Bachelor of Arts
in History
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Explore the Past to Understand the World Today
If you’re curious to learn how the past has shaped the world in which we live, National University’s bachelor’s degree in history will challenge you to explore different worlds, times, places, and cultures. You’ll absorb the fascinating work of historians as you examine court documents, diaries, letters, and newspaper accounts; conduct research; write; teach; evaluate; and make recommendations.
Available online or on-site, NU’s curriculum is a future-focused course of study designed to help you build a solid foundation of knowledge that can be applied to a broad range of career fields. You’ll focus on research-intensive cultural knowledge and develop writing and critical thinking skills to advance your career, pursue a new role, or prepare for a graduate degree.
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) accredits public and private schools, colleges, and universities in the U.S.
Why Earn Your Bachelor’s in History Degree with National University?
There are many reasons our students find fulfilling careers with their BAs in History.
Dedicated Faculty: Students learn from a student-focused, dedicated and accomplished faculty of actively engaged scholarly researchers, published authors, and thought-leaders in their respective focus areas with all holders of at least a master’s degree or Ph.D. in history.
Curriculum: Additionally, National University’s in-depth and interesting curriculum in U.S. and world history covers a variety of specialties and applications, featuring a capstone experience where students can develop their own portfolio-worthy research project. This can equip students with specialized and marketable skills that can be applied to any career interest.
Availability: The ability to earn your degree on your own schedule enhances the accessibility of the program and its resources to busy adult learners.
Course Details
Course Listing
Preparation for the Major
- 5 courses; 22.5 quarter units
Course Name
Prerequisite: ENG 102
An advanced course in writing that emphasizes discipline-specific research strategies, formulating research niches, and framing persuasive arguments in the disciplines.
Prerequisite: ENG 102
Survey of American history from pre-colonial times through Reconstruction. Explores economic, political, social and cultural factors that shaped the origins of the nation, including the Revolution, the Constitution and the Civil War. Special attention is paid to issues of race, class, gender and ethnicity. Includes study of the Constitution.
Prerequisite: ENG 102
Survey of American history from Reconstruction to the present. Explores economic, political, social, and cultural factors that shaped the development of the nation, including industrialization, America’s emergence as a world power and the challenges of the late 20th century. Pays special attention to issues of race, class, gender and ethnicity.
Prerequisite: ENG 102
Discusses how distinctive cultures, economies and societies of the world developed from prehistoric times to the European conquest of the Americas (ca. 1500 C.E.). Explores issues of gender, class, personal identity, war, religion, urban life, and ecology pertaining to the history of civilizations in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Europe.
Prerequisite: ENG 102
Discusses how the cultures, economies, and societies of the world developed since 1500 C.E. Explores issues of class and class conflict, personal and cultural identity, race, work, industrial development, colonialism, ecology, and political and economic life pertaining to the history of civilizations in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Europe.
*Maybe used to satisfy general education requirements
Required for the Major
- 10 courses; 45 quarter units
Course Name
Prerequisite: ENG 102; HIS 233
Examines ancient world history from 10,000 B.C.E. to 500 B.C.E., including Neolithic revolution; rise of settled agriculture; complex societies and organized states in North Africa, Southwest Asia, South and East Asia, Mesoamerica, and South America; rise and decline of great powers in those areas; formation of Aegean civilization in Greece.
Prerequisite: ENG 102; HIS 233
Examines religious, political and philosophical innovations of classical period (500 B.C.E. to 500 C. E.) in Mediterranean region, China, and India; rise and fall of Greek, Roman, Han, Mauryan and Gupta empires; rise of important regional states like Meroë, Angkor, Teotihuacán, and Maya city-states in Mesoamerica.
Prerequisite: ENG 102; HIS 233
Examines expansion and collapse of Byzantium; nomadic invasions of Europe and development of feudalism; rise of militant Christianity; diffusion of militant Islam; spread of Indian classical culture; Chinese reunification, commercial revolution, and cultural revival; Japanese feudalism; development of African states; civilizations of Mesoamerica; settlement of Polynesians throughout Pacific.
Prerequisite: ENG 102; HIS 234
Examines colonial expansion of Europe; Islamic empires of Asia; regional powers in Eurasia; revolutions in the Atlantic world; the Industrial Revolution; the new imperialism; revolutions in Eurasia and Latin America after 1900; global wars and their consequences; national liberation and decolonization; the Cold War; post-Cold War realignments.
Prerequisite: ENG 240
Investigates the important methodologies and theories of history that buttress contemporary historical scholarship. Includes introduction to historiography; examines transformation of the historical profession over last 150 years and philosophical foundations of historical practice today; explores writings of historian, their historical assumptions, and theoretical framework of their interpretations.
Prerequisite: ENG 102; HIS 220A
Examines the various peoples and the economic, environmental, cultural, and political forces that shaped American development from the period before Europeans settled through the American Revolution. It evaluates key ecological changes after 1500 and the shaping of North American colonial society by mercantilism, merchant capitalism, and the slave trade.
Prerequisite: ENG 102; HIS 220A
Examines development of American society from the early national period through the Civil War (1783-1865), including framing of Constitution, westward expansion, economic development, slavery, sectional conflict, as well as an evaluation of the social, political, and military problems faced by the contending sides in the Civil War.
Prerequisite: ENG 102; HIS 220B
Examines transformation of America and expansion of American influence after the Civil War through World War I. Includes reconstruction; demographic and economic expansion; industrialization and its consequences for labor and social relations; mass immigration; growth of American imperialism; socialist, populist, and progressive movements; and World War I and Wilsonianism.
Prerequisite: ENG 102; HIS 220B
Examines social, economic, cultural, and political contours of modern America from 1920 to the present, including Great Depression, social dimensions of World War II, affluence and anxieties of 1950s, political and social movements of 1960s, and challenges of structuring a new global political economy in the 1970s and after.
Prerequisite: ENG 240 or equivalent; HIS 400 and and completion of 31.5 quarter units of core courses in the major
This seminar is the capstone course for the history major. The objective of the capstone course is to produce a paper that is exemplified by extensive research, critical thought, and intellectual engagement. The project should excite students and deepen their historical understanding. As a “senior project,” it will combine primary sources with secondary interpretations in an original and interesting way.
Upper Division Electives
- 6 courses; 27 quarter units
Students must complete a minimum of 27 quarter units of electives to fulfill the upper-division unit requirements to earn the Bachelor of Arts in History. Students can select from the following strongly recommended and recommended electives OR choose from any upper-division course in the College of Letters and Sciences. Three elective courses must be in the History subject (HIS). To ensure adequate preparation for the California State Examination for Teachers (CSET), students who wish to become middle-school and high-school history teachers in California should take all of their electives from the strongly recommended list.
Degree and Course Requirements
To receive a Bachelor of Arts with a Major in History, students must complete at least 180 quarter units as listed below, 45 of which must be completed in residence at National University, 76.5 of which must be completed at the upper-division level and a minimum 69 units of the University General Education requirements. The following courses are degree requirements. In absence of transfer credit, additional general electives may be necessary to satisfy the total units required for the degree. Students should refer to the section on undergraduate admission procedures for specific information regarding admission and evaluation. All students receiving an undergraduate degree in Nevada are required by State Law to complete a course in Nevada Constitution.
If the foreign language requirement is not completed in General Education, the equivalent must be completed as preparation for the History major either by testing or by satisfactorily passing two courses in one of the following languages: Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, or Spanish. Other languages are acceptable upon approval of the director of the program.
A history degree is excellent preparation for journalists, ad writers, editors, and anyone interested in producing multimedia materials and documentaries. Historians may work as researchers in museums and local historical organizations that deal with cultural resources management and historic preservation and make valuable contributions to government and private think tanks. Graduates with a Bachelor of Arts History degree often become educators themselves, as well as enjoy rewarding careers as information managers such as archivists, records managers, and librarians. The field of law also attracts many history graduates. With your BA in History from NU, you’ll be equipped with the qualifications to pursue positions* in:
- Art History
- United States History
- World History
- Social Studies
- Social History Records
Students who earn a BA in History can also apply that knowledge to the following fields:
- Educational Services
- Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Public Administration
- Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation
- Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services
The top 5 positions BA in History graduates pursue are as follows:
- High School History Teachers
- Social Studies Teachers
- Assistant Professors of History
- Architectural Historians
- History Teachers
*SOURCE: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ns-F_eX7U6OM_8915nvUN3mgF-x_Su9b/edit#heading=h.gjdgxs
Program Learning Outcomes
As a graduate of National University’s Bachelor of Arts in History, you’ll understand how to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of U.S. and world history.
- Analyze a variety of primary sources.
- Analyze secondary sources for their argument and use of supporting evidence.
- Discuss current concerns, new theories, new evidence, and issues that shape the history of historical interpretation.
- Conduct historical research and support with appropriate primary and secondary source materials.
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BA in History Degree FAQs
A degree in history can provide you with a sound foundation for a broad range of career fields, including education, business, and law.
History courses offer research, writing, and analytical skills necessary for many fulfilling careers. Graduates with a degree in history often become educators themselves and teach in elementary schools, secondary schools, or in postsecondary institutions.
Beyond teaching, historians also work as researchers in museums and local historical organizations that deal with cultural resources management and historic preservation and make valuable contributions to government and private think tanks. A history degree is excellent preparation for journalists, ad writers, editors and anyone interested in producing multimedia materials and documentaries. Historians have rewarding careers as information managers such as archivists, records managers, and librarians.
SOURCE: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/field-of-degree/history/history-field-of-degree.htm
No, but you can lay the groundwork for the essential knowledge and skills you’ll need to get into law school. NU’s BA in History can provide you with a strong intellectual foundation for lawyers and paralegals, litigation support, legislative staff work, and nonprofit foundations.
Year of You Scholarship
Do you qualify for a needs-based scholarship? Learn more about the NU Year of You Scholarship and other scholarship opportunities to unlock the door to your dreams!
Program Disclosure
Successful completion and attainment of National University degrees do not lead to automatic or immediate licensure, employment, or certification in any state/country. The University cannot guarantee that any professional organization or business will accept a graduate’s application to sit for any certification, licensure, or related exam for the purpose of professional certification
Program availability varies by state. Many disciplines, professions, and jobs require disclosure of an individual’s criminal history, and a variety of states require background checks to apply to, or be eligible for, certain certificates, registrations, and licenses. Existence of a criminal history may also subject an individual to denial of an initial application for a certificate, registration, or license and/or result in the revocation or suspension of an existing certificate, registration, or license. Requirements can vary by state, occupation, and/or licensing authority.
NU graduates will be subject to additional requirements in a program, certification/licensure, employment, and state-by-state basis that can include one or more of the following items: internships, practicum experience, additional coursework, exams, tests, drug testing, earning an additional degree, and/or other training/education requirements.
All prospective students are advised to review employment, certification, and/or licensure requirements in their state, and to contact the certification/licensing body of the state and/or country where they intend to obtain certification/licensure to verify that these courses/programs qualify in that state/country, prior to enrolling. Prospective students are also advised to regularly review the state’s/country’s policies and procedures relating to certification/licensure, as those policies are subject to change.
*Positions may require additional experience, training, and other factors beyond successfully completing this degree program. Depending on where you reside, many positions may also require state licensure, and it is the responsibility of the student to ensure that all licensure requirements are met. We encourage you to also review program-specific requirements. Any data provided on this page is for informational purposes only and does not guarantee that completion of any degree program will achieve the underlying occupation or commensurate salary.