History, BA

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Curriculum Sequence
History Major Portfolio
Honors in History
Pathways
Pre-Law Options for the History Major

Curriculum Sequence

Freshman

Fall (15.5-16.5 Credits)

ENGL 101 - Reading, Thinking, and Writing 3 Credit(s)
Humanities requirement 3 Credit(s)
Math requirement 3-4 Credit(s)
Social science requirement 3 Credit(s)
HIST 100 - Western Civilization I (Ancient World–1300) 3 Credit(s)
or
HIST 101 - Western Civilization II (1300–1789) 3 Credit(s)
or
HIST 102 - Western Civilization III (1789–Present) 3 Credit(s)
or
HIST 104 - Women in the Western Tradition 3 Credit(s)
or
HIST 111 - World Civilization to 1500 3 Credit(s)
or
HIST 112 - Gods, Empires, and Engines: World Civilizations Since 1500 3 Credit(s)
or
HIST 121 - American Civilization I 3 Credit(s)
or
HIST 122 - American Civilization II 3 Credit(s)

Spring (15.5-16.5 Credits)

ENGL 102 - Literature and Critical Writing (W) 3 Credit(s)
Humanities requirement 3 Credit(s)
Science requirement 3-4 Credit(s)
Social science requirement 3 Credit(s)
HIST 100 - Western Civilization I (Ancient World–1300) 3 Credit(s)
or
HIST 101 - Western Civilization II (1300–1789) 3 Credit(s)
or
HIST 102 - Western Civilization III (1789–Present) 3 Credit(s)
or
HIST 104 - Women in the Western Tradition 3 Credit(s)
or
HIST 111 - World Civilization to 1500 3 Credit(s)
or
HIST 112 - Gods, Empires, and Engines: World Civilizations Since 1500 3 Credit(s)
or
HIST 121 - American Civilization I 3 Credit(s)
or
HIST 122 - American Civilization II 3 Credit(s)
Physical Education Elective 0.5 Credit(s)

Sophomore

Fall (15-16 Credits)

HIST 100 - Western Civilization I (Ancient World–1300) 3 Credit(s)
or
HIST 101 - Western Civilization II (1300–1789) 3 Credit(s)
or
HIST 102 - Western Civilization III (1789–Present) 3 Credit(s)
or
HIST 104 - Women in the Western Tradition 3 Credit(s)
or
HIST 111 - World Civilization to 1500 3 Credit(s)
or
HIST 112 - Gods, Empires, and Engines: World Civilizations Since 1500 3 Credit(s)
or
HIST 121 - American Civilization I 3 Credit(s)
or
HIST 122 - American Civilization II 3 Credit(s)
Humanities requirement 3 Credit(s)
Science requirement 3-4 Credit(s)
Social science requirement 3 Credit(s)
Elective 3 Credit(s)

Spring (15-16 Credits)

HIST 100 - Western Civilization I (Ancient World–1300) 3 Credit(s)
or
HIST 101 - Western Civilization II (1300–1789) 3 Credit(s)
or
HIST 102 - Western Civilization III (1789–Present) 3 Credit(s)
or
HIST 104 - Women in the Western Tradition 3 Credit(s)
or
HIST 111 - World Civilization to 1500 3 Credit(s)
or
HIST 112 - Gods, Empires, and Engines: World Civilizations Since 1500 3 Credit(s)
or
HIST 121 - American Civilization I 3 Credit(s)
or
HIST 122 - American Civilization II 3 Credit(s)
HIST 401 - Research Methods 3 Credit(s)
Humanities requirement 3 Credit(s)
Science requirement 3-4 Credit(s)
Social science requirement 3 Credit(s)

Junior

Fall (15 Credits)

Advanced history courses 6 Credit(s)
Advanced humanities course 3 Credit(s)
Electives 6 Credit(s)

Spring (15 Credits)

Advanced history courses 6 Credit(s)
Electives 9 Credit(s)

Senior

Fall (15 Credits)

HIST 409 - Senior Seminar 3 Credit(s)
Advanced history courses 6 Credit(s)
Electives 6 Credit(s)

Spring (15 Credits)

Advanced history courses 6 Credit(s)
Electives 6 Credit(s)
ASC 400 - Values Seminar 3 Credit(s)
HIST 021 - History Portfolio 0 Credit(s)

Total Credits: 121-125

A minimum of 6 semester hours of advanced history will be in U.S. history, a minimum of 6 semester hours will be in European history, and a minimum of 6 semester hours will be in non-Western history.

History Major Portfolio

All history majors will compile a portfolio. This portfolio is designed to give individual students and history faculty a cumulative vision of the quality of the students’ work over the course of their years in the major. As they progress through the history program, students will continually update their portfolios by adding required elements:

Résumé
Source-based expository essay
Secondary source analysis
Primary source analysis
Historiographic essay
Research paper
Sophomore self-assessment
Senior self-assessment

Honors in History

Students may graduate with honors in history if they satisfy the following requirements:

Maintain a 3.5 GPA in upper division history courses (with no grade lower than a B) and an over-all GPA of 3.2.
Achieve a grade of A- or better in History 409.
Make at least one research presentation in a public forum (such as the regional and national Phi Alpha Theta conferences, the National Conference for Undergraduate Research, or Widener University’s Honors Week presentations).

Pathways

Pre-Occupational Therapy Pathway

History majors who wish to apply for admission to Widener’s graduate occupational therapy program should take the following courses (note the most recent courses are factored into the prerequisite requirements):

BIOL 121 - Anatomy and Physiology I 4 Credit(s)
BIOL 123
BIOL 122 - Anatomy and Physiology II 4 Credit(s)
BIOL 124
CHEM 105 - General, Organic, and Biochemistry 3 Credit(s)
CHEM 106 - General, Organic, and Biochemistry Laboratory 1 Credit(s)
PHYS 121 - Fundamentals of Physics I 4 Credit(s)
PHYS 143 - College Physics I Laboratory 1 Credit(s)
PSY 105 - Introduction to Psychology 3 Credit(s)
PSY 211 - Infants, Children and Adolescents 3 Credit(s)
PSY 212 - Adulthood and Aging 3 Credit(s)
PSY 225 - Abnormal Psychology 3 Credit(s)
PSY 385 - Statistical Methods With Spss Laboratory for Psychology 4 Credit(s)
SOC or ANTH elective (1 course)

Pre-Physical Therapy Pathway

History majors who wish to apply for admission to Widener’s graduate physical therapy program should take the following courses (note the most recent courses are factored into the prerequisite requirements):

BIOL 121 - Anatomy and Physiology I 4 Credit(s)
BIOL 123
BIOL 122 - Anatomy and Physiology II 4 Credit(s)
BIOL 124
BIOL 230 - Biology of Cells and Genes 4 Credit(s)
CHEM 101 - Introduction to Chemistry I 3 Credit(s)
CHEM 103 - Introduction to Chemistry Laboratory I 1 Credit(s)
CHEM 102 - Introduction to Chemistry II 3 Credit(s)
CHEM 104 - Introduction to Chemistry Laboratory II 1 Credit(s)
PHYS 121 - Fundamentals of Physics I 4 Credit(s)
PHYS 143 - College Physics I Laboratory 1 Credit(s)
PHYS 122 - Fundamentals of Physics II 4 Credit(s)
PHYS 144 - College Physics II Laboratory 1 Credit(s)
PSY 105 - Introduction to Psychology 3 Credit(s)
PSY 385 - Statistical Methods With Spss Laboratory for Psychology 4 Credit(s)
One other PSY elective
SOC or ANTH elective

Pre-Law Options for the History Major

History is one of the majors traditionally chosen by students interested in pursuing a law degree. By special arrangement with the Widener’s law schools, history majors may choose a “3+3” option whereby they use their first year at the law school to complete the last year of their Widener undergraduate degree in history. History students may also pursue a minor in legal studies and analysis offered by the College of Arts and Sciences.