Department of History
Division of Social Sciences

Engaging in historical studies at Washington College is an excellent preparation for future careers. Our graduates have been successful in secondary school and college teaching, archival, curatorial, and museum work, law, journalism, and publishing. Many of our majors work in other areas traditionally attracting liberal arts graduates--business and government, for example.

Students may complete internships in a variety of settings, such as George Washington’s Mount Vernon, the Kent County Historical Society, the Maryland General Assembly, the Office of the Governor of Maryland, the Library of Congress, the National Portrait Gallery, and many others.

History students are eligible to prepare for secondary school teaching certification either in history or social studies. To ensure proper scheduling of courses, interested students should consult with the Chairs of the History and Human Development Departments as early in their college careers as possible.

Students who major in history may pursue a regional minor. These minors are administered through the International Studies Program, but students are not required to major in International Studies. See the Related Programs tab for the requirements for minors that may be of interest.

History Major Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
HIS 111	Introduction to History	4
HIS 201	History of the United States to 1865	4
or HIS 202	History of the United States Since 1865
Select 1 Course From Below		4
HIS 203	Modern World History I
HIS 204	Modern World History II
HIS 205	Early Origins of Western Civilization I
HIS 206	Early Origins of Western Civilization II
Select 7 Courses From Below (at least one from each the following sub-specialties):		28
Pre-1860 United States
HIS 313	17th and 18th Century America
HIS 315	The Early Republic
HIS 319	African - American History
HIS 343	History of American Women
HIS 414	Comparative Cultural Encounters
Post-1860 United States
HIS 319	African - American History
HIS 334	The American Civil War
HIS 335	Reconstruction and the Gilded Age
HIS 336	Progressivism and the Twenties
HIS 343	History of American Women
Early Europe
HIS 350	Empire and Papacy
HIS 351	Ancient Rome
HIS 352	Castles, Cloisters, Cathedrals, Mosques
HIS 354	Renaissance & Reformation
HIS 355	Women in Medieval Europe
Modern Europe
HIS 360	Modern Germany
HIS 391	Russia and the Soviet Union
HIS 392	Russia and the Soviet Union
Global
HIS 371	History of South Africa
HIS 381	History of Modern China
HIS 383	History of Modern Japan
HIS 357	Early Islamic Civilization
HIS 473	Latin American Literature as History
HIS Special Topics Courses may count toward the major requirements.
HIS 394	Special Topics
HIS 494	Special Topics
HIS 399	Historical Method (Junior Seminar)	4
HIS SCE	Senior Capstone Experience	2-4
Total Credits		46-48

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