Students who major in history explore the people, institutions, and cultures of those who came before us. The study of the past is deeply connected to the present, and it gives students powerful tools for understanding and engaging a wide range of modern issues, debates, and questions. Moreover, studying history teaches valuable practical skills—critical, argumentation, writing, and more—that lead to success in a variety of career fields.
Admission into the Major
Students are expected to formally declare a major no later than the fourth semester of full-time enrollment (or at 61 semester hours for transfer students). Students can declare a major by completing the Change of Major/Minor Application online under the Student tab of myBama.
Special Opportunities
The Department of History offers a range of opportunities for undergraduate research, including a capstone research seminar. We offer a seminar and internships in public history, a student leadership program (the Peer Mentors), a study-abroad program (UA at Oxford), and a range of scholarships. The department also sponsors a History Club that is open to all students, as well as a chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, the national history honorary society.
Students earning the bachelor of arts (BA) degree with a major in history must complete all University, College and departmental degree requirements. Students can take a selection of the following courses in order to fulfill the requirements for the history major. In addition, students must fulfill all general education requirements, as well as requirements for an approved minor and other sufficient credits for a minimum of 120 applicable semester hours.
| Code and Title | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Major Courses | ||
| Majors must take 9 hours in the following introductory surveys; must consist of one sequence, and include at least 3 hours from HY 101-108 and 3 hours from HY 111-118: | 9 | |
| Western Civ To 1648 | ||
| Western Civ Since 1648 | ||
| American Civilization to 1865 | ||
| Am Civ Since 1865 | ||
| Honors West Civ To 1648 | ||
| Honors West Civ Sc 1648 | ||
| Honors Am Civ to 1865 | ||
| Honors Am Civ Sc 1865 | ||
| Colonial Latin America | ||
| Modern Latin Am Since 1808 | ||
| Asian Civilization to 1400 | ||
| Modern Asia since 1400 | ||
| Science/Medicine to 1800 | ||
| Science/Medicine Since 1800 | ||
| World History to 1500 | ||
| World History Since 1500 | ||
| Credit Hours Subtotal: | 9 | |
| Field Requirement | ||
| Select three hours from each field (see below) | 12 | |
| Credit Hours Subtotal: | 12 | |
| Electives | ||
| Students must take 9 hours of electives. Electives can come from any of the Field-specific courses (listed below) as well as courses that have no geographic specialization, like HY201 (Legal History Experiential Learning), HY301 (Independent Study), HY 302 (History Mentoring), and HY 440 (Public History Internship). | 9 | |
| Credit Hours Subtotal: | 9 | |
| HY 497 | Capstone Research Seminar 1 | 3 |
| This course is equivalent to the course formerly numbered HY430. Students who previously took HY430 will receive credit for completing the Capstone requirement and should not take HY497. Students cannot take HY430 and HY497 for separate credit. This courses is open to History Majors only. | ||
| Total Hours | 33 | |
| Footnotes | |
|---|---|
| 1 | A minimum grade of C is required to receive credit for HY497 (Capstone Research Seminar). Students who complete a history honors thesis (HY499) are exempt from this requirement. |
Fields
A minimum of 3 hours from each of the following fields must be completed for a total of 12 hours.
Field 1: United States History
| Code and Title | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| HY 201 | Legal History Field Experience | 1 |
| HY 225 | Hy Alabama To 1865 | 3 |
| HY 226 | Hy Alabama From 1865 | 3 |
| HY 306 | Topics in American History | 3 |
| HY 308 | Colonial America | 3 |
| HY 309 | Great Cases - US Legal History | 3 |
| HY 311 | Antebellum America | 3 |
| HY 313 | American South Since 1865 | 3 |
| HY 315 | The Civil War | 3 |
| HY 316 | Life & Legend Abraham Lincoln | 3 |
| HY 317 | US Strategic Defense Policy | 3 |
| HY 318 | U S Since 1945 | 3 |
| HY 322 | US / Age of Franklin Roosevelt | 3 |
| HY 323 | Us Constitut Hy to 1877 | 3 |
| HY 324 | Us Constitut Hy sc 1877 | 3 |
| HY 325 | Us-World Power to 1898 | 3 |
| HY 328 | United States of War | 3 |
| HY 329 | American Religious HY to 1870 | 3 |
| HY 330 | Civil Rights Movement | 3 |
| HY 332 | Native American History | 3 |
| HY 335 | Handmade Nation: Knitting & HY | 3 |
| HY 336 | U.S. Disability History | 3 |
| HY 337 | Foodways in American History | 3 |
| HY 339 | Race & Injustice in the South | 3 |
| HY 340 | Early Material Culture | 3 |
| HY 341 | Hy US - Vietnam War | 3 |
| HY 345 | Race and Science | 3 |
| HY 351 | The First Amendment | 3 |
| HY 352 | The Right to Privacy | 3 |
| HY 353 | Digital History | 3 |
| HY 354 | Southern Queer History | 3 |
| HY 401 | History of History | 3 |
| HY 406 | Topics in American History | 3 |
| HY 409 | Amer Rev/New Nation | 3 |
| HY 411 | Comp. Slavery & Emancipation | 3 |
| HY 414 | Morality-SocialChange-America | 3 |
| HY 415 | Sinners & Saints in America | 3 |
| HY 418 | Slavery, Freedom, & Authority | 3 |
| HY 419 | Alabama Memory: Lynching in AL | 3 |
| HY 424 | American Thought Before 1860 | 3 |
| HY 432 | Beyond Pocahontas | 3 |
| HY 439 | Foundations in Public History | 3 |
| HY 441 | Oral History | 3 |
| HY 460 | The Warren Court | 3 |
| HY 461 | History of Slavery in Law | 3 |
Field 2: European History
| Code and Title | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| HY 305 | Topics in European History | 3 |
| HY 346 | Epidemics | 3 |
| HY 349 | History of France 1760-present | 3 |
| HY 355 | German History Sc 1740 | 3 |
| HY 356 | Holocaust: History, Memory | 3 |
| HY 357 | World War I | 3 |
| HY 358 | World War II | 3 |
| HY 361 | Russia to 1894 | 3 |
| HY 362 | Russia-Soviet Union since 1894 | 3 |
| HY 364 | Christianity Discontents | 3 |
| HY 365 | European Consumer Society | 3 |
| HY 366 | Modern Britain, 1700-2015 | 3 |
| HY 367 | Honors Mod Britain, 1700-2015 | 3 |
| HY 382 | Early Modern Britain | 3 |
| HY 383 | Honors Early Modern Britain | 3 |
| HY 385 | History Of Greece | 3 |
| HY 386 | History Of Rome | 3 |
| HY 388 | The Crusades | 3 |
| HY 393 | British Emp & Commonwealth | 3 |
| HY 401 | History of History | 3 |
| HY 405 | Topics in European History | 3 |
| HY 442 | The Middle Ages | 3 |
| HY 444 | Reform & Counter-Reformation | 3 |
| HY 446 | Age of Reason 1715-89 | 3 |
| HY 448 | Women in Europe since 1750 | 3 |
| HY 455 | The Darwinian Revolution | 3 |
| HY 457 | The Russian Revolution | 3 |
| HY 462 | French Legal History | 3 |
| HY 481 | War/Dipl. in Med & Mod. Europe | 3 |
| HY 482 | War & Religion in the West | 3 |
| HY 483 | Thirty Years' War | 3 |
| HY 490 | England under Tudors | 3 |
| HY 491 | England under Stuarts | 3 |
| HY 494 | Britain in the Victorian Age | 3 |
| HY 495 | Honors Britain Victorian Age | 3 |
Field 3: African, Asian or Latin American History
| Code and Title | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| HY 307 | Special World Topics | 3 |
| HY 338 | Contemporary China 1921-2000 | 3 |
| HY 348 | The History of Games | 3 |
| HY 368 | Caribbean History Since 1492 | 3 |
| HY 370 | Atlantic World 1400-1800 | 3 |
| HY 373 | Enviro History of Americas | 3 |
| HY 374 | The History of Pirates | 3 |
| HY 377 | Mexico since 1810 | 3 |
| HY 378 | Drugs, Booze & Mexican Society | 3 |
| HY 379 | History of Modern Argentina | 3 |
| HY 384 | Ancient Egypt Near East | 3 |
| HY 404 | Modern China since 1600 | 3 |
| HY 411 | Comp. Slavery & Emancipation | 3 |
| HY 473 | Indians, Nuns, & Rogues | 3 |
| HY 474 | Relation US Latin Amer | 3 |
| HY 477 | Imperial Spain's "Golden Age" | 3 |
| HY 478 | Spanish Conquest of Americas | 3 |
Field 4: Hidden Histories
| Code and Title | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| HY 311 | Antebellum America | 3 |
| HY 330 | Civil Rights Movement | 3 |
| HY 332 | Native American History | 3 |
| HY 336 | U.S. Disability History | 3 |
| HY 339 | Race & Injustice in the South | 3 |
| HY 345 | Race and Science | 3 |
| HY 356 | Holocaust: History, Memory | 3 |
| HY 368 | Caribbean History Since 1492 | 3 |
| HY 411 | Comp. Slavery & Emancipation | 3 |
| HY 414 | Morality-SocialChange-America | 3 |
| HY 418 | Slavery, Freedom, & Authority | 3 |
| HY 419 | Alabama Memory: Lynching in AL | 3 |
| HY 448 | Women in Europe since 1750 | 3 |
| HY 461 | History of Slavery in Law | 3 |
| HY 473 | Indians, Nuns, & Rogues | 3 |
| HY 478 | Spanish Conquest of Americas | 3 |
Grade Point Average
A 2.0 grade point average in the major is required for completion of the degree. Please see the Grades and Grade Points section of this catalog for an explanation on grade point average calculations.
Upper-Level Requirement
Majors must take 15 hours of upper-level courses (300 or higher).
Residency Requirement
Majors must take a minimum of 12 credits of upper-level courses (300 or higher) in residence at UA.
Ancillary Courses
The history major does not require ancillary courses. However, it is recommended that students, especially those considering graduate work in history, study at least one foreign language.
Required Minor
This major requires the completion of a minor.
Additional Major Requirements
Students are responsible for ensuring that they have met all University, College, major and minor requirements. However, each student must meet with an adviser in the major department for academic planning and to be approved for registration each semester. College advisers are also available for additional assistance with minor, college and University requirements.
Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites for any HY courses. The Capstone History course, HY497, is open to History Majors only.
Honors Program
The history honors program is open to history majors who have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0, a 3.3 GPA or above in History, and at least 12 hours of HY courses completed. The program requires six hours of honors work: HY 497 Capstone Research Seminar followed by HY 499 Honors Thesis II OR HY 498 Honors Thesis I followed by HY 499 Honors Thesis II. Both options must be completed under the direction of a tenured or tenure-track member of the department. Students who complete a History Honors thesis by taking the combination of HY 498 and HY 499 are exempt from having to take the HY 497 Capstone Research Seminar . Students wishing to complete an Honors thesis must secure approval from their faculty honors advisor before embarking on this process. In order to graduate with honors in history, students must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0, a 3.3 GPA or above in history, and satisfactory completion of a thesis judged to merit an honors designation.
Public History Concentration
Requirements:
-
Students must complete a total of 12 credit hours from an approved course list (included below).
-
Students must be History majors to pursue a concentration in public history.
Students do not have to take HY 439 or HY 440 prior to taking other courses in the concentration, but the courses are required to complete the concentration. All students must take 6 hours in electives for the Public History concentration. The list below represents the types of course electives offered in any given semester that would count toward the Public History concentration. A students’ choice of electives must be approved by the concentration director; the student and concentration director will work to identify the course electives that best support student interest and career goals.
| Code and Title | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| HY 440 | Public History Internship | 3 |
| HY 439 | Foundations in Public History | 3 |
| Elective Courses | 6 | |
At least 3 hours must come from a different field of study | ||
| Govt & Nonprofit Accounting | ||
| African American Art | ||
| Landscapes of the South | ||
| Intro to Archaeology | ||
| Southeastern Archaeology | ||
| Ethnography | ||
| Historical Archaeology | ||
| Anthropology and Museums | ||
| 2D Design | ||
| Cultural Geography | ||
| National Parks | ||
| Intro Geographic Info Systems | ||
| Antebellum America | ||
| Oral History | ||
| Environmental Studies | ||
| Social Issues & Ethics | ||
| Environmental Policy | ||
| Public Leadership | ||
| Total Hours | 12 | |
Legal History Concentration
Requirements:
- students must complete a minimum of 12 credit hours from the approved courses list (see below), 3 credit hours of which must come from the required foundational course HY 309 Great Cases - US Legal History
- students must also complete a 1 credit hour experiential learning course HY 201 Legal History Field Experience designed to breed a culture of engagement between students and the many legal-themed organizations operating on campus and in the surrounding area
- students must be History majors to receive credit for the concentration
Note: The concentration is designed to “fit inside” the existing major – completed courses will also count towards students’ completion of the larger History major. With proper planning and advisement the concentration will not require students to take courses beyond the standard 120 credit model nor inhibit students from completing their degrees on time. All students will be required to meet with the concentration’s director at least once for guidance on how best to navigate the concentration efficiently.
| Required Foundational Course | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Required Foundational Courses | ||
| HY 309 | Great Cases - US Legal History | 3 |
| HY 201 | Legal History Field Experience | 1 |
| Elective Courses | 8 | |
| Us Constitut Hy to 1877 | ||
| Us Constitut Hy sc 1877 | ||
| Civil Rights Movement | ||
| Native American History | ||
| The First Amendment | ||
| The Right to Privacy | ||
| Russia to 1894 | ||
| Alabama Memory: Lynching in AL | ||
| The Warren Court | ||
| History of Slavery in Law | ||
| French Legal History | ||
| England under Stuarts | ||
| Total Hours | 12 | |
Regarding Prerequisites: Students do not have to take HY 309 or HY 201 prior to taking other courses in the concentration, but the courses are required to complete the concentration. No other prerequisites are required.
Types of Jobs Accepted
Majoring in history prepares students for fulfilling careers in diverse fields. Though many of our graduates decide to pursue lives of scholarship and teaching, others go into law, public history and museum studies, public policy, journalism, publishing or business. A recent survey suggests that nearly 90% of our 2016 graduates are employed soon after graduation — a rate commensurate with that of the College of Arts and Sciences as a whole. Whatever your chosen field, the communication, writing, researching and critical thinking skills acquired as a history major will be in high demand in the modern workforce.
Jobs of Experienced Alumni
People holding degrees in history from the University of Alabama teach in schools and colleges around the country. They have served in government at all levels, from the Tuscaloosa city council to the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate and the Alabama Supreme Court. They are museum curators and directors, newspaper and television journalists, national real-estate brokers, attorneys and business men and women with MBAs, some of whom have become CEOs of major corporations. If you can think of a career, history can help get you there and make you a great success.
Learn more about opportunities in this field at the Career Center