History
BA

Expand your knowledge of the past while creating opportunities for your future.

As a history major, you'll be able to pursue studies in United States, European, Russian, Latin American, African, and Asian history. You'll gain an understanding of the major themes of history and explore the methods of historical study. You can concentrate on topics of your own choosing, and select courses that reflect our faculty's interest in areas as diverse as maritime history, the Middle East, military history, race relations, and terrorism.

The analytical and communications skills you'll develop as a history major can prepare you for a career in civil service, education, foreign service and intelligence, journalism, law, museum work, politics and advocacy, public policy, or public relations. A degree in history can also lead to graduate work in a variety of fields and serve as a sound foundation for law school.

UMassD offers teacher preparation for students who are interested in teaching history at the middle or high school level. You will take graduate-level courses during your final year of course work. These courses help prepare you to take and pass the MTELs and begin teaching after earning your bachelor's degree. After graduation, you can continue your work toward earning your master's degree in teaching by taking 5 more courses. Learn more about teacher preparation

As a broadly based liberal arts degree, the major emphasizes the development of critical thinking and communication skills as well as the acquisition of historical perspective.

Our curriculum will help you understand why the world is the way it is, and how you might decide to take action in the world. You will learn how to:

identify chronological and geographical patterns and problems of the past
create coherent and persuasive arguments in written and oral forms
conduct research and interpret historical data

Degree requirements

All history majors will be required to take 36 credits in history as indicated in the requirements below. Freshmen will normally not take courses above the 100 or 200 level. It is expected that each history major will consult regularly with his or her advisor in formulating a program of study that will help to fulfill his or her educational and career goals.

Select one group from the following:

HST 101 - History of Western Civilization I
HST 102 - History of Western Civilization II

HST 103 - World History I 3
HST 104 - World History II 3
HST 201 - Critical Skills for the History Major

Additional Requirements

27 credit-hours of history courses, to be divided in the following manner:

6 credits U.S. History - (above the 100 level)
6 credits in European History - (above the 100 level)
6 credits in "other" history - (e.g., Latin America, Asia,Near East, Africa, Ancient)
3 credits in a history seminar
6 credits of history electives

Follow your interests and expand your career options by minoring in history. You'll develop the analytical and communications skills today's employers are seeking for a variety of positions.

Any degree candidate who has at least 54 credits with a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 and at least 2.5 grade point average in his or her major may request admission to the minor in history. This request must be approved by the Department Chairperson. A student who maintains a 2.0 average in his/her history courses (for the minor) will have the successful completion of a minor in history noted on his or her transcript.

Requirements

a total of 18 credits in history
HST 201 Critical Skills for History Majors required
no more than 6 credits at the 100 level
at least 9 credits of 300-400 level courses
three credits in a seminar in History: either HST 401,402 or 403

Enrollment in the 3+3 joint degree program with UMass Law offers an accelerated pathway to an undergraduate and law degree, enabling qualifying students to substitute the first year of law school for the final year of their undergraduate program, thereby earning both a bachelor’s degree from UMass Dartmouth and a Juris Doctor from UMass Law in six rather than seven years.

Enrollment in the 4+1 Teacher Preparation program allows undergraduate students to begin the education coursework towards a master’s degree in teaching (MAT) as early as the sophomore year. Half of the degree is completed as an undergraduate, reducing the time and costs of earning a graduate degree.

Student success

Senior history major Henrique Melo '23 pictured in the Claire T. Carney Library.

Henrique Melo '23: Keys to success

Senior history major finds his stride with help of College Now program.

Graduate School Placements

American International College
Bentley College
Brown University
Eastern Nazarene College
Endicott College
Harvard University
Lasell College

Career placements

American Red Cross
Army National Guard
Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center
Community Connections Inc.
Dartmouth Public Schools
Department of Homeland Security
Language Link Russia (Russia)
Massachusetts Department of Higher Education
Massachusetts General Hospital
United States Department of Labor

UMassD advantages

Internships: gain valuable experience working at area museums and historical societies
Community: join organizations such as our chapter of the International History Honor Society and the History Club

Expand your opportunities

3+3 Law degree: UMass Law’s accelerated program allows you to receive both an undergraduate degree and a law degree in 6 rather than 7 years. In your fourth year, you would matriculate at UMass Law as a first-year law student.