academic program which is well integrated with other disciplines and departments.

Requirements (18 units)

Lower Division (6 units)
HIST 1010 World Civilizations I, 3 units
HIST 1020 World Civilizations II, 3 units
Note: Equivalent courses at many community colleges may satisfy these requirements, but they must be world, not western, civilization courses.

Upper Division

Global — Comparative
1. Two of the following (6 units):
  HIST 3090 Contemporary World History, 3 units
  HIST 3400 The Great Teachings, 3 units
  (HIST 3090 and 3400 also fulfill university multicultural requirement)
  HIST 4041 Colonialism and the Modern State in Africa and Asia, 3 units
  HIST 4730 Disease and World Societies, 3 units
2. One of the following may be substituted for one class above:
  HIST 3120 Ancient Mediterranean World, 3 units
  HIST 4440 Western Science and Society Since Copernicus, 3 units
  HIST 4510 The United States and Latin America, 3 units
  HIST 4720 Modern Atlantic Slavery, 3 units
  HIST 4850 China and United States, 3 units
Area Studies
1. Any two of the following (6 units):
  HIST 3230 Nineteenth Century Europe, 3 units
  HIST 3240 Twentieth Century Europe, 3 units
  HIST 3510 Colonial Latin America, 3 units
  HIST 3520 Modern Latin America, 3?units
  HIST 3720 United States Ethnic and Immigrant Past, 3 units
  HIST 3730 Afro American History, 3 units
  HIST 3800 East Asia in Traditional Times, 3?units
  HIST 3810 East Asia in the Modern World, 3?units
  HIST 3860 Africa Before 1885, 3 units
  HIST 3880 Contemporary Africa, 1945 to the Present, 3 units
  HIST 3900 Arab-Islamic Civilization: Origins to the Present, 3 units
  HIST 4210 European Intellectual History: Renaissance to the Present, 3 units
  HIST 4500 History of Mexico, 3 units
  HIST 4710 Mexican American History, 3 units

Liberal Studies concentration in History
Please refer to the Liberal Studies section of this catalog.

Social Sciences concentration in History
Please refer to the Social Sciences program section of the catalog.

Learning Objectives
Students are expected to be able to:

Develop skills in critical thinking and analysis.
Locate secondary and primary historical sources in all forms.
Analyze secondary sources to recognize their main interpretations.
Analyze primary sources, understanding the importance of historical context.
Implement effective written and oral communication skills.
Cite sources properly.
Demonstrate the ability to perceive any given event from more than one cultural viewpoint.

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