Traditional Degree Option

History Major: Traditional Option

The CSUDH History Department offers an undergraduate major and minor in history. It lays a foundation for further training in history graduate programs.

The history program offers a wide range of topical and area courses. Lower-division survey courses help students make connections between the events and persons of the past as they learn how historians find and evaluate evidence. Upper-division courses study specific eras and topics in greater depth. The three courses required of all majors, HIS 300, 400, and 490, give students a solid understanding of the terms, methods, and theories historians use in the study of the past, and equip them to engage in historical inquiry on topics of interest to them. History courses are useful either as general electives or as part of several interdisciplinary majors.

Before Entering the Program

High school students are encouraged to take broadly based humanities and social science courses. Students transferring from community colleges may apply appropriate lower division courses towards the major, especially courses in world civilization.

Courses

The standard History Major requires 45 units or 15 courses:

• Two lower-division courses in World Civilization (HIS 120 and 121)
• Three core courses (HIS 300, 400, and 490)
• A three-course concentration in non-United States history (no more than two courses per continent) from the courses numbered 305, 310-319, 360-369 and 395, when the subject is appropriate
• A three-course concentration in United States history (two should be period courses, selected from the courses numbered 330-336. One should be topical, selected from the courses numbered 340-359 or 395, when the subject is appropriate)
• Four electives (including at least one topical course)

Please refer to the University Catalog for a description of courses.

Forms

These forms are to serve a guide for the student's academic major progress semester by semester. We don't expect you to take the courses in the precise order indicated on the forms. Instead, they're intended to help you see how your course of study could be laid out. Please be sure to consult with one of our academic advisors as these forms are not a replacment for their help.

• Traditional Degree Course Worksheet
• Traditional Degree Roadmap

Graduation with Honors

An undergraduate student may be a candidate for graduation with Honors in History provided they meet the following criteria:

• A minimum of 36 units in residence at CSU Dominguez Hills;
• A minimum grade point average of at least 3.5 in all courses used to satisfy the upper division requirements in the major
• Recommendation by the faculty of the History Department

History Minor

The History Minor requires 15 units. Students may take any five other upper-division courses to complete their minor. Please refer to the University Catalog for a description of courses.