History, B.A.

In addition to adhering to General Education and School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts Requirements , the History major requires 64 units. Courses in the major must be taken for a letter grade and may not be taken on a pass/no pass basis unless the course is only offered on a pass/no pass basis. Students must complete all major course prerequisites with a C-or better.

Lower Division Major Requirements [24 Units]

HIST 010: Introduction to World History to 1500 [4 units]
HIST 011: Introduction to World History Since 1500 [4 units]
Two other lower division HIST courses [8 units]
One year of college-level courses in a Language other than English [8 units] *

*Students must take one year of the same language. This requirement may be satisfied through alternative means, such as proficiency testing and/or prior college-level course work. Does not meet the lower division Humanities, Arts or Foreign Language General Education requirement. See the SSHA Advising website for more information on Foreign Language Placement: ssha-advising.ucmerced.edu/policies-and-procedures/foreign-language-placement-guidelines.

Upper Division Major Requirements [32 Units]

HIST 100: The Historian’s Craft [4 units] (must be taken by the end of junior year) ^
HIST 191: History Capstone Seminar [4 units]
^ Majors are encouraged to take this course as soon as they have completed two lower division history classes.

Additional Upper Division Courses in History [24 Units]

Of the 24 units (six courses), 20 units (five courses) are specified from the following five areas:

Before 1850 [4 units] **

At least one course with substantial emphasis on the period before 1850 chosen from the following:

HIST 111: The Legacy of Genghis Khan [4 units]
HIST 113: History of the Gunpowder Empires [4 units]
HIST 124A: African American History to 1877 [4 units]
HIST 165A: China in the Ancient World [4 units]
HIST 165B: From Tang to Song: China in the Medieval World [4 units]
HIST 170: Law and Society in Early Modern England [4 units]
HIST 171: Modern European Intellectual History [4 units]
HIST 172: Europe and the Early Modern Atlantic World [4 units]

Eastern Hemisphere [4 units] **

At least one course focused on the eastern hemisphere (Afro-Eurasia) chosen from the following:

HIST 111: The Legacy of Genghis Khan [4 units]
HIST 112: History of Islamic Art and Architecture [4 units]
HIST 113: History of the Gunpowder Empires [4 units]
HIST 115: Topics in African History [4 units]
HIST 158: Topics in Middle Eastern History [4 units]
HIST 165A: China in the Ancient World [4 units]
HIST 165B: From Tang to Song: China in the Medieval World [4 units]
HIST 165C: Late Imperial China [4 units]
HIST 165D: China in the Modern World [4 units]
HIST 170: Law and Society in Early Modern England [4 units]
HIST 171: Modern European Intellectual History [4 units]
HIST 172: Europe and the Early Modern Atlantic World [4 units]
HIST 179: Topics in European History [4 units]
HIST 180: The Silk Road [4 units]

Western Hemisphere [4 units] **

At least one course focused on the western hemisphere (Americas) chosen from the following:

HIST 117: Topics in Regional or State History [4 units]
HIST 122: That’s the Joint: Race, Gender, and Migration in Hip-Hop History [4 units]
HIST 123: Comparative Race and Ethnicity in the United States [4 units]
HIST 124A: African American History to 1877 [4 units]
HIST 124B: African American History 1877 to Present [4 units]
HIST 125: African American Music [4 units]
HIST 126: Race and Nationalism in American Art [4 units]
HIST 128: The United States and the Vietnam War [4 units]
HIST 129: Introduction to Chicano History [4 units]
HIST 130: The Cold War, 1941-1991 [4 units]
HIST 131: Topics in National History: “Manifest Destiny:” The United States and the World, 1840s-Present [4 units]
HIST 132: Intelligence and National Security, 1945-2000 [4 units]
HIST 133: Topics in Nineteenth Century U.S. History [4 units]
HIST 134: History and Literature of the Great Depression [4 units]
HIST 135: Literature and History of the 1960s [4 units]
HIST 139: Topics in United States History [4 units]

Global [4 units] **

At least one course focused globally, with either a thematic approach or which address multiple world regions chosen from the following:

HIST 110: Environmental History of the World [4 units]
HIST 116: History of Decolonization in the Twentieth Century [4 units]
HIST 119: Topics in the History of Migration and Immigration [4 units]
HIST 127: Local Harvest, Global Industry: History of the Production and Consumption of Food [4 units]
HIST 180: The Silk Road [4 units]

Research Intensive [4 units]

At least one upper division “R” course, which must be taken before taking HIST 191 . Such as:

HIST 118R: Topics in Environmental History: Research [4 units]
HIST 120R: Essence of Decision: Case Studies in History [4 units]
HIST 124BR: African American History 1877 to Present: Research [4 units]
HIST 158R: Topics in Middle Eastern History: Research [4 units]

** Note

Depending on the specific focus, the following topics courses may satisfy one or more of the above breadth requirements. Please consult with an academic advisor, professor, and/or the Undergraduate Program Chair.

HIST 107: Topics in Urban History [4 units]
HIST 108: Topics in World History [4 units]
HIST 109: Topics in the History of Science and Technology [4 units]
HIST 110: Environmental History of the World [4 units]
HIST 142: Topics in Latin American History [4 units]
HIST 158: Topics in Middle Eastern History [4 units]
HIST 179: Topics in European History [4 units]

Breadth Requirements [8 Units]

Two non-History courses (lower or upper division) from other disciplines relevant to history chosen from the following:

ANTH 110: Migration, Diaspora and Transnational Belonging [4 units]
ANTH 116: Indigenous Activism in the Americas [4 units]
ANTH 124: Ethnopsychology [4 units]
ANTH 140: Cultural Heritage Policy and Practice [4 units]
ANTH 142: Archaeology of Colonialism [4 units]
ANTH 146: Topics in Small-Scale Societies [4 units]
ARTS 103: History of Ethnic Costume [4 units]
ARTS 125: African American Music of the 20th Century [4 units]
ARTS 130: History of World Architecture [4 units]
ARTS 141: History and Practice of Photography [4 units] or
GASP 141: History and Practice of Photography [4 units]
CHN 003: Intermediate Chinese I [4 units]
ECON 111: American Economic History [4 units]
ECON 115: Economics of Industrial Organization [4 units]
ECON 121: The Economics of Money, Banking, and Financial Institutions [4 units]
ECON 140: Labor Economics [4 units]
ECON 142: The Economics of Gender and Poverty [4 units]
ECON 145: Health Economics [4 units]
ECON 161: International Finance and Trade [4 units]
ENG 032: Introduction to Chicano/a Culture and Experiences [4 units] or
CCST 060: Introduction to Chicano/a Culture and Experiences [4 units] or
SPAN 060: Introduction to Chicano/a Culture and Experiences [4 units]
ENG 101: Medieval and Renaissance Literature and Culture, 800-1660 [4 units]
ENG 114: Latinos/as in Children’s Literature and Film [4 units] or
SPAN 114: Latinos/as in Children’s Literature and Film [4 units]
ENG 116: Literature and History of the 1960s [4 units]
ENG 129: Topics in Literature and Culture [4 units]
ENGR 180: Spatial Analysis and Modeling [4 units]
ENVE 110: Hydrology and Climate [4 units] or
ESS 110: Hydrology and Climate [4 units]
ENVE 114: Mountain Hydrology of the Western United States [3 units]
ENVE 118: Global Change [4 units]
ESS 025: Introduction to Ecosystem Science [4 units]
ESS 124: Terrestrial Ecosystem Ecology [3 units]
ES 214: Mountain Hydrology of the Western United States [3 units]
GASP 034: The American Musical [4 units]
GASP 135: African American Music [4 units]
GASP 171: Museums as Contested Sites [4 units]
GASP 175: Race and Nationalism in American Art [4 units]
GEOG 142: Geography of Resource Management [4 units]
POLI 001: Introduction to American Politics [4 units]
POLI 002: Controversies in American Politics [4 units]
POLI 005: Introduction to International Relations [4 units]
POLI 100: Congressional Politics [4 units]
POLI 101: The Presidency [4 units]
POLI 102: Judicial Politics [4 units]
POLI 105: Interest Groups and Political Parties [4 units]
POLI 106: Urban Politics [4 units]
POLI 107: California Politics [4 units]
POLI 108: Direct Democracy [4 units]
POLI 110: Governmental Power and the Constitution [4 units]
POLI 125: Public Opinion [4 units]
POLI 127: Race, Gender, and Politics [4 units]
POLI 160: US Foreign Policy [4 units]
PUBP 001: Introduction to Public Policy [4 units]
PUBP 100: Political Process and Institutions [4 units]
PUBP 140: Immigration and Public Policy [4 units]
PUBP 150: Race, Ethnicity and Public Policy [4 units]
SOC 110: Social Movements, Protest and Collective Action [4 units]
SOC 131: Urban Inequality [4 units]
SPAN 050: Introduction to Hispanic Literatures [4 units]
SPAN 051: Introduction to Hispanic Literatures II [4 units]
SPAN 103: Spanish Composition and Conversation [4 units]
SPAN 105: Hispanic Cultures I [4 units]
SPAN 111: Empire, The Postcolonial, and Representation: Reading East and West [4 units]
SPAN 121: Spanish Golden Age [4 units]
SPAN 123: Spanish (Peninsular) 20-21 Centuries [4 units]
SPAN 130: The Transatlantic Baroque [4 units]
SPAN 131: Transatlantic Modernismo [4 units]
SPAN 140: Latin American Colonial Literature [4 units]
SPAN 143: Latin American Literature since Independence [4 units]
SPAN 144: Caribbean Literatures and Cultures [4 units]
SPAN 151: Diasporas and Exiles in Latin America [4 units]
SPAN 153: Bilingualism and Borders in Hispanic Literatures [4 units]
SPAN 154: Hispanic Drama and Performing [4 units]
SPAN 170: Spanish Linguistics [4 units]
SPAN 180: Topics in Hispanic Languages and Cultures [4 units]
WH 110: Reconstructing Ancient Worlds [4 units]

Transfer Students

Transfer students who wish to major in History should complete the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) at their community college. Transfer students may not be admitted to the History major without specific major preparation. Please contact the Office of Admissions for current information.

History Honors Program

UCM History majors may petition to join the Honors Program, which will have additional requirements beyond the standard History major. Undergraduate majors who are accepted and successfully complete the Honors Program will receive a notation to that effect upon their diploma at graduation.

To be eligible for the Honors Program, a History major must achieve a minimum overall GPA of 3.3, a minimum GPA of 3.5 in the major and a minimum grade of A- in the major induction course, HIST 100: The Historian’s Craft . Applications from qualified students will be considered by the History Honors Committee (composed of Academic Senate faculty in History). Please contact SSHA Advising for more information.

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