History, B.A.

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College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences > Department of History > History, B.A.

Students who major in History must complete thirty-six semester hours in History, including:

Six semester hours of the 1000 level American history survey course.

HIST 1301 - The U.S. to 1877 Credit Hours: 3
HIST 1302 - The U.S. Since 1877 Credit Hours: 3

Six semester hours in any 2000 level civilizations survey course among the following:

HIST 2311 - Western Civilization to 1450 Credit Hours: 3
HIST 2312 - Western Civilization from 1450 Credit Hours: 3
HIST 2313 - Global Civilization to 1500 Credit Hours: 3.0
HIST 2314 - Global Civilization since 1500 Credit Hours: 3.0
HIST 2321 - The Study of Early Civilizations Credit Hours: 3
HIST 2322 - Modern Civilizations Credit Hours: 3

Historian’s Craft

Three semester hours of The Historian’s Craft or a Writing in the Disciplines course offered in history from the list below is required. The Historian’s Craft or equivalent must be taken before completing the 4000 level history capstone seminar required of majors.

HIST 2303 - The Historian’s Craft: An Introduction to Historical Methods Credit Hours: 3.0
Approved Courses Equivalent to Historian’s Craft:
HIST 2328 - Chicano History since 1910 Credit Hours: 3
HIST 2332 - Introduction to Law and Society in England 1200-1800 Credit Hours: 3
HIST 2360 - Introduction to the History of Science, Medicine, and Technology Credit Hours: 3
HIST 3314 - Liberals vs. Conservatives: FDR to the Present Credit Hours: 3.0
HIST 3341 - The History of Jewish Food Credit Hours: 3.0
HIST 3351 - Work&Family-Modern Eur Credit Hours: 3
HIST 3369 - Colonial Mexico Credit Hours: 3.0

Capstone Research Seminar

Three semester hours of a 4000 level Capstone Research Seminar is required and cannot be taken before completing the Historians Craft or equivalent.

Students can select one of the following from this capstone course list:

HIST 4301 - Issues in Feminist Research Credit Hours: 3
HIST 4310 - Capstone - Writing and Editing for a History Magazine Credit Hours: 3
HIST 4315 - Slavery and American Society Credit Hours: 3
HIST 4325 - Houston Eats!: Research in Food and Public History Credit Hours: 3
HIST 4327 - Europe 1930-1945 Credit Hours: 3.0
HIST 4336 - A History of Histories: Capstone Course on Historiography Credit Hours: 3.0
HIST 4340 - Philosophies of History Credit Hours: 3.0
HIST 4347 - Century of Revolution: Stuart Britain, 1603-1714 - Capstone Credit Hours: 3
HIST 4348 - Society and Culture in Early Modern England, 1500-1700 - Capstone Credit Hours: 3
HIST 4362 - Capstone in Asian History Credit Hours: 3.0
HIST 4363 - Capstone in United States History Credit Hours: 3.0
HIST 4365 - Women in Latin America Credit Hours: 3.0
HIST 4373 - History of the US-Mexico Borderlands Credit Hours: 3
HIST 4374 - Capstone in African History Credit Hours: 3.0
HIST 4375 - The Atlantic World since 1450: Slaves and Capitalists, Rebels and Zombies Credit Hours: 3
HIST 4383 - Capstone in Global History Credit Hours: 3.0
HIST 4384 - East Asian Women in Historical and Cross-Cultural Perspectives Credit Hours: 3.0
HIST 4385 - Capstone in European History Credit Hours: 3.0
HIST 4387 - Capstone in Latin American History Credit Hours: 3.0
HIST 4388 - Capstone in Middle East History Credit Hours: 3.0
HIST 4390 - Capstone in Public History Credit Hours: 3
With the permission of the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS), students may substitute the capstone course by completing a faculty-directed internship or by completing a 6000-level graduate seminar. Any graduate level hybrid course (4XXX/6XXX) can only be used to fulfill this requirement if 6000-level seminar is a research seminar.
With the permission of Director of the Undergraduate Studies (DUS), students may substitute the capstone course by writing a Senior Honors Thesis which requires them to take two courses (six credit hours). For further information about this capstone substitute option, see the website of Honors College.

• Beyond the history capstone, majors also must take one more 4000 level history course and twelve additional hours in history courses can be taken at the 3000 or 4000 level.

• The final three semester hours can be completed in a history course at any level.

• History majors are also required to take courses in at least three of the following geographic areas: 1) Africa; 2) Asia; 3) Europe; 4) Latin America; 5) Middle East; 6) United States; 7) Global.

Bachelor of Arts in History, Professional Studies Tracks

History majors may concentrate their history course work in one of the following four Professional Studies tracks to provide a historical foundation and practical skills: energy and/or environment; law and/or public policy; public history; science, medicine, and/or technology. Each track consists of 9 hours of selected coursework that fit within existing history major requirements; this option does not add additional hours to the major. Students who are pursuing a Professional Studies track must declare their intent with the Undergraduate Advisor no later than the semester prior to their graduation. Students completing a Professional Studies track will receive a certificate from the History Department indicating their completion.

Energy and/or Environment Track:

Students participating in this track can either take a History capstone course relating to the track or undertake an internship, independent research project, or senior thesis on energy and/or environment. Students doing an internship or research project must register for this course under the supervision of a designated History faculty member.
Two additional courses relating to energy and/or environment from the approved course list are required (see list below).
Relevant 3000 or 4000 level Special Problems or Selected Topics courses in History can also count towards this track if approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
Relevant graduate courses in History may also count for the second or third courses in the track if approved by the course instructor and the Director of Undergraduate Studies permission is required.

Law and/or Public Policy Track:

Students pursuing the Law and/or Public Policy track should take the legal capstone course HIST 4355 - Topics in the History of Law and Society . With the approval of the Director of Undergraduate Studies, students may substitute for HIST 4355 an internship, independent research project, or senior thesis in the area of law and/or policy. Students doing an internship or research project must register for this course under the supervision of a designated History faculty member.
Two additional courses relating to law and/or policy history from the approved course list are required (see list below).
Relevant 3000 or 4000 level Special Problems or Selected Topics courses in History can also count towards this track if approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies; students should expect to show the relevance of the coursework to law and public policy when requesting this approval. Students will be expected to provide evidence that their written work in these courses had a legal or public policy angle
Relevant graduate courses in History may count for the second or third courses in the track, if approved by the course instructor and the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

Public History Track:

Students pursuing the Public History track must take HIST 3315 Introduction to Public History.
Two additional courses relating to public history from the approved course list are required (see list below).
Relevant Special Problems or Selected Topics in History courses at the 3000 or 4000 level may count towards this track if approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies; students should expect to show relevance of the coursework to public history when requesting this approval. Ideally, students pursuing the Public History track will also take a course that is designated as Ppublic history in focus for their capstone.
Relevant graduate courses in History may count for the second or third courses in the track, if approved by the instructor and Director of Undergraduate Studies. DUS permission is required.

Science, Medicine, and/or Technology Track:

Students participating in this track can either take a History capstone course related to the track or undertake an internship, independent research project, or senior thesis on the history of science, medicine, and/or technology. Students doing an internship or research project must register for this course under the supervision of a designated History faculty member.
Two additional courses relating to the history of science, medicine, and/or technology from the approved course list are required (see list below).
Relevant Special Problems or Selected Topics courses in History at the 3000 or 4000 level may count towards a concentration if approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
Relevant graduate courses in History may count for the second or third courses in the track if approved by the course instructor and the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

Bachelor of Arts in History with Teacher Certification

Students seeking the Bachelor of Arts in History with Teacher Certification should refer to the section on CLASS Teacher Certification Programs and to the College of Education Section of this catalog.

Other Requirements

Students majoring in History must also meet:

The University of Houston’s core curriculum requirements.
The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree.
Students must complete at least 12 of the advanced hours in History in residence.
Students must earn at least a 2.0-grade point average on all work attempted in History at the University of Houston.