Objectives

The liberal arts History Major is planned to achieve several goals:

      (1) to achieve an understanding of the historical background of modern 
           society, politics, economics, and culture;

     (2) to prepare for higher-level professional training and teaching;

     (3) to cultivate active skills in research and writing.

This major stresses the development of those research and writing techniques which, although developed by historians, have found application in innumerable other occupations and disciplines—education, law and government, journalism, social work, business and industrial research, museum and archival work.

The History and Social Sciences major is also designed to provide students with a broad historical background for understanding modern society, politics, economics and culture, but here combined with a greater in-depth knowledge of one or more social science or related disciplines.  This program offers flexibility to students by opening up a wide variety of possible elective options for shaping a unique program to meet their present interests and their future professional or vocational needs.  This major is particularly appropriate for students seeking teacher certification at the secondary level.  The details of these programs must be worked out in advance in consultation with an advisor in the History Department.

Admission to the Program

All students who wish to request admission to the History or History and Social Science major must contact the chairperson of the department to declare their major and to inaugurate steps toward developing a plan of study.

Transfer students who wish to graduate from Eastern with a History or History and Social Science major must take a minimum of 15 credits of history courses at the University.  They must also meet all of the specific requirements for either major whether with transferred or Eastern courses.  Transfer students will be evaluated individually to determine their program.

All majors in both programs must receive a 2.0 or better in each course required for the major, including courses in the social sciences or related areas other than history.  Transfer students and new majors with 60 credits or more may substitute upper division courses for lower division requirements with the consent of their advisor and the chair.  All students taking 300 or 400-level courses should first complete HIS 200.

Degree Requirements

Major: History (BA)

I. Required Courses (15 credits)

HIS 120   The Early American Experience, 1607-1877
HIS 121   The Recent American Experience, 1877-Present
HIS 200   Historical Research and Writing
HIS 230   Western Civilization Before 1500
HIS 231   Western Civilization Since 1500

II. History Electives (18 credits)

A minimum of six history electives at the 200, 300, and 400-level.  A maximum of two of these electives may be taken at the 200-level.  Majors are encouraged to take a broad range of electives in European, American, and non-Western history.

III. History Electives Seminar (3 credits)

One seminar (HIS 400, 406, 407, or 420).  This satisfies the university requirement for a writing-intensive course.

History majors are exempt from 6 credits of General Education Requirements in Section IVA.

Major: History and Social Science (BA)

I. Required Courses (9 credits)

HIS 120 Recent American Experience or 
HIS 121 Early American Experience

HIS 230 Western Civilization Before 1500 or 
HIS 231 Western Civilization Since 1500

HIS 200 Historical Research and Writing

II. History Electives (15 credits)

A minimum of five history electives at the 200, 300, and 400-level.  A maximum of two of these electives may be taken at the 200-level.  Majors are encouraged to take a broad range of electives in European, American, and non-Western history.  Students seeking teaching certification at the secondary level should take at least one non-Western history to meet state certification requirements.

III. Seminar or Colloquium (3 credits)

One seminar (HIS 400, 406, 407, or 420) or colloquium (HIS 461, 462, or 463).  This fulfills the university requirement for a writing-intensive course.

IV. Social Science Electives (15 credits)

Majors select 5 courses from the following disciplines.  Students seeking certification as secondary school teachers should select courses from at least 4 different disciplines and should consult their academic advisors about appropriate courses to meet current state certification requirements.

 Anthropology
 Economics
 Geography
 Political Science
 Psychology
 Sociology
 New England Studies (NES 200 or 400)
 Women’s Studies (WST 240, 260 or 315)

History and Social Science Majors are exempt from 3 credits of General Education Requirements in Sections IVA.

Major: History/American Studies (BA)

Minor: History

To earn a History minor, a student must take 15 credits of history courses.  At least 6 of the 15 credits must be at the 300-level or above, and 9 credits must be completed at Eastern.