Learn More and ApplyPre-Law Concentration, History (BA)

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Course Requirements

Lower Division Courses

Students must take five courses at the 100- or 200-level. Note that the 200-level courses are not more difficult than the 100. The 100-level indicates that the course examines global history or large regions of the world. The 200-level indicates that the course has a narrower national or thematic focus. Note: HON 102 may be counted toward this lower division requirement.

Core

Course Title Quarter Hours
HST 298INTRODUCTION TO HISTORICAL SOURCES AND METHODS 14
HST 299CRAFT OF HISTORY4
HST 390CAPSTONE IN HISTORICAL RESEARCH AND WRITING4
1

Important Note: Students must complete WRD 103 and WRD 104 or HON 101 prior to enrolling in HST 298. For all concentrations, HON 102 may be counted toward lower division requirements.

History majors should take HST 298 at the beginning of their sophomore year, after they have completed two or three of their lower-division courses as well as WRD 103 and WRD 104. Transfer students should plan on registering for HST 298 as soon as possible.

Upper Division Courses

Once they have completed HST 298, students take six HST courses at the 300 level. One of the 300 level classes must be a gateway course linked to HST 390. Note that HST 390 counts as a capstone and not as one of the six 300 level HST courses.​​ For those in the pre-law concentration, four of those six 300-level classes must be the following: 

Course Title Quarter Hours
Select two of the following:8
SPECIAL TOPICS IN HISTORY (Race, Gender and the Law)
CRIME AND PUNISHMENT
THE COURT AND THE U.S. BILL OF RIGHTS
Select two of the following:8
EUROPE FROM CONFLICT TO CONSENSUS
LATINOS IN THE UNITED STATES
ENGLISH CONSTITUTIONAL HISTORY
THE NATION AND NATIONALISM IN EUROPE
FRENCH REVOLUTION AND NAPOLEON
THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT IN EUROPE
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
THE GREAT DEPRESSION AND THE NEW DEAL ERA
RECONSTRUCTION AND THE RISE OF JIM CROW
UNITED STATES CONSTITUTIONAL HISTORY TO 1865
UNITED STATES CONSTITUTIONAL HISTORY SINCE 1865
Any 300-level HST Topics course with a relevant topic

History majors cap off their studies with HST 390 a course in deep and sustained historical research and writing. To prepare for this capstone, one of the six 300-level HST classes must be part of a two-quarter linked sequence (called the “gateway course”). Students are strongly encouraged to take this sequence either in their junior or senior year bearing in mind that the gateway HST 390s are reliably offered only in Autumn-Winter and Winter-Spring. Not all 300-level HST courses are gateways to the HST 390 capstone, so students should refer to the History Department web page and postings in SAC 420 for applicable offerings. HST 299 is a prerequisite for HST 390.

Additional Course

Students will take one additional HST course in either the lower or upper division.

Open Electives

Open elective credit is also required to meet the minimum graduation requirement of 192 hours.