B.A. In History

Program Requirements

These courses are designed to give you a breadth of understanding of some of the primary fields of history:

World History I or Western Civilization I: 110, 150, or 303 (3 units)
World History II or Western Civilization II:  111, 151, or 304 (3 units)
U.S. History I: 270 or 371 (3 units)
U.S. History II: 271 or 371 (3 units)
Other Regions: One course from 145, 161, 185, 191, 192 (3 units)

History 301: The Historian’s Craft (3 units): An introductory course in historical methods and interpretive inquiry. History 301 must be taken in the first 75 units of your college program, or — should you be a transfer from another major or another college or university — as soon thereafter as possible. This course is designed to help you appreciate history as an approach and a discipline, and to assist you to achieve a high level of skill in history’s methods. You will "learn how" rather than "learn what." The course will provide you with the necessary skills to make the most of your other upper division history courses.

Upper-Division History Electives (24 Units)

These electives may be chosen from any upper-division (300, 400 or 500 level) history lecture courses other than History 303, 304, 370, or 371. (The latter courses may apply only within the core curriculum.) You may also use these units earned in upper-division special topics courses in history, independent study (499 or 599) in history, or up to 3 additional units in History 498 to satisfy part of the "History Electives" requirement.

A minimum of 12 of these 24 upper division elective units must be at the 400- or above (500-level graduate classes require instructor permission).

At least 3 of the units must be in Upper-Division European History; 3 units in Upper-Division US History; and 3 units in Upper-Division African, Asian, Latin American or Middle Eastern history.

"Non-History Electives" (Upper Division) (0-6 Units)

**Up to six units from disciplines closely and logically related to history may apply to this elective requirement. Consult with your advisor before enrolling in courses you want to be counted as related electives. Courses used to fulfill minor requirements may also be used for related electives; but, by ruling of the Trustees, no Education courses can be used as related electives. Appropriate related electives, however, may satisfy CSUN General Education requirements. You may wish to select 6 units of upper division General Education coursework outside the History Department but in related areas that may be applied as electives in the major.

History 497: History Proseminar (3 units): A research seminar focusing on selected topics in history. A research paper is required. You must complete History 497 with a grade of C in order to graduate with a BA in History . NOTE: We strongly suggest not taking History 497 concurrently with History 498.

History 498: History Tutorial (3 units): A reading and discussion seminar focusing on a specific field or topic in history. You must complete History 498 with a grade of C in order to graduate with a BA in History. You may take an additional three units of 498 and apply them to History Electives. NOTE: We strongly suggest not taking History 498 concurrently with History 497.

No courses taken on a credit/no-credit basis can fulfill any requirements of the history major program with the following exception: Students who change their major from another field to history can apply a maximum of one 3-unit or 4-unit history course taken on a credit/no-credit basis toward fulfillment of a major requirement providing that the course was taken prior to the change to the major in history.

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