About the Department

To receive a BA in History, students must take two World History courses. These are foundation courses for the study of History, each of which seeks to provide students with basic historical literacy.

Each course also seeks to develop appreciation for large-scale regional and global patterns, as well as regional and global connections, including exchanges of ideas, labor, trade, technology, etc. Finally, each of these World History courses seeks to combat ethnocentricity by examining the internal development of the cultural and institutional heritages of the people involved in these patterns and exchanges.

Students must take Historiography in the sophomore or junior year and two courses designated as Research Seminars. The two Research Seminars constitute the History major capstone. Students are also required to take five additional courses from the general departmental offerings, chosen in consultation with the academic adviser according to the following guidelines:

• one upper-level course taken from three of the five geographical areas covered by the department (Africa, East Asia, Europe, Latin America and United States)
• one course with a substantial pre- or early modern component is also required.

Students are strongly encouraged to study abroad or engage in an international, intercultural, or academic internship to enhance their educational experience. If this interferes with a student's ability to take the two required Research Seminars and graduate on time, then specific course work taken during this experience can be substituted for the second research seminar. However, only with permission from the History Department Chair, received in advance and at the same time that the student files the necessary paperwork for an off-campus experience. To receive approval, students must demonstrate that, logistically, they cannot take both research seminars, study abroad, and graduate on time. Additionally, the experience must be in another country, last for at least one semester, and involve at least one upper-level course in history that preferably contains a significant research project.

Students should be aware that study abroad and advanced historical research often requires language skills beyond the level of proficiency normally required for Southwestern students. Students preparing for graduate work in history should check graduate catalogs to see if additional language work is expected.