History, B.A.

Degree Type
Bachelor of Arts

The B.A. in History provides an embracing perspective from which to study human lives and affairs. This program includes two tracks:

  • History Liberal Arts Track
    The History Liberal Arts Track is designed for majors with a general interest in the discipline of history and requires courses in Western, non-Western, global, and trans-regional history as well as a course in historiography and a Senior Seminar.
  • History Social Studies Track
    The History Social Studies Track is for majors who wish to teach Social Studies at the secondary level and requires substantial course work in history as well as in geography, political science, and economics.
Curriculum

Shown below are the curricula for both the liberal arts track and the social studies track of the B.A. in History.

Track I: History Liberal Arts

A. Liberal Education Curriculum

Refer to the Liberal Education Curriculum Bulletin for specific requirements.

B. Major Requirements 44 credits

[No more than 4 courses may be taken at the 2000 level.

1. European History: 4 credits (one course)

  • HI2681 Introduction to European History

2. American History: 4 credits (one course)

  • AS2112 American People I
  • AS2122 American People II

3. History of Africa, East Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, AND ENVIRONMENTS IN WORLD HISTORY: 4 credits (one course) from the following:

Africa
  • HI3091 African Cultures
  • HI3640 African History
East Asia
  • HI3080 Asian Cultures
  • HI4632 Japanese History
  • HI4900 Modern China [study abroad]
  • HI4905 Chinese Civilization
South Asia
  • HI3080 Asian Cultures
  • HI4800 History of India
  • PE4660 Politics of India & South Asia
Middle East
  • HI3835 Islamic Cultures
  • HI4306 Golden Age of Islam
  • HI4308 History of the Modern Middle East
Latin America
  • HI3110 Latin American Culture
  • HI3700 Historical Geography of Latin America
  • ML3430 Intro to the Pre-Columbian Culture
  • PE4690 Politics of Latin America & Caribbean
Environments in World History
  • HI 3005 ENVIR WRLD HIST II 1500-PRES

4. Geography: 4 credits (one course) from the following:

  • HI2810 Geography, Earth, and People
  • HI3600 Global Geography
  • HI3700 Historical Geography of Latin America [if not used for #3 Above]
  • HI4600 World Regional Geography

5. Global Perspective: 4 credits (one course) from the following:

  • HI4001 Nineteenth Century
  • HI4011 Twentieth Century
  • HI4700 Modern Global Environments

6. Trans-regional Connections: 4 credits (one course) from the following:

  • HI3610 America’s African Heritage
  • HI3840 Crescent and Cross
  • HI4650 History of African Enslavement;
  • HI4850 Domesticity 19th/20th centuries
  • HI4910 Chinese Diaspora Across the Pacific

7. Historiography: 4 credits (one course)

  • HI4062 Making History

8. History Electives: 12 credits (three courses)

In consultation with an advisor three courses from any of the above courses or from the additional list below:

European and/or World History
  • HI3002 Rise of Reason
  • HI3011 Foundations of the Judeo-Christian Tradition
  • HI3021 Europe in the Middle Ages
  • HI3030 From God to Machine
  • HI3102 Hispanic Heritage
  • HI3455 Modern European Revolutions
  • HI3558 Classical Greco-Roman History
  • HI3003 Environments in World History I Antiquity-1500
  • HI3005 Environments in World History II1500- Present
  • HI3458 Frontiers of Science and Technology in the 20th Century
  • HI3703 Modern Philosophy
  • HI4308 History in the Modern Middle East
  • HI4395 Philosophy from the 20th to the 21st Century
  • HI4415 Europe of the Dictators
  • HI4420 Women and Witchcraft
  • HI4557 Renaissance and Reformation Europe
American History
  • AS2262 African American History I
  • AS2263 African American History II
  • AS2640 U.S. Latina/o History
  • AS3222 Urban History
  • AS3402 Women, Work, and Careers
  • AS3412 African-American Women’s History
  • AS3462 History of Women in the U.S.
  • AS3640 History & Culture of Latinos in the US
  • AS4212 Early America
  • AS4215 Critical Ideas in American History
  • AS4218 Civil War and Reconstruction
  • AS4222 The Emergence of Modern America
  • AS4252 Immigration History
  • AS4253 Latino New York
  • AS4282 America in War and Peace, 1898 to 1975
  • AS4283 America between the World Wars
  • AS4285 Vietnam and After
  • AS4290 Youth in America: A History
  • AS4292 America Since World War II: 1945-1989
  • AS4402 History of the Family in the U.S.
  • AS4420 History of New York City and State
  • AS4432 History of the Women’s Movement

ONE of the following with permission of advisor:

  • AS5000 U.S. History in Global Perspectives
  • AS5212 Narrative and History
  • AS5312 History of U.S. Culture
  • AS5350 History of the Slave Narrative
  • AS5412 Protest and Change
  • AS5800 Research in American History and Culture

9. Senior Seminar 4 credits (one course)

  • HI5900 Senior Seminar

10. A Minimum of 4 out of the 11 Courses in the Major Must be Taken at the 4000 or 5000 level

When fulfilling the 11 courses required by the major, students must take a minimum of 4 courses at the 4000 or 5000 level. Students who do not take at least 4 courses at the 4000 or 5000 level when they fulfill major requirements will need to take additional 4000 or 5000 level history courses to meet this requirement.

C. General Electives

In consultation with Academic Advisor

D. Other Requirements

Candidates may not earn more than one grade below C- in the required courses for the degree, whether taken at Old Westbury or elsewhere.

TOTAL CREDITS REQUIRED           120

Track II: History Social Studies 

A. Liberal Education Curriculum

Refer to the Liberal Education Curriculum Bulletin for specific requirements.

B. Major Requirements: 64 credits

[No more than 8 courses may be taken at the 2000 level]

1. European History: 8 credits (two courses)

  • HI2681 Introduction to European History [required]

And one course from the following:

  • HI3002 Rise of Reason
  • HI3011 Foundations of the Judeo-Christian

Tradition

  • HI3021 Europe in the Middle Ages
  • HI3030 From God to Machine [if not used for Science/Tech requirement]
  • HI3102 Hispanic Heritage
  • HI3455 Modern European Revolutions
  • HI3558 Classical Greco-Roman History
  • HI4415 Europe of the Dictators
  • HI4420 Women and Witchcraft
  • HI4557 Renaissance and Reformation Europe

2. American History: 16 credits (four courses)

  • AS2112 American People I [required]
  • AS2122 American People II [required]

Two courses from the list below. (Or one required course and three electives with History/Philosophy advisor’s permission)

  • \AS2262 African American History I
  • AS2263 African American History II
  • AS2640 U.S. Latina/o History
  • AS3222 Urban History
  • AS3402 Women, Work, and Careers
  • AS3412 African-American Women’s History
  • AS3462 History of Women in the U.S.
  • AS4212 Early America
  • AS4215 Critical Ideas in American History
  • AS4218 Civil War and Reconstruction
  • AS4222 The Emergence of Modern America
  • AS4252 Immigration History
  • AS4253 Latino New York
  • AS4282 America in War & Peace: 1898 to 1975
  • AS4285 Vietnam and After
  • AS4290 Youth in America: A History
  • AS4292 America Since World War II: 1945-1989
  • AS4290 Youth in America: A History
  • AS4402 History of the Family in the U.S.
  • AS4420 History of New York City and State
  • AS4432 History of the Women’s Movement
  • HI3130 The Black Church In America

ONE of the following with permission of advisor:

  • AS5000 U.S. History in Global Perspectives
  • AS5212 Narrative and History
  • AS5312 History of U.S. Culture
  • AS5350 History of the Slave Narrative
  • AS5412 Protest and Change
  • AS5800 Research in American History and Culture
  • PE3850 State and Local Politics
  • PE4655 Constitutional Law and Politics

3. History of Africa, East Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America : 12 credits (three courses) chosen from THREE (3) of the following five world areas:

Africa
  • HI3091 African Cultures
  • HI3640 African History
East Asia
  • HI3080 Asian Cultures [may be used for only one world area]
  • HI3900 Modern China [study abroad]
  • HI4905 Chinese Civilization 
South Asia
  • HI3080 Asian Cultures [may be used for only one world area]
  • HI4800 History of India
  • PE4660 Politics of India and the Region
Middle East
  • HI3835 Islamic Cultures
  • HI4306 Golden Age of Islam
  • HI4308 History in the Modern Middle East
Latin America
  • HI3110 Latin American Culture
  • HI3700 Historical Geography of Latin America
  • ML3430 Intro to the Pre-Columbian Culture
  • PE4690 Politics of Latin America and the Caribbean

4. Global Perspective: 4 credits (one course) from the following:

  • HI4001 Nineteenth Century
  • HI4011 Twentieth Century
  • HI 4700 Modern Global Environments
  • AS5000 Topics in U.S. History in a Global Perspective
  • PE4580 Origins of the Capitalist Economy
  • PE4590 Global Economy in the 20th Century
5. Trans-regional Connections: OPTIONAL

Majors may opt to replace ONE American (#2), European (#1) or Non-Western (#3) elective with a trans-regional course as indicated below.

  • HI3610 America’s African Heritage (Am OR NW)
  • HI3840 Crescent and Cross (Eu OR NW)
  • HI4650 History of African Enslavement (Am OR NW)
  • HI4850 Domesticity 19th/20th centuries (Eu OR NW)
  • HI4910 Chinese Diaspora (Am OR NW)

6. Science, Technology, and Society: 4 credits (one course)

  • CP2050 Nature & Development of Science
  • HI2200 Science in Western Civilization
  • HI3030 From God to Machine [if not used for European history elective]

7. Geography: 4 credits (one course) from the following:

  • HI2810 Geography, Earth, and People
  • HI3600 Global Geography
  • HI4600 World Regional Geography
  • HI3458 Frontiers of Science and Technology in the 20th Century

8. U. S. Politics: 4 credits (one course)

  • PE2650 Intro to U.S. Politics

9. Economics: 8 credits (two courses) from the following:

  • PE2400 Intro to Political Economy
  • PE2420 Microeconomics
  • PE2430 Macroeconomics

10. Social Studies Senior Seminar 4 credits (one course)

  • HI5000 Social Studies Senior Seminar

11. A Minimum of 4 out of the 16 Courses in the Major Must be Taken at the 4000 or 5000 level

A minimum of 4 courses out of the 16 courses required for the major must be taken at the 4000 or 5000 level. Students who do not take at least 4 courses at the 4000 or 5000 level when they fulfill major requirements will need to take additional 4000 or 5000 level history courses to meet this requirement.

C. General Electives

In consultation with Academic Advisor

D. Other Requirements

Candidates may not earn more than one grade below C- in the required courses for the degree, whether taken at Old Westbury or elsewhere.

TOTAL CREDITS REQUIRED 120