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If you are just beginning your history major, be sure to take the four foundation courses - the U.S. History surveys
120 and 121 along with either the Western Civilization courses 110 - 111, or World History courses 114 and 115 - as soon as possible. (Teaching credential candidates are required to take World History rather than Western Civilization.) After completing the foundation courses, enroll in History 300. History 300 is your introduction to the study of history at a university level, and will prove valuable preparation for the rest of your history classes.
The
History Major requires a major field of emphasis (12 units) and two minor fields (6 units each). One of those fields must be U.S. History, another Europe before or after 1500, and the other either Asia, Africa, or Latin America. Any of these fields can be your major field of emphasis.
The culminating experience in your program is a proseminar (
640/642/652) which should be taken in your last year before graduation. Ideally your proseminar will be related to your major field of emphasis.
Jerald Combs
Chair, Department of History
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- History Department Advisors can provide you with information regarding
University graduation requirements in General Education and in U.S. History and Government. If you are a transfer student, you should also bring your advanced standing evaluation form.
- For advice on the history major or minor, please read the History section of the
SFSU Bulletin and the information contained in this online advising manual. Make a list of courses you have taken which you believe are pertinent to a history major, and then print one of the online Planning Forms and fill it out in pencil. There are three different kinds of undergraduate degree programs, History Major, History Major Honors Program, and History Minor, as well as a Graduate Masters Program. You must select the correct one depending upon your degree objective. If you are an undergraduate and in doubt regarding the appropriate program and planning form, consult an advisor first, or simply use the Planning Form for the History Major.
- All permanent faculty members serve as advisors. Choose a
faculty advisor whose class you have especially enjoyed, or one whose field of specialization is similar to your own interests, or one whose office hours most closely match your schedule. When you see an advisor, bring a list or a transcript of the courses you have taken and the Planning Form you have filled out.
- History Department Advisors can provide you with information regarding the Subject Matter Preparation Program for the
Secondary Teaching Credential in History/Social Science.
History Major
Lower Division Courses
These courses should be taken as soon as possible because they form the basic introduction to the subject matter of history. They may be taken out of sequence.
- History 114, Western Civilization I, or History 110, World History to 1500
- History 115, Western Civilization II, or History 111, World History since 1500
- History 120, History of the United States to 1865
- History 121, History of the United States since 1865
Upper Division Courses
You should take History 300 as soon as possible after you have completed your lower division requirements and before you take most of your Upper Division courses. You must complete History 300 before you take the required proseminar. Your program must include a proseminar chosen from History 640, 642, or 644 (formerly 652). This is a culminating experience for your major, and should be taken in your senior year. You may count it in your major field or in a minor field.
- History 300, Seminar in Historical Analysis
- Major Field (12 units minimum)
- Minor field (6 units minimum)
- Minor Field (6 units minimum)
- History Proseminar
- At least 27 of the required 39 units must be Upper Division (i.e. courses numbered 300 or higher)
Fields of Concentration
You should offer one field (either major or minor) in the history of the United States. A second field (major or minor) should be chosen from Eastern Europe, Europe prior to 1500, or Europe since 1500. The third field (major or minor) should be chosen from Africa, Asia, or Latin America. No more than 6 units may be taken with CR/NCR grading. With an advisor's consent, you may select up to 6 units from the offerings of other departments to count toward your history major. A total of 39 units are required for the History Major.
History Major Planning Form