History, BA
Table of Contents
Why Should I Consider This Major?
History majors’ strong communication skills are valued by all employers, including businesses and government agencies. The research, analytical, and evaluative skills that history majors develop prepare them for graduate study in many humanistic disciplines, public affairs, and library science and for careers as journalists, government officials, and attorneys. A growing number of history majors have made careers in the expanding field of public history. They work in museums, archives, and historical preservation.
If you like to read, write, and learn about the experiences of people in different places and times, you should consider the history major.
No other major prepares students for as many different careers.
Advising
Degree Planning
- Degree Works is Western’s primary academic planning and degree progress tool. You can learn more about Degree Works on the Registrar’s Office website.
- Your advisor will help you use this tool to track progress toward graduation.
- Degree Works is designed to aid and facilitate academic advising but is not intended to replace face-to-face advising sessions.
Degree Planning Sheets
The documents below are an optional supplement (not a replacement for Degree Works). Printed versions are available to pick up in the main History Office (BH 364).
Common Questions
If you're not sure who your advisor is, log in to Degree Works. Your major information and advisor will be listed at the top of the page.
Visit during their office hours or contact your advisor directly to schedule an appointment. Advisors are typically not available during breaks or while on leave. If your advisor is on leave, please contact history@wwu.edu to find another advisor to work with in the meantime.
- Email is the preferred form of communication for all our professors.
- Email format for all professors is firstname.lastname@wwu.edu.
- If a professor has a hyphenated last name, only the first last name is used.
Let us know if you prefer a specific advisor. Please note that all tenured history faculty members can help get you started and handle technical questions throughout your time in the department.
But if you wish to speak with different faculty members (maybe ones with aligned historical interests), you're welcome to reach out to them directly at any point. (No need to switch advisors.)
Office hours are listed on our department Canvas page.
Advisors are typically not available during breaks or while on leave. If your advisor is on leave, please contact history@wwu.edu to find another advisor to work with in the meantime.
Students should work with their advisor to develop an individualized plan. Review the degree requirements and degree planning sheets on this page for more information.
Recommendations
Students arrive with varying course preparations, so consider your own circumstances:
- Complete your GURs as soon as possible.
- It is recommended to take at least three lower-division courses in History during your first year.
- Choose courses in areas that interest you.
- Don’t feel that you need to complete your 100-level courses before taking 200-level courses.
- If you take more than one course, take them in different fields of study:
- Europe (EUR)
- US (US)
- East and South Asia (ASIA)
- Ancient (ANCT)
- Western Hemisphere outside the US (WHEM)
- Africa and the Middle East (AFME)
- If you’ve already taken four or more college-level history courses, consider starting with:
- An additional lower-division history course in a field that you haven’t yet taken.
- HIST 301 Doing History
- If you’ve taken one or two college-level history courses:
- Two lower-division history courses at the 100 or 200 level.
What is HIST 499 Pre-registration?
HIST 499, the capstone seminar, is required for all History and History/Social Studies majors. Each Spring, through the pre-registration process, the History department assigns students to a HIST 499 section for the following academic year.
A survey is sent out so that students can select and rank their top three choices. Along with this data, students are placed into each section based on the total number of credit hours they have earned. Students may not get into their top choice, but every effort is made to place them in one of their top three.
Pre-registration only reserves a seat—it does not mean that a student is registered for the course.
Students will receive an email with their HIST 499 placement and information about next steps. A few weeks before registration begins, the history department will review students' prerequisites and grant overrides. Students will receive confirmation emails from the history department when it is time to officially register (through the regular process) for the course.
Not sure if your courses will count? Don’t worry! Your history advisor will work with you to make sure that courses are counted toward the relevant field.
What courses should I take?
Students arrive with varying course preparations, so consider your own circumstances:
- Choose courses in areas that interest you!
- Students who have earned Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or other credits in history should not take the equivalent courses.
- For more information about Transfer Credits, review the policies on the Admissions page and utilize the Transfer Course Equivalency Guide.
History Majors
- Consider taking a couple of history courses.
- If you take more than one history course, take them in different fields of study:
- Europe
- US
- East & South Asia
- Ancient
- Western Hemisphere outside the US
- Africa & the Middle East
Only 30 credits in history courses can be counted from other institutions. The remaining 35 history credits (out of 65 total) must be taken at Western.
Advisors
Here in the History Department, our tenured and tenure-track faculty act as our advisors.
Visit our Advising Resources page for more information.
How to Get Started
There are no requirements & no application process to declare.
- Email history@wwu.edu or call 360-650-2324 (the history department's office assistant) and provide your availability for the current quarter.
- Once you're assigned, directly contact your advisor or visit during their office hours to meet with them.
- At your initial meeting your advisor can answer your questions, help you plan, and approve your major/minor declaration forms.
Declared Majors
Students are strongly encouraged to meet with their advisor regularly to plan, track progress, and discuss future goals.
Visit during their office hours or contact your advisor directly to schedule an appointment.
History Courses
Check Browse Classes for departmental offerings each quarter.
Any override requests (except for HIST 499) should be sent directly to the instructor of the desired course.
Want to Study History Abroad?
There are many affordable options to study abroad, even some that may be less than the cost of in-state attendance at WWU!
Go to the Study Abroad website for more details and information.
Requirements
Required for Graduation
Minimum 65 credits, with at least 35 upper-division credits.
All grades must be C- or higher with a minimum 2.5 GPA in History courses.
History Major Requirements
- Three courses from one field of study, including one upper-division course.
- Three courses from a second field of study, including one upper-division course.
- Three courses from a third field of study, including one upper-division course.
- HIST 301: Doing History.
- HIST 499: Historical Research (Requires pre-registration).
- One 400-level course in addition to 499.
Electives under advisement.
Optional: Up to 10 credits in Honors courses (including HNRS 205, HNRS 225, and seminars under advisement) may count in fields or electives.
Majors Declared BEFORE 2024-25
Are encouraged, not required, to take HIST 301 Doing History. (Minimum 60 credits to graduate with at least 30 upper-division courses)
Don't know what year you declared? Log in to DegreeWorks and scroll to "catalog year."
Fields of Study
Below the "HIST" courses (5 credits each) are listed under their corresponding field. Though some courses are listed as options under multiple fields, each course may only be used to fulfill one field.
- 103 American History to 1865
- 104 American History Since 1865
- 131 Going to College in America
- 141 History of American West
- 262 African American History to 1865
- 263 African Americans Since 1865
- 265 LGBT Exp. in U.S. History
- 268 Introduction Asian American History
- 275 North American Indigenous History
- 290 The Early Modern Atlantic World
- 346 U.S. & International Terrorism
- 348 American Slavery
- 349 History of the US South
- 350 American Colonial History
- 351 The Long Crisis: U.S. History 1865-1920
- 352 U.S. Civil War & Reconstruction
- 354 Energy in American History
- 355 Health & Disease in American History
- 357 The United States in the Cold War
- 358 Women of Color in the U.S.
- 359 America and Vietnam
- 360 Religion in Early America
- 361 Religion in Modern America
- 362 Civil Rights Black Power Era
- 363 The American Revolution
- 365 Sexuality in the U.S.
- 366 The Early American Republic
- 379 Canadian American Relations
- 380 Food & Environment in America
- 382 U.S. Neo-conservatism and Middle East
- 391 History of the Pacific Northwest
- 392 Tribal Sovereignty and WA History
- 394 History of the Salish Sea
- 404 Colonialism and the Middle East
- 408 World War II: The European War
- 409 World War II: The Pacific War
- 447 History of the Sciences of Nature
- 450 Climate & Culture in America
- 451 Environmental History of U.S. Agriculture
- 452 U.S. Intellectual History 1776-1900
- 453 U.S. Intellectual History 1900-Today
- 460 American Environmental History
- 461 U.S. Urban History
- 467 Self/Society in Am. 1790-1910
- 469 African Slavery in Atlantic World
- 468 Borderlands & Frontiers of N. America
- 471 Piracy in the Early Modern Atlantic World
- 474 U.S. Latin American Relations
- 475 Topics in North American Indigenous History
- 111 Prehistory to 476
- 112 Western Civilization 476-1713
- 113 Western Civilization 1713-Present
- 232 History of the Jews
- 233: History of the Jews in the Modern Era
- 289 Islam in France
- 290 The Early Modern Atlantic World
- 312 History of Ancient Greece
- 313 History of Ancient Rome
- 315 Europe: Early Middle Ages 300-1050
- 316 Europe: High Middle Ages 1050-1450
- 318 Medieval England
- 320 War in the Middle Ages
- 321 Reform. Europe-Age of Religious Wars
- 322 Early Modern England
- 330 Germany in the 20th Century
- 331 History of the Holocaust
- 333 Imperial Russia 1689-1917
- 334 20th Century Russia
- 335 Women and Gender in Judaism
- 341 France 1500-1815
- 342 France 1815-1945
- 381 Jewish Nationalisms
- 408 World War II: The European War
- 414 The Carolingian Era
- 421 Gender in Early Modern Europe
- 424 Polish-Jewish History
- 447 History of the Sciences of Nature
- 471 Piracy in the Early Modern Atlantic World
- 111 Prehistory to 476
- 121 World History to 500
- 151 Communities of the Ancient World
- 220 Intro to South Asian History
- 280 Intro to East Asian Civilizations
- 310 History of Ancient Mesopotamia
- 311 History of Ancient Egypt
- 312 History of Ancient Greece
- 313 History of Ancient Rome
- 370 Chinese History to 600 AD
- 385 West African History
- 410 First Cities: Urbanization
- 412 Ancient Rivers & Roads
- 220 Intro to South Asian History
- 280 Intro to East Asian Civilizations
- 281 E.A. History-Early Modern/Modern
- 328 Modern India: Colonialism & Nationalism
- 370 Chinese History to 600 AD
- 372 Chinese History 1800-Present
- 373 Yōkai: Monsters & Monstrous in Japanese Hist
- 374 Pre-Modern Japanese History
- 375 Modern Japanese History
- 409 World War II: The Pacific War
- 444 Adventures at Sea: Indian Ocean in World History
- 479 Med & Early Mod Chinese History
- 480 Modern Chinese Social History
- 481 The Chinese Revolution
- 483 Early Modern Japan
- 486 Religion in Japanese History
- 232 History of the Jews
- 233: History of the Jews in the Modern Era
- 285 African History to 1800
- 286 African History, 1800 to present
- 287 Intro to Islamic Civilization
- 288 History of Modern Middle East
- 290 The Early Modern Atlantic World
- 310 History of Ancient Mesopotamia
- 311 History of Ancient Egypt
- 335 Women and Gender in Judaism
- 369 Women, Gender & Sexuality in Afr. Hist
- 381 Jewish Nationalisms
- 382 U.S. Neo-conservatism and Middle East
- 383 Modern Iraq
- 384 Palestine, Zionism, and Israel
- 385 West African History
- 386 Southern Africa
- 387 Africa since the 1960s
- 404 Colonialism and the Middle East
- 405 The Traditional Middle East
- 406 Middle East, 1800 to the Present
- 407 Hist. of the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict
- 471 Piracy in the Early Mod Atlantic World
- 488 Modern Egypt/Libya & Nile Valley
- 273 Latin America: 1492-1824
- 274 Latin America: 1824-Present
- 277 Canada: A Historical Survey
- 278 Multiculturalism in Canada
- 290: The Early Modern Atlantic World
- 326 Immigration in the Americas
- 327 Soccer in Latin America
- 376 French Colonial Canada: 1534-1763
- 379 Canadian American Relations
- 394 History of the Salish Sea
- 411 Latin America in WWII
- 469 African Slavery in Atlantic World
- 474 U.S. Latin American Relations
- 477 World War I & Canadian Society
- 478 Hist. of Nationalism in French Canada
These courses can be applied to different Fields of Study based on the topic. Talk to your history advisor to determine requirements these courses will satisfy.
- 101 Discovering History
- 123 World History, 1500 to Present
- 356 Gender and History
- 364 Film as History: Variable Topics
- 390 Topics in History: Variable Topics
- 393 Introduction to Public History
- 403 Digital Methods in History
- 470 World History of Democracy, 19th & 20th C
- 476 World Histories of the Middle Class
- 490 Advanced Topics in History
- 494 Public History Internship (3-5 credits)
- 498 Editing History Writing for the Profession
The Thematic Field allows students, in consultation with an adviser, to choose a theme (tailored to the student's interests) to study as one field of their major.
- A thematic field must be approved by a department adviser and may include, but is not limited, to the list below:
- Transnational/Global
- Gender
- Environmental/Science
- Religion
- Social/Cultural
- Military/Diplomatic
- Imperialism/Colonialism
- Students should speak with an adviser to determine which classes they should take for a specific field.
General University Requirements (GURS)
The following courses may be used to satisfy GURs:
- HIST 103
- HIST 104
- HIST 111
- HIST 112
- HIST 113
- HIST 121
- HIST 123
- HIST 131
- HIST 151
- HIST 152
- HIST 277
HUM: Whenever you tell a story, see a film or a work of art, or ponder an ethical question, you are encountering the humanities. The humanities include academic disciplines that use critical, historical, and aesthetic approaches to explore how people experience and document their lives, examine and question the values of their societies, and creatively engage with their world.
- HIST 232
- HIST 233
- HIST 273
- HIST 274
- HIST 280
- HIST 281
- HIST 285
- HIST 286
- HIST 287
- HIST 288
- HIST 359
ACGM: Understanding different perspectives is crucial as societies and cultures become increasingly diverse and global. ACGM courses help you develop this understanding. Comparative courses deal with the history and culture of societies beyond the Western tradition. Courses on gender explore the social construction of gender and its consequences. Multiculturalism courses deal with the experiences and cultural expressions of minority groups. ACGM courses focus on areas outside of Europe and North America.
- HIST 141
- HIST 158
- HIST 262
- HIST 263
- HIST 265
- HIST 268
- HIST 275
- HIST 278
- HIST 353
BCGM: Understanding different perspectives is crucial as societies and cultures become increasingly diverse and global. BCGM courses help you develop this understanding. Comparative courses deal with the history and culture of societies beyond the Western tradition. Courses on gender explore the social construction of gender and its consequences. Multiculturalism courses deal with the experiences and cultural expressions of minority groups. BCGM courses focus on Europe and North America.
Program Learning Outcomes
Students will demonstrate the ability to
- Identify, locate, and gather relevant sources for a particular historical question
- Thoughtfully and thoroughly analyze primary sources
- Thoughtfully and thoroughly analyze secondary sources
- Articulate ideas clearly and effectively in writing
- Articulate ideas clearly and effectively in oral presentations
- Practice ethical and responsible scholarship by citing relevant primary and secondary sources using the conventions of the historical discipline
In addition to these program learning outcomes, students will also gain
- Knowledge and understanding of fundamental concepts and concerns of the discipline and of major historical events in each of at least three different geographic areas and/or chronological periods.
- Knowledge and understanding of the current historiographical and theoretical debates among historians in each of these geographic areas and/or chronological periods.
Tips for New Majors
Students arrive with varying course preparations, so consider your own circumstances.
- Complete your GURs as soon as possible.
- It is recommended to take at least three lower-division courses in History during your first year.
- Choose courses in areas that interest you.
- Don’t feel that you need to complete your 100-level courses before taking 200-level courses.
- If you take more than one course, take them in different fields:
- Europe (EUR),
- US (US)
- East and South Asia (ASIA)
- Ancient (ANCT)
- Western Hemisphere outside the US (WHEM)
- Africa and the Middle East (AFME).
Students who have earned Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or other credits in history should not take the equivalent courses at Western. For more information about Transfer Credits, review the policies on the Admissions page and utilize the Transfer Course Equivalency Guide.
- If you’ve already taken four or more college-level history courses, consider starting with:
- An additional lower-division history course in a field that you haven’t yet taken.
- HIST 301 Doing History
- If you’ve taken one or two college-level history courses:
- Two lower-division history courses at the 100 or 200 level.
Thematic Field
The Thematic Field allows students, in consultation with an adviser, to choose a theme (tailored to the student's interests) to study as one field of their major.
- A thematic field must be approved by a department adviser and may include, but is not limited, to the list below:
- Transnational/Global
- Gender
- Environmental/Science
- Religion
- Social/Cultural
- Military/Diplomatic
- Imperialism/Colonialism
- Students should speak with an adviser to determine which classes they should take for a specific field.
Other History Options
- BA, History/Social Studies (95 credits)
- Minor in History (25 credits), Minor in Public History (25 credits), or Minor in Foreign Cultures
- Major or minor in Area Studies: