University Catalog

Overview

The study of history explores the basic forces that have shaped human affairs and is therefore a means for dealing with present concerns and future problems. An appreciation of our heritage develops a sense of our identity. Historical inquiry also provides the necessary background for the study of other disciplines such as economics, literature, art, language, and the social as well as natural sciences.

Students of history develop important critical skills that are the hallmark of educated people: the ability to reason and analyze; the capacity to investigate problems and synthesize diverse information; facility in expressing ideas or data clearly and precisely. The History Department encourages an open and questioning attitude toward the diversity of human experiences and ideas. An awareness of cultural differences between various groups of people will provide insights concerning the basic issues of world civilization. Students of history are encouraged to read analytically, speak cogently, and write coherently.

Both the curriculum and the methodology of the History Department are multifaceted. The History Department, therefore, requires that students take courses in both chronological and topical areas in United States and world history. The history faculty specializes in such diverse methodologies as quantitative analysis and social and political history, as well as the more traditional biographical and narrative approaches. Thus students are exposed to the many ways of studying the past and the present.

A degree in history prepares students for a variety of careers, including teaching, archival administration, business, journalism and communications, historical preservation, law, and public affairs. More importantly, by providing insight into the causes and effects of change in society, a knowledge of history prepares every individual for life in a complex world.

Admission to Department of History Degree Programs

There are no special requirements that prospective majors in the Department of History must fulfill beyond entering with a minimum 2.25 GPA. In order to graduate students must have a 2.0 GPA overall and in history courses. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the core requirement before enrolling in upper level history courses.

Requirements for a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History

 It is strongly recommended that history majors complete the core requirements before enrolling in upper level history courses.

Note: Please see undergraduate advisor for up-to-date information on degree totals.

All history majors will design an appropriate course of upper level study in history in consultation with their advisor .

Bachelor of Arts Degree in History
(Pre-Law Option)

Note: It is strongly recommended that history majors complete the core requirement before enrolling in upper level history courses.

Note: Please see undergraduate advisor for up-to-date information on degree totals.

Teacher Certification

Students interested in Texas Teacher Certification at the elementary level should consult the College of Education and Health Professions section of this catalog for the most recent changes in requirements regarding admission to Teacher Education, completion of University programs in preparation for certification, and eligibility for certification after graduation. Students interested in secondary certification in social studies, including history, should see the History with Social Studies BA secondary certification plan below.

Bachelor of Arts Degree in History with Secondary Level Teacher Certification for Social Studies

Note: Please see undergraduate advisor for up-to-date information on degree totals.

Bachelor of Arts Degree in History with Secondary Level Teacher Certification for History

Note: Please see undergraduate advisor for up-to-date information on degree totals.

Oral Communication Competency

Students majoring in History demonstrate competency in oral communication by successfully completing HIST 3300 INTRODUCTION TO HISTORICAL RESEARCH. The department advisor must certify completion of this requirement.

Computer Use Competency

Students majoring in History demonstrate competency in computer use by successfully completing the sophomore level of a Foreign Language course when taken at UT Arlington. If you satisfy your language requirement otherwise, consult the advisor for ways to satisfy this computer competency requirement. The department advisor must certify completion of this requirement.

Minor in History

18 hours of history courses, at least six of which must be 3000/4000 level classes

Minor in Military History

The Minor in Military History provides students an opportunity to undertake focused study of the origins, development, and influence of armed conflict in the human past. Students fulfill the program’s requirement by completing courses examining historical conflicts and/or military eras. Special Topics courses devoted to military subjects may be counted toward the Minor.

Minor in Disability Studies

The interdisciplinary field of disability studies explores the experiences of people with disabilities—one of the largest minorities in the United States and worldwide—as well as the ways in which conceptions and representations of disability and “the normal” have shaped human experiences more generally.  Treating disability as a crucial element of human diversity, the Minor in Disability Studies approaches disability as a social, cultural, and political construct rather than just a medical condition (as it is commonly viewed). Taught by faculty from the Colleges of Liberal Arts, Education and Health Professions, Architecture, Business, and Social Work, this flexible and multidisciplinary minor prepares students for a variety of graduate programs and for careers in law, education, public health, nursing, architecture, urban planning, and social work.

Students seeking to minor in Disability Studies should first consult with advisors in their major departments or programs for approval, then meet with the Director of the Minor in Disability Studies. A minor in Disability Studies consists of 18 hours, including two required courses:  a core course on History of Disability (HIST 3307) and the Disability Studies Internship (DS 4395).  Students must take at least 6 hours of other courses in Group A: Disability Studies and may take up to 6 hours of approved electives (Group B).  No more than 12 hours may be completed in a single discipline.

History of Disability (HIST 3307) should be taken as early as possible; this course introduces students to disability studies and the histories of ideas about disability, the lives of people with disabilities, and disability policy.  The Disability Studies Internship (DS 4395) is a supervised internship through which students apply the academic skills they have acquired in Disability Studies courses to work in a related business, academic, or non-profit environment.  Students should complete DS 4395 as one of their last courses for the minor.  In rare cases and with the director’s permission, students may be allowed to substitute another course for DS 4395. 

Some of the following courses change focus from term to term and may therefore not be relevant to the minor during a particular semester.  Credit will only be given when the topic of the course (or a substantial portion) focuses on issues related to disability. Other relevant courses not listed below may also be used to fulfill the minor, with the approval of the Director of the Minor in Disability Studies.  For that reason, it is important that students consult with the advisor for the minor before registering each semester.  Students should consult the catalog and/or the appropriate department for course prerequisites.

Minor in Southwestern Studies

The Southwestern Studies minor fosters an interdisciplinary examination of an historically and culturally significant region-the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The program offers opportunities for students to explore important topics in a regional context, including multicultural diversity, economic development, political and social change, art and literature, environment, cultural and historical geography, historical cartography, and architectural and urban history. The minor is supported by faculty from seven departments and is sponsored by the University's Center for Greater Southwestern Studies and the History of Cartography, which promotes the use of the UT Arlington Special Collections and the Minority Cultures Collection in the Central Library.

With the permission of their departmental advisor, students enroll in 18 hours selected primarily from the courses listed below. These hours must be distributed among at least three different departments.

Some of the following courses change content from offering to offering and might not be relevant to the minor during a particular year. In addition, special topics courses and/or courses taught outside the College of Liberal Arts may also be used to fulfill the Southwestern Studies minor with the permission of the Director of Southwestern Studies. For these reasons it is important that students consult with the Southwestern Studies faculty advisor before registering each semester.

Minor in Medieval and Early Modern Studies

The medieval and early modern world saw major social and cultural changes—the rise of the middle class, the development of the individual, the emergence of the nation state, and the consolidation of many modern languages. The Medieval and Early Modern Studies minor fosters interdepartmental study of these periods, encouraging students to explore and connect topics in language, literature, history, art, and philosophy. The minor in Medieval and Early Modern Studies comprises courses taught by members of various departments in the College of Liberal Arts.

Students seeking to minor in Medieval and Early Modern Studies should first consult with advisors in their departments or programs for approval of the minor, then with the Director of the Minor in Medieval and Early Modern Studies. A minor in Medieval and Early Modern Studies consists of 6 courses (18 hours total) selected from the courses listed below, with no more than 9 hours to be completed within any single discipline. In addition, other relevant topics courses not listed below may be used to fulfill the minor, with the approval of the director of the Minor in Medieval and Early Modern Studies. Students should consult the catalog and/or the appropriate department for prerequisites.

Geography Minor

18 hours, at least six advanced.

Geography is the study of humanity’s interaction with the physical environment. Geographic conditions have had significant effects on history as interrelationships between place and human activities have changed over time. The study of geographic spatial relationships has a major role in general education because it offers both theoretical and practical foundations for understanding contemporary problems, particularly those related to environmentalism, modernization, and technological progress.