History B.A.

History Major

The B.A. History major requires a minimum of 120 total hours to graduate. This total includes UNIFI/General Education requirements and the following specified major requirements, plus electives to complete the minimum of 120 hours.

The Global Studies track within the History major is intended for students with an interest in global history and transnational issues. It combines historical and interdisciplinary approaches with foreign language capacity to provide fundamental tools and skills to understand and compete in our globalized world. See statements on language proficiency other than English below, and the two highly recommended components of the Global Studies track - Study Abroad and the Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership.

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Prerequisite(s) required

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This program will require up to six hours of coursework in a language other than English beyond the minimum hours the university's Foreign Language Competency requirement if a student does not demonstrate a proficiency at the fourth semester level.

Statement on Foreign Language Competency:

Students must be able to demonstrate competence in a language other than English at the intermediate (second year) college level; however, foreign language study past the two-year requirement is highly recommended. Language proficiency may be achieved through high school and college study (two years of high school study equals one year of college-level study), transfer credit, study abroad, native or heritage knowledge, or a combination of the above. Students seeking to use four years of high school foreign language study to satisfy the language requirement will be required to complete a proficiency exam. Heritage speakers seeking to use their home/family language to satisfy the language requirement may be required to complete a proficiency exam.

Recommended: Study Abroad

History-Global Studies students are strongly encouraged to study abroad for a minimum of one semester. Courses taken abroad can be used to satisfy program requirements, and UNI financial aid can be applied to study abroad.

Recommended: Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership

If you are interested in employment in the non-profit sector the Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership may be a good complement to the History-Global Studies major. This certificate provides knowledge, skill-building and professional experience for students interested in working for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and international non-governmental organizations (INGOs). Earning this certificate at UNI also will enable you to earn a national Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Nonprofit Leadership Alliance. See the UNI Catalog (Department of Health, Recreation, and Community Services) for certificate requirements.

Note: In order to graduate with a major in History, students must achieve a total major GPA of at least 2.50.  Only courses with an earned grade of at least a C- will count toward the major.

Four-Year Plan

History - Liberal Arts, B.A.

This is a sample plan of study with a suggested sequencing of classes for the major.  University electives may be applied to earn additional academic majors, minors, or certificates.  Students should regularly meet with their academic advisor to plan their specific semester schedule to include UNIFI/General Education program and/or university elective hours required.

History - Global Studies, B.A.

This is a sample plan of study with a suggested sequencing of classes for the major.  University electives may be applied to earn additional academic majors, minors, or certificates.  Students should regularly meet with their academic advisor to plan their specific semester schedule to include UNIFI/General Education program and/or university elective hours required.

Learning Outcomes

History, B.A.

Writing Skills (University Goal: Communication):

• Students will be able to use their research to create a cogent, well-organized and readable historical essay.
• Students will demonstrate evidence of revision in their written work.
• Students will be able to demonstrate writing as a process of understanding complex issues rather than a simple summary of information.

Analytical Skills (University Goal: Critical Thinking & Discipline-Specific Skills):

• Students will be able to identify levels of analysis in historical writing, from narrative to historicism.
• Students will be able to create an original approach to a topic by placing it within an analytical framework consisting of 1) possible historical contexts; 2) possible analytical lenses, including politics, class, race, gender, identity, and geography or place.
• Students will be able to develop a thesis in relationship to relevant scholarly literature.

Historical Research Skills (University Goal: Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills):

• Students will be able to develop original research that uses both primary and secondary sources.
• Students will be able to navigate a library and / or an archive, using finder’s guides and databases for books, articles, and documents.
• Students will be able to create correctly formatted citations (footnotes or endnotes) and bibliographies using the “Chicago style” or “Turabian style” of citation.

Historical Knowledge  (University Goal: Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills):

• Students will be able to identify historical contexts.
• Students will be able to demonstrate an adherence to historical accuracy.
• Students will be able to demonstrate a recognition of diversity in people and perspective.
• Students will be able to avoid timeless, universal, or ahistorical explanations for past events.

Related Programs

• History - Teaching B.A.
• History M.A.