History - BA, BS

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

About This Degree

The History Department has been recognized by the American Historical Association as one of 12 outstanding history departments in the United States and Canada, selected for its "brilliant teaching and leadership."

The department’s strongest areas include the modern American West, classics, early modern Europe, and the Atlantic World.

What You Will Learn

USU history majors have the opportunity to work in depth on undergraduate research projects. Students learn how to conduct and present their research all while taking advantage of faculty mentoring, study abroad opportunities, and more. Students learn the skills needed to research, analyze, think critically, and communicate clearly – all of which are highly valued skills in various career paths. About one-third of history graduates from USU go on to teaching, while two-thirds go into law, medicine, or business fields.

The preferred degree in the history program is the BA, which requires proficiency in a foreign language. Students may, however, choose to pursue the degree, which requires a significant amount of coursework in the College of Science.

Emphasis:

History Teaching:

This emphasis is for students interested in teaching, particularly in secondary education. Students will complete history courses and will also be required to take a number of classes that will prepare them to be educators.

Education Component

This is for the history teaching emphasis only. In order to obtain a secondary teaching license for grades 6-12, students must complete the 35-credit Secondary Teacher Education Program (STEP), which includes one semester of student teaching in a public school. This program is administered by USU’s School of Teacher Education and Leadership (TEAL) within the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services. Student must apply to the School of TEAL the semester before taking STEP courses. This is usually the fall of their junior year. Students learn subject content through the History Department, and spend the last year or two studying education techniques through the STEP program.

Students in the history teaching program are required to select an approved teaching minor in order to expand their career options.

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At a Glance

College: College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department: History Department

USU Locations:

Program Requirements

Career And Outcomes

Career Opportunities

The department’s program develops expertise in the discipline of history as well as broader skills in the liberal arts. In other words, the curriculum not only provides specialized academic training but also prepare students to work in a variety of fields. Historical study develops one’s ability to investigate problems, identify reliable sources, analyze information, contextualize complex questions, and communicate conclusions in a clear and thoughtful manner.

The training and skills students develop with a history degree open doors to a range of careers in fields, such as:

  • Preservation and historical education (researcher, cultural resources management and historic preservation, national park service)
  • Communicator (writer and editor, journalist, documentary editor, producer of multimedia material)
  • Information manager (archivist, records manager, librarian, military intelligence, foreign service)
  • Advocate (lawyer and paralegal, litigation support, legislative staff work)
  • Businesses and associations (corporate historian, contract historian, historian in nonprofit association)

History Teaching Emphasis

  • History teacher in middle school or high school

Job Outlook

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Advising

We will build on your goals and experiences while working together to design an individualized semester-by-semester plan. Your personalized plan will help you see a path from where you are now on to graduation. Even if you are unsure of the major you would like to pursue, we can help with resources and ideas.

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USU Locations

LOGAN CAMPUS

STATEWIDE CAMPUSES*

USU ONLINE**

*This degree is available at various USU locations.

The History Teaching Emphasis is not offered at the Salt Lake location.

**This degree is 100% available online. USU is a SARA-approved institution offering fully online programs nationwide; please visit USU's state authorizations for details.

Admission

Admission Requirements

In addition to Utah State University's admissions requirements, the history program has additional requirements:

  • Freshmen: New freshmen admitted to USU in good standing qualify for admission to the Department of History as pre-majors.
  • Transfer Students: Students transferring from other institutions or from other USU majors may be accepted as a pre-major in history. They must also have a GPA of 2.5 or higher.
  • To be a history major, students must complete at least 15 credits with an overall GPA of 2.5 and complete certain pre-major courses.

STEP Requirements (history teaching emphasis only): In order to be accepted into STEP, students must go through an application process, which includes the following:

  • Complete 60 semester credits with a minimum GPA of 3.00 Provide passing scores for: ACT COMP 21, ACT ENGL 20, and ACT MATH 19
  • Complete certain core courses (see department for more information)
  • Complete a speech and hearing test
  • Pass the Teacher Education Writing Exam
  • Provide an unofficial copy of  your transcript
  • Pass a criminal background check (this should be done one semester before submitting the application)

In addition to Utah State University's admissions requirements, the history program has additional requirements:

  • Freshmen: New freshmen admitted to USU in good standing qualify for admission to the Department of History as pre-majors.
  • Transfer Students: Students transferring from other institutions or from other USU majors may be accepted as a pre-major in history teaching. They must also have a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
  • To be a history major with teaching emphasis, students must complete at least 15 credits with an overall GPA of 3.0 and complete certain pre-major courses.

International students have additional admissions requirements.

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