History, BA

Graduates with a BA in history have several options including entry-level positions in history- related fields, graduate study in history, and solid liberal arts preparation for a variety of public service, business, writing, and education careers. The study of history has traditionally provided a strong background for graduates who go on to law school. Yet history degrees are versatile, viable, and valuable. Among the top skills that today’s employers want are written and oral communication, solving problems, analyzing data, and obtaining and processing information. History majors develop those desirable skills.

History majors at Clayton State have an experience unique in the nation because no other institution of higher learning has a state archives and a regional national archives located immediately adjacent to campus. Clayton State students will have the opportunity to conduct research in these facilities, and internships in either facility are possible.

Graduates of this program will be able to:

  1. Discuss historical findings in clear and coherent presentations.
  2. Perform historical research using primary and secondary sources in libraries, archive, and other repositories of historical events.
  3. Identify and evaluate conflicting historical interpretations of events and personalities
  4. Write in a clear, analytical and organized manner, demonstrating appropriate professional documentation methods.
  5. Identify and critically evaluate primary and secondary historical sources.
  6. Identify and describe basic chronologies of US and world history.

Program Requirements

Core IMPACTS42
All core curriculum recommendations are shown under the Core IMPACTS section of the Undergraduate Graduation Requirements.
Field of Study - History18
World Language Option
Students contemplating advanced study in the field of history or international travel are strongly encouraged to study a language other than English.0-6
Lower Division Major Requirements
Choose 12 hours from the following: 112
Survey-PreModern World History
Survey of Modern World History
Survey of US History to 1877
US History Since Reconstruction
Historical Methods
Critical Trends and Issues
Lower Division Major Electives
Choose from the following:0-6
Introduction to African American Studies
Principles of Macroeconomics
Principles of Microeconomics
Elementary Statistics
Introduction to Philosophy
Ethics, History, and Contemporary Perpsectives
Introduction to Aesthetics
Intro to Political Science
Intro to Global Issues
Intro to Human Development
Introduction to Sociology
Modern Families
Upper Division Major Requirements9
HIST 3001Historiography3
HIST 3110Georgia History and Government3
HIST 4850Senior Thesis in History3
Required Upper Division United States History Core12
Select 4 courses from the following:
Intro to Public History
Establishment-US 1607-1800
The Age of Jefferson & Jackson
The Civil War Era
The Reconstruction Era
US-Gilded Age & Prog. Era
Themes-Twentieth Cen. US Hist.
U.S. History, 1914-1945
Modern America, 1945-present
History through Film
Business & Economic History
Family History & Genealogical Resources
U.S. Military History
U.S. Historical Geography
Women's History
Environmental History
History of the Old South
History of the New South
African American Hist. to 1877
African Am. Hist. since 1877
Introduction to Museums
Intro- Historical Preservation
Selected Topics in History
Independent Study-History
History Internship
Archival Internship II
History Practicum
Required Upper Division World History Core12
Choose 4 courses from the following:
Twentieth Century World
Colonial Latin America
Modern Latin America
Caribbean History
History of Mexico
History of Sub Sahara Africa
Spec. Topics in Hist-Mid. East
History through Film (relevant topics)
Pre-Modern East Asian History
Modern East Asian History
Pre-Modern South Asia History
Modern South Asian History
Pre-Modern Russian History
Modern Russian History
History of Middle East to 1800
History of Middle East-1800
World Historical Geography
Ancient Greece and Rome
History of the Middle Ages
Early Modern Europe
Europe Since 1815
History of World Religions
Selected Topics in History
Independent Study-History
History Internship
Archival Internship II
General History Concentration or Minor15-21
History majors must select the General History Concentration or choose an approved minor in another discipline.
Choose 5-7 additional Upper Division (3000-4000 level) HIST courses.
Upper-Division Free Electives3-12
Choose 3-12 hours of 3000-level or above courses from any course prefix
Free Elective0-3
Choose any course numbered 1000 or higher (except PHED, WLAB, or courses identified in the catalog as career or institutional credit courses).
Total Credit Hours120
1

Grades of C or better are required for all lower division HIST courses.

Please Note: This is a suggested course sequence and assumes a starting freshman with no prior college credit who intends to complete their degree in four years. Students should consult with their academic advisor and review the course prerequisites and minimum grade requirements as seen in the Academic Catalog. 

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
First SemesterCredit Hours
ENGL 1101 English Composition I Core Area A1 3
MATH 1101 Intro to Mathematical Modeling Core Area A2 3
CRIT 1101 Critical Thinking Core Area B1 3
POLS 1101 American Government Core Area E1 3
HIST 1111 Survey-PreModern World History Core Area E2 3
CSU 1000 First Year Seminar 1 0-1
 Credit Hours15-16
Second Semester
ENGL 1102 English Composition II Core Area A1 3
HIST 1112 Survey of Modern World History 3
Communication or Foreign Language Core Area B2 2
HIST 2111 Survey of US History to 1877 Core Area E3 3
AFAM 2010
Intro-African American Studies Core Area E4
or Survey of Economics
or Principles of Macroeconomics
or Principles of Microeconomics
or Intro to General Psychology
or Introduction to Sociology
or Intro to Women's Studies
3
 Credit Hours14
Second Year
First Semester
HIST 2112 US HIST Since Reconstruction 3
AFAM 2010
Intro-African American Studies
or Principles of Macroeconomics
or Principles of Microeconomics
or Elementary Statistics
or Introduction to Philosophy
or Ethics/History/Cntmpry Persp
or Intro to Aesthetics
or Intro to Political Science
or Intro to Global Issues
or Intro to Human Development
or Introduction to Sociology
or Modern Families
3
HIST 2750 Critical Trends and Issues 3
Science Course with Lab Core Area D1 4
Math, Science, or Technology Course Core Area D2 3
 Credit Hours16
Second Semester
HIST 3110 Georgia History and Government 3
Science Course without Lab Core Area D1 3
AFAM 2010
Intro-African American Studies
or Principles of Macroeconomics
or Principles of Microeconomics
or Elementary Statistics
or Introduction to Philosophy
or Ethics/History/Cntmpry Persp
or Intro to Aesthetics
or Intro to Political Science
or Intro to Global Issues
or Intro to Human Development
or Introduction to Sociology
or Modern Families
3
Fine Arts or Intermediate Foreign Language Core Area C2 3
Literature, Philosophy, or Foreign Language Core Area C1 3
 Credit Hours15
Third Year
First Semester
HIST 2500 Historical Methods 2 3
World History Elective (3000/4000 HIST Course) 3
US History Elective (3000/4000 HIST Course) 3
Minor or HIST Elective (3000/4000 Course) 3
Minor or HIST Elective (3000/4000 Course) 3
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
HIST 3001 Historiography 2 3
World History Elective (3000/4000 HIST Course) 3
US History Elective (3000/4000 HIST Course) 3
Minor or HIST Elective (3000/4000 Course) 3
Minor or HIST Elective (3000/4000 Course) 3
 Credit Hours15
Fourth Year
First Semester
HIST 4850 Senior Thesis in History 2 3
World History Elective (3000/4000 HIST Course) 3
US History Elective (3000/4000 HIST Course) 3
Minor or HIST Elective (3000/4000 Course) 3
Minor or HIST Elective (3000/4000 Course) 3
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
History Elective 3
World History Elective (3000/4000 HIST Course) 3
US History Elective (3000/4000 HIST Course) 3
Free Elective 3
Related Elective (3000/4000 Course) 3
 Credit Hours15
 Total Credit Hours120-121
1

First-time traditional students enrolling in 9 or more semester hours are required to enroll in CSU 1000 First Year Seminar

 
2

HIST 2500, HIST 3001, and HIST 4850 are designed to be taken in a three-semester sequence.

Grades of "C" or above are required in ALL history courses used in Areas A-F of the history major. No more than two grades of "D" in upper division courses are allowed in the history major. 1000 or 2000 level courses used in upper division are included in this restriction.