Students who wish to major in History do so because they understand that the problems of the present are fundamentally rooted in the choices made by past peoples. History majors, therefore, do not memorize names and dates. Instead, they are detectives, busily scrutinizing and actively interpreting the historical record for a deeper understanding as to why the world looks as it does and how our society might be improved. And in doing so, history majors acquire a number of practical skills that many different employers look for in job candidates. Our majors become experts in both written and oral self-expression, argumentation, and advocacy. In addition, history majors acquire the skills necessary to conduct thorough research, assess evidence, and effectively present findings. It is no wonder, then, that our majors succeed in the fields of education, law, law enforcement, public service, consulting, and business, among many other careers. In today’s global economy, there is persistent demand for job candidates familiar with wide-ranging cultures and points of view. In the History major, students take courses specializing in many different cultures and time periods. This array of classes helps familiarize students with multifaceted human experiences while developing marketable skills that make our graduates competitive in a variety of career fields. This is particularly true of majors who take advantage of the University’s numerous opportunities for study abroad and foreign language instruction.

Teacher Certification

Some history majors may wish to pursue a career in education at the middle-, or high-school levels. The History Department is proud to welcome and help train the future teachers of both Texas and the nation. Students wishing to meet certification requirements to teach history or social studies in the secondary schools of Texas should contact the College of Education and Human Development for more complete information about the certification options available at Texas A&M University. To be eligible for these options, students must also consult with, and have approval of, their academic advisor in the Department of History.

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Must make a grade of C or better.

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Complete 14 hours of a foreign language through the intermediate level. If you choose to enroll in a language you have studied previously without receiving college credit, you must first take a placement test. See academic advisor.

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At least 12 hours at the 300- and 400-level. At least 3 hours of pre-modern history and at least 3 hours each from three of the five lists (United States; Europe; Latin America and Caribbean; Africa, Asia and the Middle East; Thematic). Maximum 3 hours of 200- level course may be used. 

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Select any 100-499 course not used elsewhere (except ASCC 100-499; HIST 100-299). Up to 12 hours of HIST 300-499 may be used for this requirement. Only 14 hours of KINE 199; AERS 100-499; MLSC 100-499; NVSC 100-499; SOMS 100-499 may be used towards general electives.

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Writing-intensive course.

Graduation requirements include 3 hours of International and Cultural Diversity courses and 3 hours of Cultural Discourse courses. A course satisfying a Core category, a college/department requirement, or a free elective can be used to satisfy this requirement. The required 6 hours may be met by courses satisfying other areas of a degree program. See your academic advisor for further information.

Students should plan a program of study in consultation with one of the department’s undergraduate advisors.

A minimum of 33 hours in history may be applied to the degree. Students must take not less than 15 credit hours at upper level for history residency requirement. A grade of C or higher is required for a course to be counted in the major field. A student must complete not less than 18 hours of coursework in history at Texas A&M University.