Undergraduate Studies
In an ever-changing world, understanding our history becomes all the more necessary. It brings us a sense of the complexity and contingency of events. It provides us with rich and diverse perspectives. It informs us about the prevalence of unintended consequences. The history major provides our students with strong critical skills which are valuable to informed citizenship and for a variety of careers.
The History Department is a diverse group of scholars covering many areas of specialization. We pride ourselves on outstanding teaching. We offer small classes that allow a great deal of individual attention. In addition, our faculty advisors offer close contact and personal attention to each student. The history major is a place to get a "small college" education in a big state university.
Degree Programs
Our degree requirements offer a great deal of student choice in courses and electives, allowing the pursuit of either a broad educational experience or a focused, thematic study. To all our majors, we offer small classes, and special 15-person seminars as both an introduction to history and as a senior capstone experience. Your advisor can help you explore how you might build a thematic interest into your course selection.
The History B.A. offers students choice and flexibility. It combines the study of history with a broad general education and lets students choose from a wide range of history courses. There is also great opportunity in the B.A. curriculum for electives, which makes it easy to complete one of the 136 minors at NC State.
Designed for pre-law students to add depth to their major by providing a focused historical study of the history of the law and the legal profession.
History majors have a strong record of successful admission to law school. Within the major, the Legal History concentration provides a specialized focus embedded within the major’s strengths in analysis of texts, critical thinking, factual analysis, and historical perspective. The concentration in Legal History includes the analysis of the historical context of developments in law and legal practice, analysis of the historical causes and consequences of major legal cases, and historical interpretation of the nature of the legal system in diverse society and historical moments. The concentration offers students a choice of mid-level and advanced History courses treating the political, economic, and sociocultural history of legal systems.
Program DetailsYou don't need to CODA to change if you're a History BA -- please contact Dr. Kimler. Non-majors will use CODA to change or add the degree plan in Fall 2024. For the time being, apply to the History BA and we will move new interested students into the Concentration once accepted.
Ideal for future teachers, this track combines the History B.A. track with several specific history and social science courses required for high school teachers. It also provides individual guidance to help students get a head start on their fifth year degree – the M.A. in Teaching.
The B.S. degree is for students seeking to coordinate the study of history with a concentrated study in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM). It is the optimal path of study for students completing a minor, or a second major, in a STEM subject.
History Honors students work with an individual faculty mentor to research and write a research Thesis in the junior and senior years.
For those exceptional students looking to begin graduate studies in their senior year, this option provides an opportunity for accelerated study. Its focus is on individual guidance to help high-achieving students shorten the timeline on the path to their M.A. degree.
Minoring allows students in other disciplines to add depth to their major by granting a larger historical understanding. Requirements are flexible to allow individual focus.
Transfer Students
Many of our majors are transfer students, from other universities and community colleges. Our advisors will work with you on credit equivalencies and requirements. In the History major, 18 credit hours (6 courses) of History must be completed at NC State. At least 12 of those hours must be at the 400-level and must include one HI 491 seminar.
1 in 5 NC State grads entered as a transfer student
Honors in History
Honors
The History Honors Program provides a small number of highly qualified and motivated history majors with intellectual enrichment, rigorous training, and recognition for unusual achievement, leading to graduation from NC State with Honors in History.
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