History

FACULTY Professor Williams; Associate Professors Brown (chair), Gates, Hawkins, Nielsen, Scott, Toxqui.

The history faculty believes that students should view history as a study of human contributions from all parts of the world. For history majors, a curriculum is planned to provide an opportunity for more detailed study of human civilizations in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Russia, and the United States.

After college, history majors take their advanced skills and knowledge to work in many fields. For some, their degree becomes a stepping stone to jobs in the foreign service, government agencies, international business, journalism, law, library science, non-profit organizations, and a host of other positions. For others, interpreting the past for a broader public becomes an essential part of their daily life as archaeologists, archivists, curators at museums, and teachers in high schools, community colleges, or at other universities. Faculty advisors are available for conversations about career opportunities.

Major Requirements

Students desiring to earn a history degree must complete a minimum of 30 hours of history credit, 24 of which must be above the 100 level and 15 of which must be above the 200 level. Students must achieve a minimum grade point average in courses in the major of no less than 2.0 in order to graduate. Specific requirements for the history degree are as follows:

    1. Successful completion of 3 hours of Western Civilization (not counted as part of the 30-hour history minimum)
    2. Africa, Asia, Latin America, Middle East, or Russia (6 hours, 3 of which must be 300 level or above)
    3. 6 hours of U.S. history, including either 203 or 204 and 3 hours of 300 level
    4. 6 hours of European history at the 200 or 300 level, including at least 3 hours at the 300 level 
    5. HIS 350 Historical Methods Seminar (Prerequisite: 3 hours of history or consent of instructor.)
    6. 6 hours of electives from the History Department.
    7. HIS 450, 451, or 452 Research Seminar
    8. Cross-cultural component. 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, 300; HIS 304, 305, 316, 317, 333, 339, 375, 382; WGS 200, ENG 129, 190, 329, 330, 331, SOC 313, 314, 315. History courses in this category may also count towards the major.
      4. History majors can fulfill this requirement by taking one of the courses listed in category c above plus three hours of international study credit.
      5. 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.

History majors may earn either a B.A. or B.S. degree.

History and Social Studies Education (9-12) Major

This course of study is designed to provide graduates with the education and training to teach history and social studies at the secondary school level (grades 9-12).

Students must complete a minimum of 57 hours in History and Social Studies courses as follows:

  1. World History (100-200): HIS 205, 206, 207, or 208 (3 hours)
  2. World History and Geography (300-400): HIS 336 and 337 (6 hours)
  3. Western Civilization (100-200): CIV 100, 101, 102, 111, 112, 113, or 114 (3 hours)
  4. European History (300-400): HIS 320, 321, 323, 324, 325, 326, 327, 328, 329, 338, 340, 341, 342, 343, 345, 346, 375, or 382 (3 hours)
  5. History of Science and Technology (300-400): HIS 385 (3 hours)
  6. U.S. History (100-200): HIS 203 and 204 (6 hours)
  7. U.S. History (300-400): HIS 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307, 308, 309, 310, 311, 315, 316, or 317 (3 hours)
  8. Historical Methods: HIS 350, 351, or 352 (3 hours)
  9. Historical Research Seminar: HIS 450, 451, or 452 (3 hours)
  10. Cross-Cultural Component (any one of the following options, any course may count towards other requirements in the major):
    a. Approved international study experience outside the U.S. (6 hours; or 3 hours combined with 3 hours in any one Cross-Cultural course listed below).
    b. Successful completion of the equivalent of two years in any language other than English: WLA 201, WLC 201, WLF 201, WLG 201, WLS 201, or higher
    c. Cross-Cultural Courses (any of the following, 6 hours): AAS 200 or 300;
    ANT 101, 305, or 314; ENG 129, 190, 329, 330, or 331; ETE 280; HIS 205, 206, 207, 208, 304, 305, 314, 316, 317, 330, 331, 333, 339, 340, 375, or 382; SOC 313, 314, or 315; WGS 200; WLT 140.
  11. Political Science: PLS 105
  12. Political Science: PLS 311, 312, 314, 315, 360, 459, 460 (3 hours)
  13. Economics: ECO 221 and 222 (6 hours)
  14. Anthropology, Psychology, or Sociology: ANT 101, PSY 101, or SOC 100 (3 hours)
  15. Social Studies Elective: One additional Social Science course in AAS, ANT, IS, PLS, PSY, RLS, SOC, or WGS (3 hours)

In addition to the requirements described above, to receive a secondary grades (9-12) teaching endorsement in the State of Illinois, students must also complete all the education requirements as mandated by the Illinois State Board of Education, which includes 44 hours of course work in the Teacher Education - High School Education program.

To meet the requirements of the Teacher Education - High School Education program, MTH 111 must be completed.

For more information, see Teacher Education - High School Education program in the College of Education and Health Sciences section of this catalog.

History Major – Business Minor

This program is for the student who wishes to combine a background in both history and business for the goal of immediate employment opportunities or entrance to an MBA program. In addition to the courses in history the minor requires 30 hours in the Foster College of Business in the following courses: ATG 157, 158; ECO 221/100, 222; QM 262, FIN 322, MIS 173, BLW 342, M L 350; and MTG 315. Students for the minor should also complete MTH 115. The dean of the Foster College of Business must approve students for the minor.

History Minor

This minor is designed for students who wish to pursue a coherent and balanced program of study of history, with equal emphasis upon United States, European, and Global history. Students from outside or inside the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences should find this concentration of study in a traditional humanities/social sciences discipline to be especially useful in preparing for law school, graduate work in library science, civil service employment, or museum and archival management. The minor requires 18 hours total, distributed in the following manner:

  • One non-Western civilization course to be chosen from HIS 205, HIS 206, HIS 207, HIS 208- 3 hrs.
  • U.S. history, 200 or 300 level - 6 hrs.
  • European history, 200 or 300 level - 3 hrs.
  • Non-Western history, 200 or 300 level - 3 hrs.
  • History elective - 3 hrs.

Optional Concentrations for HIS and HSS T Majors

Digital Humanities and Public History (15 hours)  

The concentration in Digital Humanities and Public History consists of 15 hours of courses adhering to the following guidelines:  

Category 1: 
3 hours from the following list of courses:

  • HIS 352: Introduction to Digital Humanities (3)
  • HIS 353: Public History (3)

Category 2: Information Science
3 hours from the following list of courses:

  • CS 100: Introduction to Programming Concepts
  • CS 101: Introduction to Programming or equivalent
  • CS 102: Data Structures or equivalent

Category 3: Media Arts
3 hours from the following list of courses:

  • IM113: Introduction to Interactive Media
  • IM 150: Intro to Interactive Design
  • IM 161: Intro to Web Design

Electives:
3 hours from the following list of courses:

  • HIS 352: Digital Humanities
  • HIS 353: Public History
  • HIS 303: American Urban History
  • HIS 314: Japan & World War II
  • AAS 401: Community Engagement in African American Studies
  • HIS 405: Independent Reading in History
  • WGS 400: Directed Research in Women’s & Gender Studies
  • Other courses that center digital history and/or public history methodologies/readings/assignments.

Capstone Requirement (3 hours)
The following courses are eligible for the capstone requirement:

  • HIS 450, 451, or 452 capstone that applies research methodologies of digital humanities, history, and/or public history.
  • HIS 406 course that applies multidisciplinary methodologies of digital humanities, history, and/or public history.
  • HIS 420: Internship in Digital Humanities & Public History

Difference, Identity and Power (15 hours)

The concentration in Difference, Identity, and Power consists of 15 hours of courses adhering to the following guidelines: 

Category 1: Historical and Interdisciplinary Approaches to Gender and Sexuality

Up to 6 hours from the following list of courses: 

  • HIS 304: Women in American History
  • HIS 315: U.S. Social Movements
  • HIS 317: American Masculinities
  • HIS 339: Women in Global Perspective
  • HIS 382: European Women, Gender, and Sexuality Since 1500
  • WGS 200: Intro to Women’s & Gender Studies

Up to 3 hours from the following list of courses: 

  • COM 386: Media, Race, and Gender
  • ENG 190: Women in Literature
  • ENG 331: Studies in Women Writers
  • ETE 280: Exploring Diversity
  • ENG 125: Literatures of Identity (with approval of advisor)
  • SOC 311: Comparative Family Systems
  • SOC 313: Race, Ethnicity, and Power
  • SOC 315: Gender & Society

Category 2: History of Race and Ethnicity 

Up to 6 hours from the following list of courses: 

  • AAS 200: Introduction to African American Studies
  • AAS 300: Advanced Topics in African American Studies
  • HIS 205: History of Latin America
  • HIS 305: American Indian History
  • HIS 315: U.S. Social Movements
  • HIS 316: African American History Since 1877
  • HIS 332: Topics in Modern Latin American History
  • HIS 335: Modern Mexico
  • HIS 375: The Holocaust

Up to 3 hours from the following list of courses: 

  • COM 386: Media, Race, and Gender
  • ENG 125: Literatures of Identity (with approval of advisor)
  • ENG 129: Intro to African American Lit
  • ENG 329: African American Lit
  • ENG 330 Native American Literature
  • ETE 280: Exploring Diversity
  • SOC 312: Social Inequality
  • SOC 313: Race, Ethnicity, and Power

Capstone Requirement

This concentration requires students to complete a capstone seminar or learning experience on gender, sexuality, race, or ethnicity that applies the multidisciplinary integration of methods, approaches, and theories rooted in the discipline of  history and/or African American Studies, Asian Studies, Latin American Studies, and Women’s & Gender Studies. The following courses are eligible for the capstone requirement:

  • HIS 450, 451, 452: History Research Seminar
  • HIS 406: Individual Study in History (by instructor approval)
  • AAS 400: Directed Research in African-American Studies
  • WGS 300: Internship in Women’s & Gender Studies
  • WGS 400: Directed Research in Women’s & Gender Studies

This is the official catalog for the 2023-2024 academic year. This catalog serves as a contract between a student and Bradley University. Should changes in a program of study become necessary prior to the next academic year every effort will be made to keep students advised of any such changes via the Dean of the College or Chair of the Department concerned, the Registrar's Office, u.Achieve degree audit system, and the Schedule of Classes. It is the responsibility of each student to be aware of the current program and graduation requirements for particular degree programs.