About the Department

To receive a BA in History, students must start by taking one of the department’s world history courses. These are foundation courses for the study of History, and each seeks to provide students with basic historical literacy.

Each course also develops 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 combats 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 one course designated as a Research Seminar. The Research Seminar constituted the History major capstone. Students are also required to take six 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 four 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.

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.