History, Bachelor of Arts (695E, 695)
Program Coordinator
Andrew J. Rosa, andrew.rosa@wku.edu, (270) 745-3841
The History program offers two degree pathways: The History major requires a minimum of 33 credit hours and the completion of a second major or minor. The extended History major requires a minimum of 48 unduplicated credit hours. No second major or minor is required for students completing the extended major.
The History program equips students with the skills to collect, analyze, and summarize data and the ability to apply those skills to construct arguments and use evidence to support them. Students develop strong skills in research, analysis, creative problem solving, and written and oral communication. These skills, along with the strong critical thinking skills that students of history hone, prepare students for a range of careers. Many History majors pursue careers in education (at all levels), library sciences, management, law, administration, business, and sales. History graduates are well suited for work in local, state, and federal government; banking; journalism; and politics. Many businesses seek job candidates with a strong background in the liberal arts because of their critical thinking, analytic, and writing abilities. History is interdisciplinary by design. The program accepts up to 6 credit hours from related disciplines.
Concentrations
- History Major (No Concentration)
- Cultural History (HICH)
- History of Identity (HIID)
- Peace, Conflict, and Human Rights (HIPC)
- Legal and Constitutional History (HILC)
- Africana History (HIAH)
- History of Science, Environment, and Medicine (HISC)
- Public History (HIPH)
Program Requirements (33-48 hours)
A baccalaureate degree requires a minimum of 120 unduplicated semester hours. More information can be found at www.wku.edu/registrar/degree_certification.php.
Students who began WKU in the Fall 2014 and thereafter should review the Colonnade requirements located at: https://www.wku.edu/colonnade/colonnaderequirements.php.
The History major requires 33 semester hours and leads to a Bachelor of Arts degree. Twenty-four credit-hours must be at the 300- or 400-level. A minor or second major is required. For students who choose not to declare a concentration, 15 hours will be in foundational study, historical research, and required electives; an additional 18 hours will be flexible electives. For students declaring a concentration, 21 hours will be in foundational study, historical research, and required and flexible electives; an additional 12 hours will be in the concentration.
The Extended History major requires 48 unduplicated credit hours and leads to a Bachelor of Arts degree. Twenty-four credit-hours must be at the 300- or 400-level. No minor or second major is required. For students completing the extended program, 15 hours will be in foundational study, historical research, and required electives. Nine hours will be flexible electives. Students pursuing the Extended History major may elect to complete two 12-hour concentrations, or students may complete one 12-hour concentration and then craft an individualized curriculum plan in consultation with their faculty advisor for an additional 12 hours of flexible electives.
Core Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 24 credit-hours must be at the 300- or 400-level. | ||
| Foundational Study | ||
| WORLD HISTORY | 3 | |
| World History I | ||
or HIST 102 | World History II | |
| UNITED STATES HISTORY | 3 | |
| The United States to 1865 | ||
or HIST 241 | The United States Since 1865 | |
| Historical Research | ||
| SENIOR SEMINAR | 3 | |
| Senior Seminar | ||
| Geographic and Chronological Electives | ||
| THE GLOBAL SOUTH | 3 | |
| Choose at least one course from the following: | ||
| Latin American Society: Past and Present | ||
| History of Africa Since 1500 | ||
| Colonial Latin America, 1400-1825 | ||
| Modern Latin America, 1800-Present | ||
| The Mexican Republic | ||
| Modern South Asia: from Empires to Nations | ||
| History of Yoga: Tradition, Literature, Practice | ||
| Gandhi: The Creation of a Global Legacy | ||
| Modern East Asia | ||
| History of the Middle East | ||
| The Arab-Israeli Conflict: Local and Global Influences | ||
| Modern China | ||
| ANCIENT TO EARLY MODERN HISTORY | 3 | |
| Choose at least one course from the following: | ||
| Ancient Identities | ||
| Ancient Greece | ||
| Ancient Rome | ||
| The Middle Ages | ||
| Conflict, Culture and Commerce in the Medieval Mediterranean | ||
| Renaissance Europe | ||
| Age of the Reformation | ||
| The British Isles to 1688 | ||
| History of Africa Before 1500 | ||
| History of Ancient Egypt | ||
| The Crusades: West Meets East | ||
| Tudor-Stuart England | ||
| Colonial North America to 1763 | ||
| Traditional East Asia | ||
| The Atlantic World | ||
| Electives | ||
| ELECTIVE COURSES | 6 | |
Students may select any 200, 300, or 400-level history course not already counted toward the major. A maximum of three hours across all elective categories may be at the 200-level. | ||
| Total Hours | 21 | |
Note: Students may select up to six hours of elective courses from outside of the major in consultation with a department undergraduate advisor and with approval of the department’s lead advisor, program coordinator, or department chair. Additionally, other History courses may be approved for elective categories with approval of department’s lead advisor, program coordinator, or department chair.
History Major (without an Optional Concentration)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| The History major allows students to explore and focus on their individual interests while developing skills that will ensure success in business, law, government, and education. Students who choose not to declare a concentration should complete four additional history courses. | ||
| HISTORY ELECTIVES | 12 | |
Students may select any 200, 300, or 400-level history course not already counted toward the major. A maximum of three hours across all elective categories may be at the 200-level. | ||
| Total Hours | 12 | |
Concentrations
Students may complete more than one concentration. However, a single elective cannot count toward completion of more than one concentration. Students who choose to declare a concentration within the major may choose from the following:
Cultural History Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ELECTIVES IN CULTURAL HISTORY | 12 | |
| Students may select any course from the list below not already counted toward the major. | ||
| Conflict, Culture and Commerce in the Medieval Mediterranean | ||
| The American Civil War in Film | ||
| American Studies I | ||
| History of Popular Culture Since 1500 | ||
| Hip Hop and Democracy | ||
| Social History of the United States Since 1800 | ||
| History of Yoga: Tradition, Literature, Practice | ||
| Gandhi: The Creation of a Global Legacy | ||
| History of Sport | ||
| A Cultural History of Alcohol | ||
| Pirates in World History | ||
| The Crusades: West Meets East | ||
| History of Sexuality | ||
| Coffee & Chocolate: Food in World History | ||
| History of American Popular Culture | ||
| History of Religion in America | ||
History of Identity Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ELECTIVES IN HISTORY OF IDENTITY | 12 | |
| Students may select any course from the list below not already counted toward the major. | ||
| Disability in the United States | ||
| Ancient Identities | ||
| History of HIV/AIDS | ||
| Comparative Slavery | ||
| American Studies I | ||
| Blacks in the Civil War and Reconstruction | ||
| Black Intellectual History | ||
| History of Africa Before 1500 | ||
| History of Africa Since 1500 | ||
| Riots, Rebellions, and Revolutions: A Global History of Protest | ||
| History of Genocide | ||
| Hip Hop and Democracy | ||
| Communities of Struggle | ||
| Native American History to 1865 | ||
| Native American History Since 1865 | ||
| Blacks in American History to 1877 | ||
| Blacks in American History Since 1877 | ||
| Blacks in the American South | ||
| History of Sexuality | ||
| History of the Civil Rights Movement in America | ||
| American Women’s History | ||
| History of Religion in America | ||
Peace, Conflict, and Human Rights Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ELECTIVES IN HISTORY OF PEACE, CONFLICT, AND HUMAN RIGHTS | 12 | |
| Students may select any course from the list below not already counted toward the major. | ||
| Conflict, Culture and Commerce in the Medieval Mediterranean | ||
| Comparative Slavery | ||
| Blacks in the Civil War and Reconstruction | ||
| Riots, Rebellions, and Revolutions: A Global History of Protest | ||
| History of Genocide | ||
| Twentieth Century Europe | ||
| Modern Irish History | ||
| Communities of Struggle | ||
| United States, 1900-1945 | ||
| The United States Since 1945 | ||
| Borderlands and the American West | ||
| Gandhi: The Creation of a Global Legacy | ||
| Human Rights in History | ||
| War and Society to 1500 | ||
| War and Society Since 1500 | ||
| The Crusades: West Meets East | ||
| The French Revolution and Napoleon | ||
| Hitler and Nazi Germany | ||
| History of the Civil Rights Movement in America | ||
| Twentieth Century Russia | ||
| The American Revolution and Early Republic, 1763-1815 | ||
| Civil War and Reconstruction, 1850-1877 | ||
| Korea and Vietnam | ||
| Latin America and the United States | ||
| The Arab-Israeli Conflict: Local and Global Influences | ||
| History of Terrorism | ||
| The Rise and Fall of the Confederacy | ||
| A Global History of the First World War | ||
| U S Military History | ||
Legal and Constitutional History Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ELECTIVES IN LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL HISTORY | 12 | |
| Students may select any course from the list below not already counted toward the major. | ||
| The British Isles to 1688 | ||
| Riots, Rebellions, and Revolutions: A Global History of Protest | ||
| History of Genocide | ||
| Communities of Struggle | ||
| Native American History to 1865 | ||
| Native American History Since 1865 | ||
| Human Rights in History | ||
| Tudor-Stuart England | ||
| History of the Civil Rights Movement in America | ||
| The American Revolution and Early Republic, 1763-1815 | ||
| American Legal History to 1865 | ||
| American Legal History Since 1865 | ||
Africana History Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ELECTIVES IN AFRICANA HISTORY | 12 | |
| Students may select any course from the list below not already counted toward the major. | ||
| Ancient Identities | ||
| Comparative Slavery | ||
| Blacks in the Civil War and Reconstruction | ||
| Black Intellectual History | ||
| History of Africa Before 1500 | ||
| History of Africa Since 1500 | ||
| Riots, Rebellions, and Revolutions: A Global History of Protest | ||
| Communities of Struggle | ||
| Hip Hop and Democracy | ||
| Blacks in American History to 1877 | ||
| Blacks in American History Since 1877 | ||
| Blacks in the American South | ||
| History of Ancient Egypt | ||
History of Science, Environment, and Medicine Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ELECTIVES IN HISTORY OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENVIRONMENT, AND MEDICINE | 12 | |
| Students may select any course from the list below not already counted toward the major. | ||
| Disability in the United States | ||
| Monsters, Maggots, and Morphine: Disease and Medicine in the United States | ||
| History of HIV/AIDS | ||
| Riots, Rebellions, and Revolutions: A Global History of Protest | ||
| Genetics and Family History | ||
| Spatial History | ||
| History of Yoga: Tradition, Literature, Practice | ||
| History of Sexuality | ||
| Environmental History | ||
| A Social History of Science | ||
Public History Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PUBLIC HISTORY COURSEWORK | ||
| Required Courses: | 6 | |
| Public History | ||
| Guided Internship | ||
or HIST 489 | Independent Internship | |
| Students may select any course from the list below not already counted toward the major. | 6 | |
| History Teaching Methods | ||
| Genetics and Family History | ||
| Spatial History | ||
Note: Students in the Public History Concentration are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity select up to six hours of elective courses from outside of the major in consultation with a department undergraduate advisor and with approval of the department’s lead advisor, program coordinator, or department chair. In particular, Public History students are encouraged to consider courses in the Recreation, Park, and Nonprofit Administration, Folk Studies, and Management programs.
Finish in Four Plan
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| HIST 240 or HIST 241 | 3 | HIST 101 or HIST 102 | 3 |
| ENG 100 | 3 | World Language Requirement or General Elective | 3 |
| Colonnade - Social & Behavioral Studies | 3 | Colonnade - Natural & Physical Sciences w/ lab | 3 |
| COMM 145 | 3 | ENG 200 | 3 |
| MATH 109 or MATH 116 | 3 | Colonnade - Arts & Humanities | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Geographic or Chronological Elective | 3 | Geographic or Chronological Elective | 3 |
| History or Concentration Elective | 3 | History or Concentration Elective | 3 |
| Second Major, Minor, or General Elective | 3 | Second Major, Minor, or General Elective | 3 |
| World Language Requirement or General Elective | 3 | Colonnade - Systems | 3 |
| Colonnade Natural & Physical Sciences | 3 | Colonnade - Local to Global | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| History or Concentration Elective | 3 | History or Concentration Elective | 3 |
| History or Concentration Elective | 3 | ENG 300 | 3 |
| Colonnade - Social & Cultural | 3 | Second Major, Minor, or General Elective | 3 |
| Second Major, Minor, or General Elective | 3 | Second Major, Minor, or General Elective | 3 |
| Second Major, Minor, or General Elective | 3 | Second Major, Minor, or General Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| History or Concentration Elective | 3 | HIST 498 | 3 |
| Second Major, Minor, or General Elective | 3 | Second Major, Minor, or General Elective | 3 |
| Second Major, Minor, or General Elective | 3 | Second Major, Minor, or General Elective | 3 |
| Second Major, Minor, or General Elective | 3 | Second Major, Minor, or General Elective | 3 |
| Second Major, Minor, or General Elective | 3 | Second Major, Minor, or General Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Hours 120 | |||