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History

The history major gives you a foundational understanding of world events and cultures you can use in almost any graduate school or professional setting.

Ready for Anything

You explore the past to sharpen your analysis of the present and future. Small classes in the department foster intellectually challenging conversations with faculty mentors and classmates. The 30-hour major, available as a B.A. or B.S., is small enough you can add a second major or multiple minors.

By the time you graduate, your experiences include:

  • Foundational and advance courses in U.S., European and world history
  • Cross-cultural courses or experiences such as study abroad or an international internship
  • Research opportunities with faculty
  • Networking and career development through History Club and Phi Alpha Theta honor society

Making your Mark

History graduates are active in editing and publishing, foreign service, government, international business, media, nonprofits, the park service and education. Recent graduates also have pursued graduate degrees in history, archaeology, geography, journalism, law, library studies, museum studies, religious studies and world languages.

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Major Requirements

Required Courses - 9 hrs.

  • HIS 203: American History and Global Systems to 1877 - 3 hrs.
    or HIS 204: American History and Global Systems since 1877 - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 350: Historical Methods Seminar - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 450: US History Research Seminar - 3 hrs.
    or HIS 451: Global Hist Colloquium - 3 hrs.
    or HIS 452: Area Studies Research Seminar - 3 hrs.

Africa, Asia, Latin America, Middle East or Russia Courses (choose two) - 6 hrs.

  • HIS 205: Non-Western Civilization: Latin America - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 206: Non-Western Civilization: the Middle East Since Muhammad - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 207: Non-Western Civilization: Modern Japan, 1860-Present - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 208: Non-Western Civilization: Russian History - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 314: Non-Western Civilization: Japan and World War II - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 324: Barbarians in History - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 330: Modern China - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 331: Samurai in Japanese History - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 332: Topics in Modern Latin American History - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 333: Cross-Cultural Contacts - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 334: Non-Western History: Social - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 335: Modern Mexico - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 336: Early Non-Western History and Geography - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 337: Modern Non-Western History and Geography - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 338: Russia Since 1917 - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 339: Women in Global Perspective - 3 hrs.

Note: 3 hours must be 300 level or higher

Western Civilization Course (choose one) - 3 hours

  • CIV 100: Western Civilization – 3 hrs
  • CIV 101: Western Civilization to 1600 – 3 hrs
  • CIV 102: Western Civilization since 1600 – 3 hrs
  • CIV 111 and 112: Unified Composition and Western Civilization I and II – 6 hrs
  • CIV 113 and 114: Unified Fine Arts and Western Civilization I and II – 6 hrs

Europe Courses (choose two) - 6 hrs.

  • HIS 210: History of European Film- 3 hrs
  • HIS 320: Renaissance and Reformation - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 321: Topics in European History: Intellectual - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 323: Ancient Greece and the Hellenistic World - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 325: Roman Civilization - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 327: Topics in European History: Cultural - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 328: England and the American Revolution - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 329: Modern Germany 1870-Present - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 340: Twentieth-Century Europe - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 341: The French Revolution - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 342: Europe, 1789-1914 - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 343: The Enlightenment - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 345: The History of England I - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 346: The History of England II - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 375: The Holocaust - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 382: European Women, Gender, and Sexuality Since 1500 - 3 hrs.

United States Courses (choose two) - 6 hrs.

  • HIS 201: Violence, Crime, and Punishment in U.S. History- 3 hrs
  • HIS 300 The United States Since 1945 - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 301: Topics in American History: Intellectual - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 302: Topics in American History: Diplomatic - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 303: American Urban History - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 304: Women in American History - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 305: American Indian History - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 306: The United States Civil War Era - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 307: History of the Early American Republic - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 308: Topics in American History: Political - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 309: The History of U.S. Law Enforcement - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 310: America and Vietnam 1940-Present - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 311: History of American Political Economy - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 315: U.S. Social Movements - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 316: African American History Since 1877 - 3 hrs.
  • HIS 317: American Masculinities - 3 hrs.

Note: 3 hours must be 300 level or higher

Elective Courses (choose two) - 6 hrs.

In addition to the 30 hours, all history majors must complete one of the four following options

  1. An approved international study experience selected from a variety of Bradley programs including international internships, Bradley Summer Semester abroad, and directed programs at selected international institutions. A minimum of 6 hours must be taken abroad. (If a student studies abroad at one of the Bradley-directed Study Abroad programs other than the Bradley European Summer Semester, the requirement of 24 hours of the last 30 hours on campus is modified to 30 of the last 60 hours. Courses taken in a Bradley-directed program during the senior year will count towards fulfilling the requirements of having 24 of the last 30 semester hours on campus).
  2. Successful completion of the equivalent of 202 in any foreign language.
  3. At least 6 hours drawn from the following courses:
    • AAS 200: Introduction to African-American Studies - 3 hrs.
    • AAS 400: Directed Research in African-American Studies - 3 hrs.
    • AAS 401: Community Engagement in African American Studies - 3 hrs.
    • HIS 304: Women in American History - 3 hrs.
    • HIS 305: American Indian History - 3 hrs.
    • HIS 316: African American History Since 1877 - 3 hrs.
    • HIS 317: American Masculinities - 3 hrs.
    • HIS 333: Cross-Cultural Contacts - 3 hrs.
    • HIS 339: Women in Global Perspective - 3 hrs.
    • HIS 375: The Holocaust - 3 hrs.
    • HIS 382: European Women, Gender, and Sexuality Since 1500 - 3 hrs.
    • WGS 200: Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies - 3 hrs.
    • ENG 129: Introduction to African American Literature - 3 hrs.
    • ENG 190: Women in Literature - 3 hrs.
    • ENG 329: African American Literature - 3 hrs.
    • ENG 330: Native American Literature - 3 hrs.
    • ENG 331: Studies in Women Writers - 3 hrs.
    • ETE 280: Exploring Diversity: Learners, Families and Communities - 3 hrs.
    • SOC 313: Race, Ethnicity, and Power - 3 hrs.
    • SOC 315: Gender and Society - 3 hrs.
  4. Any 3 hours of international study credit plus one course from category 3 above

Note: Secondary Education students can fulfill this requirement through ETE 280 and one of the approved courses in category c, or through ETE 280 and three hours of international study credit.

The 30-hour major, available as a B.A. or B.S., is small enough that you can add a second major or multiple minors.