Department of History
The Department of History offers majors in history and social science leading to the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree as well as undergraduate minors in history, public history, and religious studies. The bachelor's degree in history, minor in history, and minor in religious studies may be earned 100% online.
The department also offers a Master of Arts in History and a Master of Arts in Public History (see UNA Graduate Catalog).
The history program offers students coveted skills: reading critically, weighing evidence, identifying significance, constructing and analyzing arguments, and writing cogently. In exploring the wonders of the past, the program illuminates contemporary issues in the present. Because the skills imparted by a history education have near universal application, our graduates are prepared for the modern workforce. While many have built careers in history-related fields such as primary, secondary, and higher education, museums, archives, and libraries, others are employed as entrepreneurs, journalists, editors, administrators, financial and military analysts, pastors, writers and more.
The social science program is designed for students seeking to teach in the social sciences, grades 6-12 (a second major or second degree in education is required for teacher certification).
Students seeking a BA or BS degree with a major in history or social science are required to successfully complete HI 495 Senior Thesis in their last spring semester prior to graduation. This class will include an exit examination.
A minimum passing grade of “C” is required for all 300-level and 400-level History (HI) courses taken by History and Social Science majors and History and Public History minors when taken as part of the major or minor program. If a “C” is not earned in a HI course taken as part of a major or minor, the course will not count toward the completion of the major or minor, and must be repeated.
HI 101 and HI 102 (World Civilization) or HI 201 and HI 202 (U.S. History) are prerequisites for all 300-level history courses. HI 301W History and Historical Research is prerequisite for all 400-level history courses.