History (BA)

Program Requirements

Core Requirements — 18 Credits

Electives — 24 Credits

Any eight courses, six of which must be 250 or above. At least one upper-division course from three of the four geographic areas must be completed.

*If taken (not waived) at BYU–Hawaii, one core GE course (GE 100, 110, 120, or 300) may substitute for one lower-division history course.

Additional Program Requirements

No grade below "C-" accepted.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completing a major in history, students will:

1. Communicate effectively about the past through written and oral presentations.
2. Analyze arguments and perspectives of others.
3. Develop information literacy skills for evaluating historical and library sources.
4. Discover the value of kuleana (stewardship) in global citizenship through the understanding of world history and apply those values in their own lives, careers, and in giving service.

Program Descriptions

The history major lies at the center of the liberal arts curriculum and supports the university goal of obtaining a broad university education based on the world’s arts, letters, and sciences. It offers students the opportunity to expand their horizons around the globe and across time from the earliest human era to the present. History students’ working positions of challenge and responsibility in nearly every field, from business to teaching to law to government service. Many go on to earn graduate and professional degrees. They learn skills in research, writing, critical thinking, synthesis, and interdisciplinary that offer the best preparation for the varying challenges of work and service in the rapidly changing world. Finally, it takes as a central goal the development of a student’s ability to think clearly, communicate effectively, learn independently and solve problems successfully.

Career Opportunities

The major will provide a rigorous pre-professional degree to prepare students for graduate school in law, business and public administration, diplomacy, public relations, development, as well as academic programs. As a terminal degree, the program will prepare highly desirable and competent professional consultants, Faculty of Business & Government administration, teachers, and writers in fields and professions where cultural interaction and differences are significant. A student of history acquires skills and attitudes that are valuable assets in the professional world. With excellent writing, analytical, and research skills, history majors are desirable in fields of education, government, publishing, information, advocacy, and business. A wealth of opportunities awaits the history graduate, including careers as teachers, writers, lawyers, archivists, politicians, and entrepreneurs. A student of history has every opportunity that thinking about the past and the present in a multitude of ways can open up to them. The values of curiosity and inquisitiveness make history majors people who desire to learn more and live life as a continual education.