3211 Mosse Humanities Building, 455 North Park Street, Madison, WI 53706; 608-263-1800; history.wisc.edu
To study history is to study change: historians are experts in examining and interpreting human identities and transformations of societies and civilizations over time. They use a range of methods and analytical tools to answer questions about the past and to reconstruct the diversity of human experience: how profoundly people have differed in their ideas, institutions, and cultural practices; how widely their experiences have varied by time and place, and the ways they have struggled while inhabiting a shared world. Historians use a wide range of sources to weave individual lives and collective actions into narratives that bring critical perspectives on both our past and our present. Studying history helps us understand and grapple with complex questions and dilemmas by examining how the past has shaped (and continues to shape) global, national, and local relationships between societies and people.
Students interested in declaring a history major should meet with an advisor in the history department. Information about advising and declaring the major is available on the undergraduate section of the department website. There are no prerequisites for declaring the history major, and students are encouraged to declare as soon as they feel comfortable doing so.
University General Education Requirements
All undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison are required to fulfill a minimum set of common university general education requirements to ensure that every graduate acquires the essential core of an undergraduate education. This core establishes a foundation for living a productive life, being a citizen of the world, appreciating aesthetic values, and engaging in lifelong learning in a continually changing world. Various schools and colleges will have requirements in addition to the requirements listed below. Consult your advisor for assistance, as needed. For additional information, see the university Undergraduate General Education Requirements section of the Guide.
| General Education |
* The mortarboard symbol appears before the title of any course that fulfills one of the Communication Part A or Part B, Ethnic Studies, or Quantitative Reasoning Part A or Part B requirements. |
College of Letters & Science Breadth and Degree Requirements: Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
Students pursuing a bachelor of science degree in the College of Letters & Science must complete all of the requirements below. The College of Letters & Science allows this major to be paired with either a bachelor of arts or a bachelor of science curriculum. View a comparison of the degree requirements here.
Bachelor of Science DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
| Mathematics | Two (2) 3+ credits of intermediate/advanced level MATH, COMP SCI, STAT Limit one each: COMP SCI, STAT |
| Foreign Language | Complete the third unit of a foreign language Note: A unit is one year of high school work or one semester/term of college work. |
| L&S Breadth |
|
| Liberal Arts and Science Coursework | 108 credits |
| Depth of Intermediate/Advanced work | 60 intermediate or advanced credits |
| Major | Declare and complete at least one (1) major |
| Total Credits | 120 credits |
| UW-Madison Experience | 30 credits in residence, overall 30 credits in residence after the 90th credit |
| Minimum GPAs | 2.000 in all coursework at UW–Madison 2.000 in intermediate/advanced coursework at UW–Madison |
Non–L&S Students PURSUING AN L&S MAJOR
Non–L&S students who have permission from their school/college to pursue an additional major within L&S only need to fulfill the major requirements and do not need to complete the L&S breadth and degree requirements above. Please note that the following special degree programs are not considered majors so are not available to non-L&S-degree-seeking candidates:
- Applied Mathematics, Engineering and Physics (Bachelor of Science–Applied Mathematics, Engineering and Physics)
- Journalism (Bachelor of Arts–Journalism; Bachelor of Science–Journalism)
- Music (Bachelor of Music)
- Social Work (Bachelor of Social Work)
REQUIREMENTS OF THE MAJOR
Students may use courses from History and History of Science to meet the requirements of the History major. A minimum of 30 credits in the major is required, including:
CHRONOLOGICAL BREADTH:
History majors must complete at least one course that deals with the history of Europe and/or the Mediterranean before C.E. 1500 or with the history of Africa or Asia before these areas fell heavily under European influence.
CHRONOLOGICAL BREADTH COURSES
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HISTORY/CLASSICS 110 | The Ancient Mediterranean | 4 |
| HISTORY/MEDIEVAL/RELIG ST 112 | The World of Late Antiquity (200-900 C.E.) | 4 |
| HISTORY 115 | Medieval Europe 410-1500 | 4 |
| HISTORY 123 | English History: England to 1688 | 3-4 |
| HIST SCI 201 | The Origins of Scientific Thought | 3 |
| HISTORY/RELIG ST 205 | The Making of the Islamic World: The Middle East, 500-1500 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/RELIG ST 208 | Western Intellectual and Religious History to 1500 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/RELIG ST 230 | Judaism, Christianity, and Islam: Braided Histories | 3 |
| HISTORY 303 | A History of Greek Civilization | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 307 | A History of Rome | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN/RELIG ST 308 | Introduction to Buddhism | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/MEDIEVAL/RELIG ST 309 | The Crusades: Christianity and Islam | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/MEDIEVAL 313 | Introduction to Byzantine History and Civilization | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/MEDIEVAL/RELIG ST 318 | Medieval Social and Intellectual History, 1200-1450 | 3-4 |
| HIST SCI/MEDIEVAL 322 | Ancient and Medieval Science | 3 |
| HISTORY 333 | The Renaissance | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN/E A STDS 337 | Social and Intellectual History of China, 589 AD-1919 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ENGL/RELIG ST 360 | The Anglo-Saxons | 3 |
| HISTORY/RELIG ST 379 | Islam in Iran | 3 |
| HISTORY/LEGAL ST 426 | The History of Punishment | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/RELIG ST 439 | Islamic History From the Origin of Islam to the Ottoman Empire | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN/E A STDS 454 | Samurai: History and Image | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 457 | History of Southeast Asia to 1800 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/LEGAL ST 459 | Rule of Law: Philosophical and Historical Models | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/LEGAL ST 476 | Medieval Law and Society | 3 |
| HISTORY/HIST SCI/MED HIST 507 | Health, Disease and Healing I | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/CLASSICS/RELIG ST 517 | Religions of the Ancient Mediterranean | 3 |
| HISTORY/CLASSICS/FRENCH/ITALIAN/MEDIEVAL 550 | Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies in Medieval Civilization | 3 |
| HISTORY/CLASSICS/HIST SCI/MED HIST/S&A PHM 561 | Greek and Roman Medicine and Pharmacy | 3 |
| HISTORY/HIST SCI/MED HIST/MEDIEVAL/S&A PHM 562 | Byzantine Medicine and Pharmacy | 3 |
GEOGRAPHIC BREADTH:
At minimum, history majors must complete one course from four of the eight geographic breadth categories.
GEOGRAPHIC BREADTH: EUROPEAN HISTORY COURSES
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HISTORY/CLASSICS 110 | The Ancient Mediterranean | 4 |
| HISTORY 115 | Medieval Europe 410-1500 | 4 |
| HISTORY 119 | Europe and the World, 1400-1815 | 4 |
| HISTORY 120 | Europe and the Modern World 1815 to the Present | 4 |
| HISTORY 123 | English History: England to 1688 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 124 | British History: 1688 to the Present | 4 |
| HIST SCI 201 | The Origins of Scientific Thought | 3 |
| HISTORY/RELIG ST 208 | Western Intellectual and Religious History to 1500 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/RELIG ST 209 | Western Intellectual and Religious History since 1500 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/RELIG ST 212 | The History of Western Christianity to 1750 | 4 |
| HISTORY/JEWISH 220 | Introduction to Modern Jewish History | 4 |
| HISTORY 223 | Explorations in European History (H) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 224 | Explorations in European History (S) | 3 |
| HISTORY/GEOG/POLI SCI/SLAVIC 253 | Russia: An Interdisciplinary Survey | 4 |
| HISTORY/GEOG/POLI SCI/SLAVIC 254 | Eastern Europe: An Interdisciplinary Survey | 4 |
| HISTORY 270 | Eastern Europe since 1900 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 271 | History Study Abroad: European History | 1-4 |
| HISTORY 303 | A History of Greek Civilization | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 307 | A History of Rome | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/MEDIEVAL/RELIG ST 309 | The Crusades: Christianity and Islam | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/MEDIEVAL 313 | Introduction to Byzantine History and Civilization | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/MEDIEVAL/RELIG ST 318 | Medieval Social and Intellectual History, 1200-1450 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 320 | Early Modern France, 1500-1715 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/HIST SCI 323 | The Scientific Revolution: From Copernicus to Newton | 3 |
| HISTORY/HIST SCI 324 | Science in the Enlightenment | 3 |
| HISTORY/ENVIR ST 328 | Environmental History of Europe | 3 |
| HISTORY 333 | The Renaissance | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/RELIG ST 334 | The Reformation | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 348 | France from Napoleon to the Great War, 1799-1914 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 349 | Contemporary France, 1914 to the Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 350 | The First World War and the Shaping of Twentieth-Century Europe | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 351 | Seventeenth-Century Europe | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 352 | Eighteenth Century Europe | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 357 | The Second World War | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 358 | French Revolution and Napoleon | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 359 | History of Europe Since 1945 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 361 | The Emergence of Mod Britain: England 1485-1660 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 367 | Society and Ideas in Shakespeare's England | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/JEWISH 373 | Modern Political History of the Jews: 1655-1919 | 4 |
| HISTORY/JEWISH 374 | Modern Political History of the Jews: Era of Mass Movements, 1870-1970 | 4 |
| HISTORY/GEN&WS 392 | Women and Gender in Modern Europe | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 410 | History of Germany, 1871 to the Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/RELIG ST 411 | The Enlightenment and Its Critics | 3 |
| HISTORY 417 | History of Russia | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 418 | History of Russia | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 419 | History of Soviet Russia | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 420 | Russian Social and Intellectual History | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 424 | The Soviet Union and the World, 1917-1991 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 425 | History of Poland and the Baltic Area | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/LEGAL ST 426 | The History of Punishment | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/SCAND ST 431 | History of Scandinavia to 1815 | 3 |
| HISTORY/SCAND ST 432 | History of Scandinavia Since 1815 | 3 |
| HISTORY/RELIG ST 437 | Western Christianity from Augustine to Darwin | 4 |
| HISTORY 474 | European Social History, 1830-1914 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 475 | European Social History, 1914-Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/LEGAL ST 476 | Medieval Law and Society | 3 |
| HISTORY/ED POL 478 | Comparative History of Childhood and Adolescence | 3 |
| HISTORY/LEGAL ST 502 | Law and Colonialism | 3 |
| HISTORY/HIST SCI/MED HIST 507 | Health, Disease and Healing I | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/HIST SCI/MED HIST 508 | Health, Disease and Healing II | 3-4 |
| HIST SCI 512 | Galileo Galilei: Life, Writings, and Interpretations | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 514 | European Cultural History Since 1870 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/CURRIC/JEWISH 515 | Holocaust: History, Memory and Education | 3 |
| HISTORY/CLASSICS/RELIG ST 517 | Religions of the Ancient Mediterranean | 3 |
| HISTORY/JEWISH 518 | Anti-Semitism in European Culture, 1700-1945 | 3 |
| HISTORY/CLASSICS/FRENCH/ITALIAN/MEDIEVAL 550 | Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies in Medieval Civilization | 3 |
| HISTORY/CLASSICS/HIST SCI/MED HIST/S&A PHM 561 | Greek and Roman Medicine and Pharmacy | 3 |
| HISTORY/SCAND ST 577 | Contemporary Scandinavia: Politics and History | 3-4 |
GEOGRAPHIC BREADTH: AFRICAN HISTORY COURSES
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HISTORY 105 | Introduction to the History of Africa | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/AFRICAN/AFROAMER/ANTHRO/GEOG/POLI SCI/SOC 277 | Africa: An Introductory Survey | 4 |
| HISTORY 278 | Africans in the Americas, 1492-1808 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 279 | Afro-Atlantic History, 1808-Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/AFRICAN/AFROAMER/POLI SCI 297 | African and African-American Linkages: An Introduction | 4 |
| HISTORY 377 | History of Africa, 1500 to 1870 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 378 | History of Africa Since 1870 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 444 | History of East Africa | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 445 | History of Equatorial Africa | 3-4 |
GEOGRAPHIC BREADTH: CENTRAL OR EAST ASIAN HISTORY COURSES
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HISTORY/ASIAN/E A STDS 103 | Introduction to East Asian History: China | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN/E A STDS 104 | Introduction to East Asian History: Japan | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 108 | Introduction to East Asian History - Korea | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN/E A STDS/POLI SCI 255 | Introduction to East Asian Civilizations | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/GNS 265 | An Introduction to Central Asia: From the Silk Route to Afghanistan | 3 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN/ASIAN AM/E A STDS 276 | Chinese Migrations since 1500 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 335 | The Koreas: Korean War to the 21st Century | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 336 | Chinese Economic and Business History: From Silk to iPhones | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN/E A STDS 337 | Social and Intellectual History of China, 589 AD-1919 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN/E A STDS 341 | History of Modern China, 1800-1949 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN/E A STDS 342 | History of the Peoples Republic of China, 1949 to the Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN/E A STDS 363 | China and World War II in Asia | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN/E A STDS 454 | Samurai: History and Image | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN/E A STDS 456 | Pearl Harbor & Hiroshima: Japan, the US & The Crisis in Asia | 3-4 |
GEOGRAPHIC BREADTH: SOUTH OR SOUTHEAST ASIAN HISTORY COURSES
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HISTORY 142 | History of South Asia to the Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN/GEOG/POLI SCI/SOC 244 | Introduction to Southeast Asia: Vietnam to the Philippines | 4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN/ASIAN AM 246 | Southeast Asian Refugees of the "Cold" War | 4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN/RELIG ST 267 | Asian Religions in Global Perspective | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN/RELIG ST 308 | Introduction to Buddhism | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 319 | The Vietnam Wars | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN/RELIG ST 438 | Buddhism and Society in Southeast Asian History | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 450 | Making of Modern South Asia | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 457 | History of Southeast Asia to 1800 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 458 | History of Southeast Asia Since 1800 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 463 | Topics in South Asian History | 3 |
GEOGRAPHIC BREADTH: LATIN AMERICAN HISTORY COURSES
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HISTORY 241 | Latin America from 1780 to 1940 | 4 |
| HISTORY 242 | Modern Latin America, 1898 to the Present | 4 |
| HISTORY/CHICLA/GEN&WS 245 | Chicana and Latina History | 3 |
| HISTORY/AFROAMER/ANTHRO/C&E SOC/GEOG/LACIS/POLI SCI/SOC/SPANISH 260 | Latin America: An Introduction | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 278 | Africans in the Americas, 1492-1808 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 279 | Afro-Atlantic History, 1808-Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/AFROAMER 347 | The Caribbean and its Diasporas | 3 |
| HISTORY/CHICLA/POLI SCI 422 | Latino History and Politics | 3 |
| HISTORY/CHICLA 435 | Colony, Nation, and Minority: The Puerto Ricans' World | 3 |
| HISTORY 441 | Revolution and Conflict in Modern Latin America | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 533 | Multi-Racial Societies in Latin America | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 555 | History of Brazil | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/HIST SCI/MED HIST 564 | Disease, Medicine and Public Health in the History of Latin America and the Caribbean | 3 |
GEOGRAPHIC BREADTH: MIDDLE EASTERN HISTORY COURSES
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HISTORY 139 | The Middle East in the 20th Century | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/RELIG ST 205 | The Making of the Islamic World: The Middle East, 500-1500 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/MEDIEVAL/RELIG ST 309 | The Crusades: Christianity and Islam | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/RELIG ST 379 | Islam in Iran | 3 |
| HISTORY/RELIG ST 439 | Islamic History From the Origin of Islam to the Ottoman Empire | 3-4 |
GEOGRAPHIC BREADTH: TRANSNATIONAL HISTORY COURSES
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HISTORY 130 | An Introduction to World History | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/GEN&WS 134 | Women and Gender in World History | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 135 | Colloquium in Comparative World History | 4 |
| HISTORY 144 | Traveling the World: South Asians in Diaspora | 4 |
| HIST SCI 202 | The Making of Modern Science | 3 |
| HIST SCI 203 | Science in the Twentieth Century: A Historical Overview | 3 |
| HISTORY 228 | Explorations in Transnational/Comparative History (Social Science) | 3 |
| HISTORY 229 | Explorations in Transnational/Comparative History (Humanities) | 3 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN/ASIAN AM 246 | Southeast Asian Refugees of the "Cold" War | 4 |
| HISTORY 274 | History Study Abroad: Transnational/Global History | 1-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN/ASIAN AM/E A STDS 276 | Chinese Migrations since 1500 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 278 | Africans in the Americas, 1492-1808 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 279 | Afro-Atlantic History, 1808-Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/GEN&WS 315 | Gender, Race and Colonialism | 3 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 319 | The Vietnam Wars | 3-4 |
| HIST SCI/MED HIST 333 | History of Modern Biology | 3 |
| HIST SCI 343 | The Darwinian Revolution | 3 |
| HISTORY/AFROAMER 347 | The Caribbean and its Diasporas | 3 |
| HIST SCI/ENVIR ST 353 | History of Ecology | 3 |
| HISTORY 357 | The Second World War | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/JEWISH 374 | Modern Political History of the Jews: Era of Mass Movements, 1870-1970 | 4 |
| HISTORY 424 | The Soviet Union and the World, 1917-1991 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 434 | American Foreign Relations, 1901 to the Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ENVIR ST/F&W ECOL 452 | World Forest History | 3 |
| HISTORY/CHICLA 461 | The American West to1850 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/LEGAL ST 502 | Law and Colonialism | 3 |
| HISTORY 503 | Irish and Scottish Migrations | 3 |
| HIST SCI/ENVIR ST/MED HIST 513 | Environment and Health in Global Perspective | 3 |
| HISTORY 525 | The World and the West from 1492 | 3-4 |
| HIST SCI/HISTORY/MED HIST 543 | Doctors and Delusions: Madness and Medicine in the Modern Era | 3 |
| HIST SCI/MED HIST/POP HLTH 553 | International Health and Global Society | 3 |
| HISTORY 607 | The American Impact Abroad: The Historical Dimension | 3 |
GEOGRAPHIC BREADTH: U.S. HISTORY COURSES
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HISTORY 101 | Amer Hist to the Civil War Era, the Origin & Growth of the U S | 4 |
| HISTORY 102 | American History, Civil War Era to the Present | 4 |
| HISTORY 109 | Introduction to U.S. History | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 150 | American Histories: The Nineteenth Century | 4 |
| HISTORY/CHICLA 152 | The U.S. West Since 1850 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN AM 160 | Asian American History: Movement and Dislocation | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN AM 161 | Asian American History: Settlement and National Belonging | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/JEWISH 213 | Jews and American Pop. Culture | 3-4 |
| HIST SCI/MED HIST 218 | History of Twentieth Century American Medicine | 3 |
| HISTORY/JEWISH 219 | The American Jewish Experience: From Shtetl to Suburb | 4 |
| HISTORY 221 | Explorations in American History (H) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/LEGAL ST 261 | American Legal History to 1860 | 3 |
| HISTORY/LEGAL ST 262 | American Legal History, 1860 to the Present | 3 |
| HISTORY 272 | History Study Abroad: United States History | 1-4 |
| HIST SCI/AFROAMER/MED HIST 275 | Science, Medicine, and Race: A History | 3 |
| HISTORY 302 | History of American Thought, 1859 to the Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 304 | United States, 1877-1914 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 305 | United States 1914-1945 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 306 | The United States Since 1945 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/AFROAMER 321 | Afro-American History Since 1900 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/AFROAMER 322 | Afro-American History to 1900 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 329 | History of American Capitalism | 4 |
| HISTORY 344 | The Age of the American Revolution, 1763-1789 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/GEN&WS 353 | Women and Gender in the U.S. to 1870 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/GEN&WS 354 | Women and Gender in the U.S. Since 1870 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/CHICLA/LACIS/POLI SCI 355 | Labor in the Americas: US & Mexico in Comparative & Historical Perspective | 3 |
| HISTORY/AFROAMER 393 | Slavery, Civil War, and Reconstruction, 1848-1877 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/HIST SCI/MED HIST 394 | Science in America | 3 |
| HISTORY 403 | Immigration and Assimilation in American History | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 408 | American Labor History: 1900-Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ED POL 412 | History of American Education | 3 |
| HISTORY/CHICLA/POLI SCI 422 | Latino History and Politics | 3 |
| HISTORY 427 | The American Military Experience to 1902 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 428 | The American Military Experience Since 1899 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 434 | American Foreign Relations, 1901 to the Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ENVIR ST/GEOG 460 | American Environmental History | 4 |
| HISTORY/CHICLA 461 | The American West to1850 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ECON 466 | The American Economy Since 1865 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ENVIR ST/GEOG 469 | The Making of the American Landscape | 4 |
| HISTORY/AMER IND 490 | American Indian History | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/HIST SCI/MED HIST 504 | Society and Health Care in American History | 3 |
| HIST SCI/MED HIST 509 | The Development of Public Health in America | 3 |
| HIST SCI/AFROAMER/MED HIST 523 | Race, American Medicine and Public Health | 3 |
| HIST SCI/GEN&WS/MED HIST 531 | Women and Health in American History | 3 |
| HIST SCI/GEN&WS/MED HIST 532 | The History of the (American) Body | 3 |
| HIST SCI/GEN&WS 537 | Childbirth in the United States | 3 |
| HISTORY/JOURN 560 | History of Mass Communication | 4 |
| HISTORY/L I S 569 | History of American Librarianship | 3 |
| HISTORY 607 | The American Impact Abroad: The Historical Dimension | 3 |
| HISTORY/AFROAMER 628 | History of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States | 3 |
NOTES ON HISTORY BREADTH REQUIREMENTS
- Breadth courses may be taken in any order.
- Chronological Breadth courses may also count toward a Geographic Breadth category.
- Some courses qualify for more than one Geographic Breadth area, but a course may only count for one Geographic Breadth category for the purposes of meeting the requirement.
- Topics courses (HISTORY 200, HISTORY 201, HISTORY 221, HISTORY 223, HISTORY 225, HISTORY 227, HISTORY 229, HISTORY 271, HISTORY 272, HISTORY 273, HISTORY 274, HISTORY 275, HIST SCI 280, HISTORY 283, HIST SCI 286, HIST SCI 350 & HISTORY 500) may count for Geographic and/or Chronological Breadth. For topics courses, see the course notes for current breadth information.
- The following courses may not be used for breadth in the major: HISTORY 199, HISTORY 600, HISTORY 680, HISTORY 681, HISTORY 682, HISTORY 690, HISTORY 691, HISTORY 692, HISTORY 698, & HISTORY 699.
HISTORY WRITING AND RESEARCH SEQUENCE:
History majors must complete both of the following:
- Students are encouraged to complete HISTORY 201 The Historian's Craft as early as possible.
- HISTORY 600 Advanced Seminar in History, to be taken after satisfactory completion of HISTORY 201. Enrolling in a HISTORY 600 seminar requires instructor consent. Available seminars can be found on the history department website.
L&S REQUIREMENTS FOR QUALITY AND RESIDENCE IN THE MAJOR:
- 2.000 GPA in HISTORY/HISTORY of SCIENCE and all other major courses
- 2.000 GPA on 15 upper-level major credits in residence.1
- 15 credits HISTORY and/or HISTORY of SCIENCE taken on campus
DISTINCTION IN THE MAJOR
To be awarded Distinction in the Major, students must:
- Achieve a GPA of at least 3.700 out of 4.000 in HISTORY and HISTORY of SCIENCE courses
- Complete a minimum of 21 upper-level credits in major coursework.1
- Complete all requirements of the major
Students should consult the undergraduate advisor in history regarding current requirements for the major.
HONORS IN THE MAJOR
Students may declare Honors in the History Major in consultation with the History undergraduate advisor.
HONORS IN HISTORY MAJOR REQUIREMENTS
To earn Honors in the Major in History, students must satisfy both the requirements for the major (above) and the following additional requirements:
- Earn a 3.300 overall University GPA
- Earn a 3.500 GPA in all HISTORY and HISTORY of SCIENCE courses
- Complete at least 36 total credits in HISTORY and HISTORY of SCIENCE coursework, 21 of which must be upper-level credits in residence1
- Complete at least 15 Honors credits in HISTORY or HISTORY of SCIENCE coursework
- Complete a two-semester Senior Honors Thesis, a piece of original work of approximately forty pages, in HISTORY 681–HISTORY 682, taken in conjunction with the HISTORY 680 Honors Thesis Colloquium both semesters. The thesis must be approved by instructors in both the thesis and colloquium courses.
| 1 | Major courses with Intermediate or Advanced Level are counted as upper-level in the History major. |
University Degree Requirements
| Total Degree | To receive a bachelor's degree from UW–Madison, students must earn a minimum of 120 degree credits. The requirements for some programs may exceed 120 degree credits. Students should consult with their college or department advisor for information on specific credit requirements. |
| Residency | Degree candidates are required to earn a minimum of 30 credits in residence at UW–Madison. "In residence" means on the UW–Madison campus with an undergraduate degree classification. “In residence” credit also includes UW–Madison courses offered in distance or online formats and credits earned in UW–Madison Study Abroad/Study Away programs. |
| Quality of Work | Undergraduate students must maintain the minimum grade point average specified by the school, college, or academic program to remain in good academic standing. Students whose academic performance drops below these minimum thresholds will be placed on academic probation. |
- (Define important historical questions) Pose a historical question and explain its academic and public implications.
- (Define important historical questions) Using appropriate research procedures and aids, find the secondary resources in history and other disciplines available to answer a historical question.
- (Define important historical questions) Evaluate the evidentiary and theoretical bases of pertinent historical conversations in order to highlight opportunities for further investigation.
- (Collect and analyze evidence) Identify the range and limitations of sources available to engage the historical problem under investigation.
- (Collect and analyze evidence) Examine the context in which sources were created, search for chronological and other relationships among them, and assess the sources in light of that knowledge.
- (Collect and analyze evidence) Employ and, if necessary, modify appropriate theoretical frameworks to examine sources and develop arguments.
- (Present original conclusions) Present original and coherent findings through clearly written, persuasive arguments and narratives.
- (Present original conclusions) Orally convey persuasive arguments, whether in formal presentations or informal discussions.
- (Present original conclusions) Use appropriate presentation formats and platforms to share information with academic and public audiences.
- (Contribute to ongoing discussions) Extend insights from research to analysis of other historical problems.
- (Contribute to ongoing discussions) Demonstrate the relevance of a historical perspective to contemporary issues.
- (Contribute to ongoing discussions) Recognize, challenge, and avoid false analogies, overgeneralizations, anachronisms, and other logical fallacies.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| History Breadth1 | 4 | History course for the Ethnic Studies Requirement (complete within 1st 60 credits)2 | 4 |
| Communication Part A (Complete during your first year) | 3 | L&S Breadth - Natural Science3 | 3 |
| Quantitative Reasoning Part A (complete during your first year) | 3 | L&S Breadth - Literature | 3 |
| Foreign Language (if necessary) | 4 | Elective or Course for Second Major4 | 4 |
| 14 | 14 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| HISTORY 2015 | 3-4 | History Breadth | 4 |
| Quantitative Reasoning Part B (I/A Comp Sci, Math, or Stats if required for the BS) | 3 | History Elective | 3 |
| History Elective or Course for Second Major | 3 | L&S Breadth - Natural Science | 3 |
| Elective or Course for Second Major | 3 | Elective or Course for Second Major | 3 |
| Elective or Course for Second Major | 3 | Elective or Course for Second Major | 3 |
| 15-16 | 16 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Declare the Major (before 86 credits)* | History Breadth | 4 | |
| History Breadth | 3 | HISTORY 301 (optional) | 1 |
| HISTORY 3006 | 1-2 | L&S Breadth - Natural Science | 3 |
| I/A Comp Sci, Math, or Stats (if required for the BS) | 3 | Elective or Course for Second Major | 3 |
| L&S Breadth - Literature | 3 | Elective or Course for Second Major | 3 |
| Elective or Course for Second Major | 4 | ||
| 14-15 | 14 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Complete Remaining L&S Requirements** | History Elective | 4 | |
| HISTORY 6007 | 3 | L&S Breadth - Natural Science | 3 |
| Elective or Course for Second Major | 4 | Elective or Course for Second Major | 3 |
| Elective or Course for Second Major | 4 | Elective or Course for Second Major | 3 |
| Elective or Course for Second Major | 4 | Elective or Course for Second Major | 3 |
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Total Credits 118-120 | |||
| 1 | The History Breadth requirements are very flexible. History majors must complete Chronological Breadth (one course) and take at least one course from four of the eight Geographical Breadth categories. A single course may count toward both Chronological and Geographic Breadth, if appropriate. (For example, a course on Ancient Rome would count toward Chronological Breadth and European History. ) HISTORY 201 may also count toward History Breadth requirements. |
| 2 | Some examples of History courses that count toward the Ethnic Studies Requirement are: HISTORY/CHICLA 152 The U.S. West Since 1850, HISTORY/ASIAN AM 160 Asian American History: Movement and Dislocation, & HISTORY/JEWISH 213 Jews and American Pop. Culture. |
| 3 | Some L&S Breadth requirements will be satisfied with History coursework. History classes will complete the additional Humanities Breadth credits (the Humanities credits that are not Literature) and may also complete Social Science Breadth. |
| 4 | History is a flexible major and can be combined with a wide range of other majors and certificates. We encourage students to be thoughtful in how they approach their elective credits, whether that means pursuing an additional major or creating an individual plan of study that draws from multiple disciplines. |
| 5 | HISTORY 201 The Historian's Craft may be taken as soon as you have completed the Communication A requirement. Students should try to complete History 201 by the end of the second year. |
| 6 | History offers two optional careers courses that expose students to, and prepare them for, the wide range of careers pursued by history majors: HISTORY 300 & HISTORY 301. History at Work: Professional Skills of the Major (HISTORY 300) connects students to History alumni in different fields and helps develop essential career skills related to the value of the major. History at Work: History Internship Seminar (HISTORY 301) allows students to receive credit toward their major requirements for work associated with an internship. |
| 7 | History 600 may be taken at any point after a student has completed History 201. History 600s are offered on a variety of topics every semester and they provide students with the rich experience of a small, faculty-led seminar. They may be taken for credit more than once as long as the topics are different. |
| * | Students must declare a major by the time they reach 86 credits. |
| ** | Please refer to the Requirements tab in Guide for College of Letters & Science Breadth and Degree Requirements as well as Residence and Quality of Work requirements for the major. |
Students who are declared or interested in the history major have numerous advising resources available to them. The history advising team is comprised of professional and peer advisors who are excited to talk with students about everything from academic planning to professional development for future careers. Information on the History advising team, how to contact an advisor, how to schedule an appointment, and drop-in advising hours can be found on our website.
The Honors in the Major track in history is intended for students who are eager to experience the excitement of original historical research and who wish to graduate with the best possible undergraduate training in this discipline. Honors in the Major is especially appropriate for students who are considering graduate work in history or who want an especially advanced training in research, reasoning, and writing skills useful to a wide range of career choices.
Information on upcoming career events and internship opportunities for history majors are available on the History Advising Blog. Alumni of the history department have enjoyed careers in medical research and practice; broadcast and print media; sports management; museums, archives, and libraries; finance and business, and community service and nonprofit organizations—as well as law, academia, and many other fields. Want to see what some of our alumni have done with their history majors? Check out our “featured alumni” profiles on the department website.
History is a rigorous but flexible major, and history majors are known for being excellent communicators and savvy researchers. Historians are experts in synthesizing disparate pieces of evidence into coherent, persuasive arguments. The real world is filled with disparate facts and incomplete sets of data, so this is a real-world skill that history alumni utilize throughout their entire careers.
The history major provides excellent preparation for the study of law, but our students also go on to study medicine and many other graduate fields. The centers for Pre-Law Advising and Pre-Health Advising are especially helpful resources on campus for students interested in those areas of study.
History can also be combined with any other major in the college of Letters & Science (L&S), anything from astronomy to zoology. Majors that students most frequently pair with history are: economics, English, environmental studies, journalism, and political science. History majors can also choose to add certificates in L&S or from outside the college, such as the certificates in business or education and educational services. In addition to these, some of the most common certificates for history majors are currently: criminal justice, global health, European studies, and digital studies. The history advising team is happy to discuss ways for you to make your intellectual and career goals work as part of a four-year plan.
History Careers Course: “History at Work”
HISTORY 300 History at Work: Professional Skills of the Major is a course intended to help history majors understand how their history degree applies to the world of work. Students explore how their history skills relate to the needs of professional employers and are guided in the process of finding and obtaining professional internships and jobs. In this course, history majors can polish their written and oral communication skills in forms appropriate for professional situations and learn from the experiences of guest speakers from a variety of fields.
Internships
The Department of History recognizes the importance of internships in helping students develop professional skills and explore potential career paths. Positions can vary depending on availability and students’ interests, but recent sponsors have included the Wisconsin State Historical Museum, the University of Wisconsin Archives, offices of elected officials in the Wisconsin State Legislature and United States Congress, the Milwaukee Brewers, and Community Shares of Wisconsin—just to name a few!
Alumni Mentoring
Like internships, networking can be a valuable tool in opening professional doors and learning more about the professional value of the history major. The department often matches students with alumni mentors drawn from our Board of Visitors and other graduates who can help them get started building a professional network, answer questions about a specific field, provide guidance in applying for jobs or preparing for interviews, and providing general career advice.
Students interested in participating in an internship or talking with an alumni mentor should meet with Christina Matta, the department’s undergraduate career advisor, to discuss their interests and possible career goals.
Global History Track
Any undergraduate history major may choose to pursue the Global Track by completing all requirements for the history major above, and these additional requirements:
- Geographic Breadth: one additional course, in a fifth breadth area; at least one of the five breadth courses must be from the Transnational category
- Foreign Language or Experience Requirement: one of the following options:
- Completion of the 5th unit of a single foreign language, defined as the 5th semester of college instruction or the 5th year of high school instruction
- ESL 118 Academic Writing II
- 3 credits of coursework from a UW–Madison Study Abroad Program
Note: The Global History Track is unofficial and will not be recorded on a student's final transcript. For purposes of graduation auditing, DARS will display the track as an informational section only.
L&S career resources
SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science helps students leverage the academic skills learned in their major, certificates, and liberal arts degree; explore and try out different career paths; participate in internships; prepare for the job search and/or graduate school applications; and network with professionals in the field (alumni and employers). In short, SuccessWorks helps students in the College of Letters & Science discover themselves, find opportunities, and develop the skills they need for success after graduation.
SuccessWorks can also assist students in career advising, résumé and cover letter writing, networking opportunities, and interview skills, as well as course offerings for undergraduates to begin their career exploration early in their undergraduate career.
Students should set up their profiles in Handshake to take care of everything they need to explore career events, manage their campus interviews, and apply to jobs and internships from 200,000+ employers around the country.
- SuccessWorks
- Set up a career advising appointment
- INTER-LS 210 L&S Career Development: Taking Initiative (1 credit, targeted to first- and second-year students)—for more information, see Inter-LS 210: Career Development, Taking Initiative
- INTER-LS 215 Communicating About Careers (3 credits, fulfills Com B General Education Requirement)
- Handshake
- Learn how we’re transforming career preparation: L&S Career Initiative
Professors Boswell, Cronon, Desan, Dunlavy, Enke, Enstad, Hansen, Hirsch, Hsia, S. Johnson, Kantrowitz, Keller Kleijwegt, Koshar, Lederer, McCoy, McDonald, Michels, Mitman, Neville, Nyhart, Plummer, Reese, Roberts, Sharpless, Shoemaker, Sommerville, Sweet, Thal, Wandel, Wink, Young
Associate Professors Chan, Cheng, Dennis, Gómez, Hall, Ipsen, Kim, Kodesh, Murthy, Ratner-Rosenhagen, Taylor, Ussishkin
Assistant Professors Brown, Callaci, Chamedes, Ciancia, Haynes, Hennessy, Hicks, Iber, Jackson, Kinzley, Lapina, Nelson, Whiting
Teaching Associates Carlsson, Cullinane, Keyser
History: The Wisconsin Experience
The history department is committed to integrating undergraduate historical study into the Wisconsin Experience, UW–Madison’s vision for students’ growth inside and outside the classroom. History majors at UW–Madison have a wide range of opportunities available to help them make the most of their major and carry the study of the past beyond the boundaries of the classroom. The history Wisconsin Experience fosters:
Cross-Cultural Literacy across Time and Space
- Learn about the histories of multiple geographic areas across a wide stretch of time
- Develop the ability to communicate effectively and appropriately with people of different backgrounds
Engagement in Society
- Take advantage of mentoring, internship, and career resources
- Engage in public service for secondary education, public history, and community organizations
- Expand understanding of important public issues from a variety of perspectives
Critical Inquiry
- Develop analytical abilities for local, national, and global citizenship and leadership
- Understand the perspectives of people from different backgrounds
- Analyze how ideas and institutions change over time
Transferable Skills for Careers
- Hone both oral and written communicational skills
- Synthesize information from multiple perspectives and disparate forms of evidence
- Conduct original research using a variety of methods and sources
- Present original conclusions in a variety of media
History majors engage in these areas in ways that are particular to history, developing skills that are transferable to a wide range of careers as well as a lifelong love of learning.
History Resources for Professional and Intellectual Growth
ARCHIVE
ARCHIVE is an award-winning journal of historical work published annually by the UW–Madison chapter of Phi Alpha Theta. See ARCHIVE’s website to view past volumes and find out how you could be published.
Phi Alpha Theta
Phi Alpha Theta is a national history honors society whose purpose is to promote the study of history and to bring students, teachers and writers of history together in intellectual and social ways. See the UW–Madison chapter’s page for more information.
Language and Regional/International Studies
History classes and faculty are at the center of UW–Madison’s remarkable collection of resource centers for area studies. IRIS is the umbrella organization for UW–Madison’s eight area studies programs. Students interested in these areas can combine their history major with a major in international studies or any of the area studies majors and/or certificates. UW–Madison also has one of the largest selections of language instruction in the United States.
Study Abroad
History is a great major for students interested in studying abroad due to its flexibility and because study abroad experience counts toward the history major's Global Track. Find out more on our major advising page.
Wisconsin Historical Society
Scholars and researchers from all over the country (and world) come to the Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS) to do historical research. History majors at UW–Madison simply walk across the street to make use of this world-class institution. The collections of the WHS are an amazing resource for history majors and are utilized by a wide range of our courses. History majors can also develop internships related to the WHS collections and programs. Students who are interested in the history of film and television often double major in communication arts and get involved with the Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research.
The History Lab
The History Lab is a resource center for undergraduate students studying, researching, and writing about the past. It is staffed by talented and experienced graduate students from the Department of History.
Through individual and group tutoring, the Lab focuses on honing students' abilities to form suitable topics, conduct research, develop arguments and thesis statements, cite evidence properly, and write using an effective process. The lab is equipped also to support challenges faced by English-language learners.
For more information or to make an appointment, see the History Lab website.
research fellowships and Scholarships
The Department of History is committed to supporting undergraduate achievement and encourages applications for the various scholarships and research fellowships made possible by the generosity of its donors. Scholarships are designed to reward outstanding History majors and are awarded annually. Research fellowships allow undergraduates to pursue in-depth historical research under the guidance of Department of History faculty. These awards help defray research costs such as supplies and travel expenses or pay for living expenses to allow students time to craft their papers and conduct research in UW Libraries.
Detailed instructions on how to apply can be found on the Department of History website. Applications need to be submitted online, via Scholarships@UW-Madison.
Undergraduate writing prizes
The history department offers an assortment of essay prizes designed to reward a broad range of undergraduate writing—from Senior Theses to term papers to specialized essays in German-Jewish history. The prizes are made possible thanks to the tremendous generosity of our alumni and former members of our faculty. The history department expresses its gratitude for their support in recognizing the achievements of our undergraduates.
Detailed instructions on how to apply can be found on the Department of History website. Applications need to be submitted online, via Scholarships@UW-Madison.