Degree Requirements

History Studies

Students of history learn, above all, the skills of the historian—to read, analyze and express themselves well. They study the past to learn from it and to prepare for a variety of future careers. While students focus on a variety of subjects (culture, military, gender, race, politics) or a specific geographic region in their major, they leave here with a broad, international perspective on history. The major is flexible and works well with other majors and minors. It also offers students the ability to study abroad.

Learning goals:

  • Research, write and present a senior project following professional guidelines.
  • Present and defend a historical argument in a public setting.
  • Prepare a career-planning portfolio.
  • Participate in at least one off-campus co-curricular activity in which students demonstrate connections to their study of history.

Requirements for the History Major reflect the commitment to history as a way of knowing and thinking about the world.

Breadth courses (survey classes at the 100 level) focus on (a) the scope of civilization, usually in separate geographical areas, and (b) teaching students how to think like historians. They introduce students to broad developments while also using specific historical material to help students draw conclusions about these larger trends.

Depth courses are upper-division classes (200 or 300 level) that focus on more specific topics in a specific area or smaller thematic framework. These classes ask students to compare historical material and the arguments of other historians in order to craft their own conclusions about the past.

A methodology course, History Methods, taken in the sophomore year, teaches students the specific skills of the historian. This class then helps students learn to explain their analyses better in verbal and written form, with an eye toward the senior thesis.

Collective Inquiry in History, taken in the junior year, continues to teach students the skills of the historian and prepares them for their senior thesis.

Finally, in Senior Seminar, majors carry out detailed research on a topic of their choice and work one-on-one with a faculty adviser to write their senior thesis that is the capstone of their work as history majors.

In all three of these courses for majors, students spend time working on career plans (creating resumes, interviewing, discussing various career paths) and learning to explain the value of their history major.

Two more upper-division classes are required, at least one of which must focus on Asian, African or Latin American history.

The history major completes at least 40 semester hours in history, with grades of C- or better, and four semester hours in a related field outside of the major. Students must maintain a 2.00 GPA in their major courses. In summary, the major consists of the following courses:

semester hours


Breadth courses: three survey courses, each in a different geographic area, chosen from the following:



Africa (HIST:171 or HIST:172)



Asia (HIST:151 or HIST:152)



Europe (HIST:131 or HIST:132)



Latin America (HIST:180 or HIST:181)



United States (HIST:111 or HIST:112)


Depth courses: two history courses at the 200 and 300 level, related by geography, chronology or topic


Course in a cognate field complementing the depth courses


HIST:300 History Methods


Another history course at the 300 level


One course at the 200 or 300 level in a geographic area other than U.S. or European History


HIST:401 Collective Inquiry in History


HIST:410 Seminar or HIST:501 Independent Study

Transfer, AP or study abroad classes may apply to the major.

The Minor in History is designed to enhance nonmajors’ interest in history; it consists of 20 hours or five classes. Students take two breadth (100 level) courses from different geographical areas, two depth (200 or 300 level) courses with a specific emphasis (e.g., a certain area of the world or a particular theme) and one more depth course of their choice. Students must earn a grade of at least C- in courses for the minor. Transfer, AP or study abroad classes may apply to the minor.

Honors. Students may earn departmental honors by obtaining at least a 3.50 overall GPA and completing a senior research project deemed outstanding by members of the department.

Teacher Certification. Each year some Susquehanna history graduates go on to teach history in grades 7-12. Students follow the regular history major program and complete the required education courses to earn secondary-level social studies certification. Further information on certification is available in the education requirements section.

Course Catalog

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