History majors may select from a wide variety of courses designed to broaden their horizons and widen their world view. The History major prepares students for careers in the public and private sector, from teaching to archival work, or to careers in business and commerce.
The 120-hour degree requires 33 hours of history courses. Students will take one survey sequence [HY 101 Western Civilization I (3) and HY 102 Western Civilization II (3); HY 111 World History I (3) and HY 112 World History II (3); HY 201 American History I (3) and HY 202 American History II (3); HY 211 Survey of Latin America to 1810 (3) and HY 212 Survey of Latin America since 1810 (3)] as part of the general studies curriculum. A second sequence will be taken as part of the requirements for the major. HY 201 American History I (3) and HY 202 American History II (3) must be one of the sequences.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Surveys: Take one of the following sequences that was not taken for General Education requirements. HY 201/HY 202 must be taken if not completed for General Education. | 6 | |
| Western Civilization I | ||
or HY 103 | Honors Western Civilization I | |
| Western Civilization II | ||
or HY 104 | Honors Western Civilization II | |
| World History I | ||
| World History II | ||
| American History I | ||
or HY 203 | Honors American History I | |
| American History II | ||
or HY 204 | Honors American History II | |
| Survey of Latin America to 1810 | ||
| Survey of Latin America since 1810 | ||
| Courses numbered 300 or above: | ||
| U.S. History 1 | 6 | |
| European History 1 | 6 | |
| Non-U.S./Non-European History 1 | 6 | |
| History 300+ Electives | 6 | |
| HY 303 | Historian's Craft (WI) | 3 |
| HY 499 | Capstone Experience (WI) | 0 |
| Total Hours | 33 | |
U.S. History Courses List 1
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HY 304 | American Military History | 3 |
| HY 310 | Reacting to the Past | 3 |
| HY 311 | 3 | |
| HY 315 | History of the US Presidency | 3 |
| HY 399 | Study Tour | 3 |
| HY 421 | Public History | 3 |
| HY 422 | Oral History | 3 |
| HY 433 | American Social and Cultural History to 1865 | 3 |
| HY 434 | American Social and Cultural History Since 1865 | 3 |
| HY 436 | History of American Women | 3 |
| HY 437 | Black America | 3 |
| HY 441 | The South Before 1865 | 3 |
| HY 442 | The South Since 1860 | 3 |
| HY 443 | Introduction to Southern Culture | 3 |
| HY 444 | History of Alabama | 3 |
| HY 446 | American Indian History to 1840 | 3 |
| HY 447 | American Indian History 1840-Present | 3 |
| HY 448 | History of the American West | 3 |
| HY 451 | History of Early America to 1783 | 3 |
| HY 452 | The Age of Jefferson and Jackson, 1783 to 1850 | 3 |
| HY 453 | Sectional Conflict, Civil War, and Reconstruction, 1850-1877 | 3 |
| HY 454 | The Beginning of Modern America, 1877-1914 | 3 |
| HY 455 | The 1920's and the Great Depression | 3 |
| HY 456 | Contemporary America, 1945-Present | 3 |
| HY 457 | Race, Community, and Memory | 3 |
| HY 459 | The American Civil War in Film | 3 |
| HY 483 | United States-Latin American Relations | 3 |
European History Courses List 1
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HY 300 | Topics in History | 3 |
| HY 301 | History of England to 1689 | 3 |
| HY 302 | History of Great Britain, 1689 to the Present | 3 |
| HY 310 | Reacting to the Past | 3 |
| HY 311 | 3 | |
| HY 332 | Russian History through the Revolutions of 1917 | 3 |
| HY 333 | Russian History from 1855 to the Present | 3 |
| HY 395 | Europe in the Middle Ages 476-1300 | 3 |
| HY 399 | Study Tour | 3 |
| HY 400 | Europe in the High Middle Ages: Renaissance and Reformation, 1300-1648 | 3 |
| HY 401 | Ancient Greece | 3 |
| HY 403 | Ancient Rome | 3 |
| HY 404 | The Age of the Cold War: Europe, 1945-Present | 3 |
| HY 407 | Warfare in the Ancient World | 3 |
| HY 408 | Ancient History | 3 |
| HY 409 | Modern France | 3 |
| HY 410 | Modern Germany | 3 |
| HY 411 | War and Peace in Modern Europe | 3 |
| HY 412 | War and Memory | 3 |
| HY 424 | Byzantine Empire | 3 |
| HY 465 | The British Empire and Commonwealth | 3 |
| HY 468 | Constitutional History of England | 3 |
| HY 493 | History of Christianity I | 3 |
| HY 494 | History of Christianity II | 3 |
Non-U.S./Non-European History Courses List 1
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HY 310 | Reacting to the Past | 3 |
| HY 311 | 3 | |
| HY 330 | History of Islam | 3 |
| HY 331 | The Far East in Modern Times | 3 |
| HY 399 | Study Tour | 3 |
| HY 407 | Warfare in the Ancient World | 3 |
| HY 408 | Ancient History | 3 |
| HY 420 | Modern China | 3 |
| HY 423 | Historical Bollywood | 3 |
| HY 436 | History of American Women | 3 |
| HY 437 | Black America | 3 |
| HY 446 | American Indian History to 1840 | 3 |
| HY 447 | American Indian History 1840-Present | 3 |
| HY 457 | Race, Community, and Memory | 3 |
| HY 473 | Modern Middle East | 3 |
| HY 475 | Modern Japan | 3 |
| HY 476 | Eastern (Asian) Civilizations | 3 |
| HY 477 | Asian American History | 3 |
| HY 479 | Revolution and Radical Politics in Latin America | 3 |
| HY 480 | Colonial Latin America | 3 |
| HY 481 | Modern Latin America | 3 |
| HY 483 | United States-Latin American Relations | 3 |
| HY 485 | History of Mexico | 3 |
| HY 487 | History of Brazil | 3 |
| HY 488 | Revolution and Resistance in Modern Mexico | 3 |
| HY 490 | History of Religions | 3 |
| 1 | Students must maintain a balance of early and modern classes in these sections. |
Other Requirements:
Twelve (12) hours of foreign language courses are required. Majors should consult with advisors in selecting these courses. Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts in history must have a minor as well as a major. A minor usually consists of 18 to 24 semester hours in a single field of study (for example, English, political science, geography).
Senior Capstone: All History majors are required to complete a senior project [HY 499 Capstone Experience (WI) (0)]. This is an independent research project that seniors will undertake with a professor of their choosing, while enrolled in a class with the professor who supervises the project. The format of the project is flexible (to be determined in consultation with the supervising professor) in order to meet a variety of interests, from public history and museum curation to a more traditional historical research project. Whatever the form, the project will require the student to show their ability to use the “historian’s toolkit” to synthesize information, to express their findings in written format, and to present their project to members of the department in open forum.
Education Majors:
Students who plan careers in education should contact Teacher Education Services in the College of Education and Professional Studies, Ramona Wood Hall, Room 207, for information on certification and assessment into education.
In addition to courses noted below, candidates for graduation must successfully complete all JSU Academic Regulations. More information about general education requirements can be found in the Summary of Degrees/Requirements section of the catalog.
| Freshman | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| EH Composition sequence | 3 | |
| Natural Science | 4 | |
| MS 110 | Finite Mathematics (or higher ) | 3 |
| History sequence 1 | 3 | |
| PSC 100 | Introduction to American Government | 3 |
| SSC 101 | First Year Experience | 0 |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| EH Composition sequence | 3 | |
| Natural Science | 4 | |
| History sequence 1 | 3 | |
| Social/Behavioral Science | 3 | |
| Electives | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| Fall | ||
| Fine Arts Elective | 3 | |
| EH 141 | Speech | 3 |
| Humanities | 3 | |
| Foreign Language sequence 2 | 3 | |
| HY 201 | American History I | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Literature | 3 | |
| CS 201 | Introduction to Information Technology | 3 |
| Foreign Language sequence 2 | 3 | |
| HY 202 | American History II | 3 |
| Electives | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Junior | ||
| Fall | ||
| Foreign Language sequence 2 | 3 | |
| HY 303 | Historian's Craft (WI) | 3 |
| History 300+ (by advisement) | 3 | |
| Minor/Electives 300+ | 6 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Foreign Language sequence 2 | 3 | |
| History 300+ (by advisement) | 6 | |
| Minor/Electives 300+ | 6 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Senior | ||
| Fall | ||
| History 300+ (by advisement) | 9 | |
| Minor/Electives 300+ | 5 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| HY 499 | Capstone Experience (WI) | 0 |
| History 300+ (by advisement) | 6 | |
| Minor/Electives 300+ | 8 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
| 1 | Select from: HY 101 Western Civilization I (3) and HY 102 Western Civilization II (3), HY 103 Honors Western Civilization I (3) and HY 104 Honors Western Civilization II (3), HY 111 World History I (3) and HY 112 World History II (3), or HY 211 Survey of Latin America to 1810 (3) and HY 212 Survey of Latin America since 1810 (3). |
| 2 | Foreign Language sequence must be taken in the same foreign language. |