History Major with Inclusive Childhood Education Major

The department of history and political science is committed to developing in students an understanding of the importance of the past in human experience. This past serves as a foundation and frame of reference for their pursuit of knowledge in the classroom and in the wider world. Students gain a sophisticated awareness of the discipline of history, discovering that it is more than mere fact-gathering; it involves multiple methods and interpretations of the past. Finally, the department’s goal is that all majors will engage in the dynamic study of history by developing their own insights and interpretations of the past.

For students pursuing careers in education a minimum GPA of 2.7 is required for student teaching.

History Core

The History Core provides the foundation for all of our programs. Students are required to take 12 credits from the following:

Six credits from the following Western Civilization and Asian Civilization Courses:
HIS.Q 101 - Western Civilization I Credits: 3
HIS 102 - PI Western Civilization II Credits: 3
HIS.Q 103 - Western Civilization III Credits: 3
HIS 106G - PI East Asian Civilization I Credits: 3
HIS.Q 107 - East Asian Civilizations II Credits: 3
HIS.Q 108 - Atlantic World I Credits: 3
Six credits in American History:
HIS.Q 205 - American Republic I: Pre-Columbian America Through the Civil War Credits: 3
HIS.Q 206 - American Republic II: Civil War to the Present Credits: 3

History Requirements

In addition to 12 credits of lower division survey work, all majors must take Historical Methodology, Historical Methodology Lab, History and Historians and submit a comprehensive portfolio in their last semester.

HIS 381 - Historical Methodology Credits: 3
HIS 381L - Historical Methodology Lab Credits: 0
HIS 481 - Senior Seminar: History and Historiography Credits: 3
HIS 499 - History Comprehensive Credits: 0

History Electives (INCL)

Students must select six elective courses (18 credits) in upper division history. Some upper division Political Science courses may be substituted with the approval of the department chairperson.

Special Note

The department highly recommends for students pursuing this education program the following two courses:

HIS.Q 108 - Atlantic World I Credits: 3 (Lower Division)
HIS 345 - New York State History Credits: 3 (Upper Division)
The department further suggests that students take a course related to government as well as one that emphasizes wider global issues. Some suggestions are listed below.

Government

HIS 305 - PII The American Presidency Credits: 3
HIS 306G - Colonial Latin America Credits: 3
HIS 308 - PII U.S. Constitutional History Credits: 3
HIS 409 - The American Revolution, 1765-1789 Credits: 3
PSC 301 - PII American Government and Politics Credits: 3
PSC 302 - State and Local Government Credits: 3
PSC 340 - Campaigns, Voters and Elections Credits: 3

Global

HIS 312G - PII Politics of Sub-Sahara Africa Credits: 3
HIS 315G - PII Russia in the 20th Century Credits: 3
HIS 309G - PII Arabs, Turks and Israelis: History And Politics of the Mediterranean Middle East Credits: 3
HIS 328G - PII China in the Twentieth Century Credits: 3
HIS 329G - PII Imperial China Credits: 3
HIS 335G - PII Persian Gulf - History and Politics Credits: 3
PSC 310G - PII Politics in the Developing World Credits: 3

History Senior Experience

Seniors will take a writing-intense research seminar. The purpose of the course will be to apply their skills as serious students of history to a research project of their own design. The seminar’s topic will be based on the participating faculty member’s current research interest, but will be sufficiently broad to allow students to develop research projects in their own fields of interest. Students will engage in an extensive search for sources, including both primary and secondary documents. These sources will serve as the foundation of a formal research paper, which will be the culmination of the students’ efforts in the course, and which will represent the students’ efforts at historical interpretation.

Writings from the seminar will be included within the portfolio format of the Senior History Comprehensive.