History, Elementary, BAE (In Moratorium)

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Why Should I Consider This Major?

Note: The History Department is currently not accepting students into the History - Elementary Education, BAE program. Students who are interested in teaching certification at the elementary level should contact Woodring College of Education. Students with an interest in history are welcome to take history courses for the General University Requirements and/or elective credit as well as to consider a minor in history. We encourage all prospective teachers to take a regional history course in Pacific Northwest History (391), Tribal Sovereignty and Washington History (392), or History of the Salish Sea (394).

Visit the Course Catalog for more information.

A colorful classroom scene: colored pencils in a wooden holder, a small globe, and a blurred background of children.

 

This major satisfies the academic major requirement for teacher certification with an endorsement in elementary education and must be accompanied by the professional preparation program in elementary education. 

Advising

One person at desk writes in a notebook, while another reads a book. Colored pencils, sticky notes, and a globe are nearby. Bookshelves blur in the background.

 

Here in the History Department, our tenured and tenure-track faculty act as our advisors. 

Visit our Advising Resources page for more information.

To get started:

  • No prerequisites are required for declaring a major in History.
  • Students need to contact a History Faculty Advisor before declaring their major and are strongly encouraged to meet with their advisor regularly to plan, track progress, and discuss future goals.

Don't have an advisor? Contact the History Department's Office assistant (history@wwu.edu) or (360-650-2324) to be assigned to an advisor.

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.

The Degree Planning Sheet below is an optional supplement (not a replacement for Degree Works).

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.

Other History Options

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Requirements

History Requirements

  • Two courses in United States History.
  • Two courses in European History.
  • Two courses in one of the following areas:
    • East and South Asia
    • African and the Middle East
    • Western Hemisphere (outside of US)
  • Choose one from:
    • HIST 391- History of the Pacific Northwest or HIST 392- Tribal Sovereignty and Washington History
  • Electives under advisement.

Must total 45 History credits, with at least 15 upper-division courses.

Additional Requirements

Admission to the Elementary Education Professional Program (104-106 credits) is required before a student may begin taking courses in the Professional Sequence. 

Requirements for consideration of an application include: 

  • Completion of a minimum of 45 credits (most or all GURs complete).
  • Cumulative grade point average of 2.75 or higher overall or for the last 45 credits.
  • Acceptable WEST-B scores. This test is offered 6 times a year at various sites in the state. Visit the WEST-B website for more information.
  • Completion of an English composition course with grade of B- or higher.
  • Completed application.

For more information go to the Woodring College of Education Website or contact teacherEd.Admission@wwu.edu.

Required for Graduation

Minimum 45 credits, with at least 15 upper-division credits. 

All grades must be C or higher with a minimum 2.5 GPA in History courses.

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
  • 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
  • 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 

Courses in this section can fulfill different requirements. Please talk to a history advisor for more information.

  • 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

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
  • HIST 232
  • HIST 233
  • HIST 273
  • HIST 274
  • HIST 280
  • HIST 281
  • HIST 285
  • HIST 286
  • HIST 287
  • HIST 288
  • HIST 359
  • HIST 141
  • HIST 158
  • HIST 262
  • HIST 263
  • HIST 265
  • HIST 268
  • HIST 275
  • HIST 278
  • HIST 353

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Tips for New Majors

Three students stroll across a fall campus, backpacks on, amidst golden leaves. Buildings and trees frame the scene.

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), or Africa and the Middle East (AFME).

Students who have earned Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate credit in history should not take the equivalent courses at Western.

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