History Major

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Description

The study of History promotes the knowledge, breadth of perspective, intellectual growth, and skills essential to achieving career success, leading a purposeful life, and exercising responsible citizenship. History majors develop strong critical thinking, research, communication and problem-solving skills that prepare them to succeed in a wide range of rewarding careers, including law, teaching, business, entrepreneurship, public administration, journalism, information technology/library science, publishing, urban and regional planning, social work, and government.

The Department of History offers students a comprehensive range of courses that covers the world across all time periods and features a diverse array of topics. In addition, it offers professional development courses that help students reflect on how the study of history can help serve their personal and professional goals after graduation. The History major is flexible, allowing students to select classes that match their interests, and at 36 credits enables students to complete other majors or minors that complement the History degree. This flexibility also allows majors the opportunity to broaden their horizons through study abroad and to explore future career paths through internships coordinated through the Department of History.

Students who want to teach history at the middle or high school level should enroll in the Social Studies Inclusive Education (SSI) major, which leads to certification as both a Social Studies and Special Education teacher, or the Social Studies Education (SSE) major, which leads to certification solely as a Social Studies teacher.  

Admission to the Program

Any undergraduate student can declare a major in history.

Program Requirements

General Education Requirements (23-47 credits)

History majors will fulfill their Humanities (6), Social Science (6), Diversity or Other World Civilizations (3), and Oral Communication (3) General Education requirements through required courses for the major, thus reducing their general education credit count to 29.  They may also fulfill the Contemporary Issues (3) and/or Perspectives on Gender (3) requirements with history courses depending on the courses they choose to take. 

Major Departmental Requirements (36 credits)

Program Requirements

Students in the history major pursue either a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree, and must complete the corresponding degree's requirements.

The history major consists of 36 credits of history courses, 18 of which must be 300/400-level courses taken at Brockport. Only courses in which a student earns a grade of "C" or higher will fulfill these requirements. Students entering the College as transfers should talk to their advisor regarding appropriate course credit if they took Western Civilization courses at another institution. . All other requirements are the same.

History Major

This course of study applies to those students who are pursuing a History major without teacher certification. Students who want to teach Social Studies at the middle or high school level should enroll in the Social Studies Inclusive Education (SSI) major or the Social Studies Education (SSE) major.  

  • HST 201 Ancient World Seminar* (3 credits)
  • HST 202 Modern World Seminar* (3 credits)
  • HST 211 Seminar in Early America* (3 credits)
  • HST 212 Seminar in Modern America* (3 credits)
  • HST 390 Research Methods** (3 credits)

* Students may apply to substitute one of the required 200-level seminars with a 100-level survey as follows: HST 110 Survey in Early America (Can replace HST 211); HST 120 Survey in Modern America (Can replace HST 212); HST 130 Ancient World Survey (Can replace HST 201); HST 140 Modern World Survey (Can replace HST 202). Students wishing to do so should see their advisor.

**Students must complete three of the following four course (HST 201, HST 202, HST 211, and HST 212) with a C or better prior to taking HST 390.  Students must complete HST 390 with a C or better prior to taking their Research Intensive 400-level elective.

Electives (37-61 credits)

Total Credits (120 credits)

Additional Degree Requirements

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

  1. Articulate a thesis in response to a historical problem
  2. Advance in logical sequence principal arguments in defense of a historical thesis.
  3. Provide relevant evidence in defense of a historical thesis.
  4. Evaluate the significance of a historical thesis by relating it to a broader field of historical knowledge.
  5. Express themselves clearly in writing that forwards a historical analysis.
  6. Use disciplinary standards (Chicago Style) of documentation when referencing historical sources.