History Major
Why study history at CMU?
The history program provides students with an understanding of the political, cultural, social, and economic life of past civilizations. Students are prepared for graduate study, as well as a variety of careers, including teaching. Consider these key features distinguishing this program at CMU:
- Excellent preparation for graduate study in areas such as law school and business administration
- Solid preparation for rewarding careers in education
- International study opportunities in Britain, Austria, the Netherlands, and more
- Academic development through student organizations such as the History Club
- Small classes and close interaction with instructors
Career outlook
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, for all occupations through the year 2014:
- Employment of archivists, curators, and museum technicians is expected to increase about 9 to 17 percent.
- Historians, political scientists, and sociologists will find jobs in policy or research. Historians may find opportunities with historic preservation societies as public interest in preserving and restoring historical sites increases.
- Job opportunities for teachers over the next 10 years will vary from good to excellent, depending on the locality, grade level, and subject taught.
Career options
Graduates of the history program at CMU will find careers in many areas. Some of these may require additional education.
- Archeologist
- Archivist
- College Professor
- Foreign Service Employee
- Historical Society Director
- Historian
- History Teacher
- Journalist
- Museum Technician
- Politician
Program Overview
The course listings below are a representation of what this academic program requires. For a full review of this program in detail please see our official online academic bulletin AND consult with an academic advisor. This listing does not include the General Education courses required for all majors and may not include some program specific information, such as admissions, retention, and termination standards.
(Click on the course name or number for a complete course description.)
History Major
( Total: 33 semester hours )
(3 hours)
Required Courses I
3
HST 301 The Craft of History
(3 hours)
Required Courses II
( Note: HST 496 or a substitute approved by an advisor. )
3
HST 496 Research Seminar
(3 hours)
Required Courses III
U.S. History
Select one of the following:
3
HST 110 The American Experience
3
HST 111 United States to 1865
3
HST 112 United States 1865 to the Present
3
HST 221/WST 221 Growing Up in America
3
HST 228 American Business: A History
3
HST 312 American Military Experience
3
HST 315 The Vietnam War
3
HST 319 The United States since World War II
3
HST 320 United States Social History to 1865
3
HST 321 United States Social History since 1865
3
HST 322 Westward Movement in America
3
HST 323 History of Native Americans
3
HST 324 African-American History to 1915
3
HST 325 African-Americans in Twentieth Century America
3
HST 369 Traditional China
3
HST 370 Modern China
3
HST 377 West Africa
3
HST 326/WST 328 Women in America
3
HST 330 U.S. Constitutional History
3
HST 333 History of Michigan
3
HST 335 History of the Rock and Roll Era
3
HST 511 Colonial British America
3
HST 512 Era of the American Revolution
3
HST 513 Era of the Early Republic, 1789-1825
3
HST 514 The Jacksonian Era
3
HST 515 Civil War and Reconstruction
3
HST 516 Emergence of Modern America, 1877-1920
3
HST 517 U.S. Rise in World Leadership, 1917-1945
3
HST 518 African-Americans and the Legal Process
3
HST 523 American Diplomatic History, 1775-1898
3
HST 524 American Diplomatic History since 1898
3
HST 525 The Industrialization of America
1-3
HST 532 Michigan History Studies
3
HST 562 The Atlantic World in the Age of Empire
(3 hours)
Required Courses IV
Modern European History
Select one of the following:
3
HST 378 South Africa
3
HST 200 The Medieval Civilization
3
HST 236 The Near East to Alexander
3
HST 102 The Development of Western Civilization
3
HST 106 Twentieth Century: Western World Issues
3
HST 280 Nazi Germany and the Holocaust
3
HST 344 Modern Europe, 1815-1918
3
HST 347 The French Revolution and Napoleonic Period
3
HST 349 Russia in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries
3
HST 351 Britain since 1689
3
HST 353 Germany since 1870
3
HST 354/WST 354 Women in European History
3
HST 356/EUR 302 Europe Since 1945
3
HST 542 The Enlightenment in Europe
3
HST 548 Russian Thought
3
HST 558 Europe, 1914-1945
(3 hours)
Required Courses V
Non-Western History
Select one of the following:
( HST 236, 237, and 369 may fill requirements for either Required Courses V or Required Courses VI, but cannot fill requirements for both categories. )
3
HST 163 The Latin American Experience
3
HST 168 The Far East
3
HST 176 The African Experience
3
HST 236 The Near East to Alexander
3
HST 237 The Middle East since Muhammad
3
HST 292 Global Perspectives on Non-Western History
3
HST 362 Latin American Revolutions: Mexico, Cuba and Central America
3
HST 376 East/Central Africa: Issues
3
HST 379/HUM 340 Race, Class and Power: South Africa in the 20th Century
3
HST 382/REL 382 History of Israel
(3 hours)
Required Courses VI
Pre-Modern History
Select one of the following:
( HST 236, 237, AND 369 count for either non-Western or pre-Modern. No course, however, can fill requirements in more than one area. )
3
HST 101 The Development of Western Civilization
3
HST 237 The Middle East since Muhammad
3
HST 238 Ancient Greece and Rome
3
HST 340 The High Middle Ages
3
HST 341 Renaissance and Reformation
3
HST 348 Russia through the Reign of Catherine the Great
3
HST 350 England to 1688
3
HST 369 Traditional China
3
HST 505 Tudor England
3
HST 537 The Age of Cicero
3
HST 538 Athens: Classical Period
(6 hours)
Required Courses VII
Six additional hours of history courses numbered 100-599.
(6 hours)
Electives I
Two additional courses at 300-500 level
(3 hours)
Electives II
One additional course at 500 level - HST 590 cannot be used for this requirement