History (BA)
The History BA degree helps students develop broad and deep knowledge about the complexity and contingency of the past. History majors learn theories and read arguments that help explain both persistent continuity and enormous change in human civilizations. In courses and assignments, students learn to wrestle and unpack sources that provide the foundational evidence for interpretations of the past. Finally, the major develops skills of critical thinking, research, analysis, and communication that are essential for the modern world.
The History major prepares students for graduate and law schools as well as for careers in such fields as teaching in secondary schools, curatorial and educational positions in museums and historical associations, foreign service, library science, public administration and journalism. Moreover, history courses may be especially pertinent to students of language, business, science, or public health who wish to learn the traditions of other nations and cultures.
Curriculum
The major in history consists of a total of twelve (12) courses (36 hours) and a portfolio, detailed below.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Introductory (Core) Courses | ||
| Select two courses, one from each of the following categories: | ||
| Tier 1 Foundational Historical Knowledge | 3 | |
| Evolution of Western Ideas Institutions to 17th Century | ||
| Evolution Western Ideas Institutions Since 17th Century | ||
| American Pluralism | ||
| Global History Since 1500 | ||
| Western Traditions - Antiquity to the Middle Ages | ||
| Western Traditions-Renaissance to Modernity | ||
| Tier 2 Historical Knowledge | 3 | |
| East Asia Since 1500 | ||
| Pre-Modern Chinese History | ||
| Modern Chinese History | ||
| Survey of Islamic History | ||
| Introduction to Latin American History | ||
| United States to 1865 | ||
| United States Since 1865 | ||
| Introduction to African History | ||
| Methods Courses | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Historical Methods 1 | ||
| Newberry Seminar 2 | ||
| Required Areas | ||
| Select four Upper-Level Courses, one from each of the following: | 12 | |
Upper-Level Pre-Modern History (see descriptions below) | ||
Upper-Level Modern European History (see descriptions below) | ||
Upper-Level U.S. History (see descriptions below) | ||
Upper-Level World History (see descriptions below) | ||
| Elective Courses | ||
| Select any five (5) history courses at any level: 3 | 15 | |
HIST 101 - HIST 399 4 | ||
| Roman Law | ||
| American Economic & Business History | ||
| Christian Thought: Ancient-Medieval | ||
| Christian Thought: Reformation to Modern | ||
| Total Hours | 36 | |
- 1
To register for HIST 299 Historical Methods Historical Methods, please contact the History Department Administrative Assistant.
- 2
For information on the Newberry Seminar, please contact Dr. Shermer at eshermer@luc.edu.
- 3
One of which can be HIST 398 History Internship.
- 4
Any 100-Level, 200-Level, or 300-Level course can count toward the electives if not used for another requirement in the major. See History Courses for a complete list.
Required Areas: Upper-Level Pre-Modern History Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Students must take at least one of the courses below as part of the Required Areas | ||
| HIST 253A | Barbarians and the Fall of the Roman Empire | 3 |
| HIST 254A | The Vikings | 3 |
| HIST 257A | Witchcraft and Science in Pre-Modern Europe | 3 |
| HIST 258A | Blood, Heresy, and Treason: The Tudors and Stuarts | 3 |
| HIST 300B | Topics in Premodern History | 3 |
| HIST 301 | Plagues: The Black Death and Other Pandemics | 3 |
| HIST 303 | Pre-Industrial City in Europe | 3 |
| HIST 307 | Greece to Alexander the Great | 3 |
| HIST 308A | History of Rome to Constantine | 3 |
| HIST 308B | Pompeii and Herculaneum | 3 |
| HIST 308C | History of Early Christianity | 3 |
| HIST 308D | Transformations of Rome in Late Antiquity | 3 |
| HIST 309 | Shipwreck Archaeology | 3 |
| HIST 310 | The Middle Ages | 3 |
| HIST 310A | Medieval World 1100-1500 | 3 |
| HIST 310B | Medieval Culture | 3 |
| HIST 310C | Medieval Women | 3 |
| HIST 310D | Medieval Popular Religion | 3 |
| HIST 310F | Medieval Inquisitions and Heresy | 3 |
| HIST 310G | Supernatural in the Middle Ages | 3 |
| HIST 310L | Love and Violence in Medieval Culture and Society | 3 |
| HIST 311B | The Crusades: Christianity and Islam | 3 |
| HIST 312 | England to 1485 | 3 |
| HIST 314 | Renaissance | 3 |
| HIST 314A | The Jesuits: Life and History | 3 |
| HIST 315 | The Reformation | 3 |
| HIST 316 | History of Poland | 3 |
| HIST 317 | Age of Absolutism & the Enlightenment | 3 |
| HIST 318A | Early Modern England 1485-1760 | 3 |
| HIST 318B | English Social History 1450-1750 | 3 |
| HIST 318C | London 1550 - 1715 | 3 |
| HIST 342A | African History to 1600 | 3 |
| HIST 345A | Traditional China from Antiquity to 1550 | 3 |
| CLST 362 | Roman Law | 3 |
| THEO 317 | Christian Thought: Ancient-Medieval | 3 |
Required Areas: Upper-Level Modern Europe Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Students must take at least one of the courses below as part of the Required Areas | ||
| HIST 265A | The First World War | 3 |
| HIST 267A | Modern German Culture and Ideas I | 3 |
| HIST 267B | Modern German Culture and Ideas II | 3 |
| HIST 300C | Topics in European History (Post-1700) | 3 |
| HIST 320 | Era French Revolution & Napoleon | 3 |
| HIST 321 | 19th Century European Culture and Ideas | 3 |
| HIST 322 | Modern France: From Empire to Postcolonial Nation | 3 |
| HIST 324 | Italy 19th & 20th Centuries | 3 |
| HIST 325 | Modern Britain: Empire, Industry, Democracy | 3 |
| HIST 325A | The British Empire: From Barbados to Brexit | 3 |
| HIST 326 | Ireland: Colony to Nation State | 3 |
| HIST 327A | The Balkans: History, Fiction, Film | 3 |
| HIST 328 | Russia Pre-1917: Empire Building | 3 |
| HIST 328A | Russian Empire and Literature | 3 |
| HIST 329 | Women's Sphere in Past Society | 3 |
| HIST 329C | Empire, Sex, Violence: European Colonial History | 3 |
| HIST 329N | Modern European Nationalism: Myth and Reality | 3 |
| HIST 330 | Europe in the Age of Catastrophe, 1900-1945 | 3 |
| HIST 330F | Fascinating Fascism: 1919 to the Present | 3 |
| HIST 331A | Food, Hunger and Power in the Modern World | 3 |
| HIST 334A | The Nazi Revolution | 3 |
| HIST 334B | The Holocaust: History and Memory | 3 |
| HIST 335 | The Second World War | 3 |
| HIST 336 | Contemporary Europe 1945 to Present | 3 |
| HIST 337 | Rise & Fall of Soviet Union | 3 |
| HIST 337A | Women in Russia and Eurasia, 1860-Present | 3 |
| HIST 338A | History of European Communism | 3 |
| HIST 338B | Eastern Europe in the 20th Century | 3 |
| HIST 339C | Modern Europe and the Arts | 3 |
| HIST 339F | History of Feminist Thought and Social Action | 3 |
| THEO 318 | Christian Thought: Reformation to Modern | 3 |
Required Areas: Upper-Level World History Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Students must take at least one of the courses below as part of the Required Areas | ||
| HIST 275A | The Silk Roads: Global Trade, Culture, & Politics | 3 |
| HIST 278A | Violence Drug Trafficking & Crime in Latin America | 3 |
| HIST 279C | History of Computing | 3 |
| HIST 279E | Climate and History | 3 |
| HIST 300E | Topics in World History | 3 |
| HIST 340B | Introduction to Islamic History | 3 |
| HIST 341 | Modern Middle East | 3 |
| HIST 341B | Arab-Israeli Conflict | 3 |
| HIST 341C | Tunisia On-Site: Arab Spring, Democratic Change, Islam | 3 |
| HIST 342B | African History Post-1600 | 3 |
| HIST 342C | The History of Islam in Africa | 3 |
| HIST 342D | African Diaspora in the Middle East and South Asia | 3 |
| HIST 342M | African Music's Influence on American Music | 3 |
| HIST 343 | Modern South Asia | 3 |
| HIST 346A | Early Modern China: 1550-1800 | 3 |
| HIST 346B | Reform & Revolution in China, 1800-1949 | 3 |
| HIST 346C | History of Christianity in China | 3 |
| HIST 347A | China Since 1949: The People's Republic | 3 |
| HIST 347C | Cultural Revolution-China | 3 |
| HIST 347D | Modern Chinese History through Film | 3 |
| HIST 349 | Contemporary Global Issues: Historical Perspectives | 3 |
| HIST 349A | Women in East Asia | 3 |
| HIST 350 | Colonial Latin America | 3 |
| HIST 351 | Latin American Independence, 1750-1830 | 3 |
| HIST 352 | Latin America in the 19th Century | 3 |
| HIST 353 | Latin America in Recent Times | 3 |
| HIST 355 | The Caribbean & Central America in Colonial/Modern Times | 3 |
| HIST 356 | Mexican History-Ancient to Modern Times | 3 |
| HIST 357 | The Mexican Revolution in Popular Imagination | 3 |
| HIST 358 | Women in Latin American History | 3 |
| HIST 359 | Teaching World History | 3 |
| HIST 359C | Nationalist Politics: A Global Perspective | 3 |
| HIST 359D | The Ottoman Empire: A Global Perspective | 3 |
| HIST 359E | Concentration Camps: A Global History | 3 |
| HIST 359F | Genocides in the Modern World | 3 |
| HIST 359H | Anti-Colonial Resistance in the Twentieth Century | 3 |
Required Areas: Upper-Level U.S. History Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Students must take at least one of the courses below as part of the Required Areas | ||
| HIST 280A | Pirates and Sailors in the Revolutionary Atlantic | 3 |
| HIST 290A | History of Sexuality in the United States | 3 |
| HIST 291A | American Icons: Heroes, Images, Ideas | 3 |
| HIST 297E | North American Environmental History | 3 |
| HIST 298A | History and the Public: Intro to Public History | 3 |
| HIST 300D | Topics in U.S. History | 3 |
| HIST 360 | Community and Culture in Colonial America | 3 |
| HIST 360A | Slavery and Abolition: Then & Now | 3 |
| HIST 361 | The American Revolution, 1763-1815 | 3 |
| HIST 362 | America in the Age of Slavery and Capitalism | 3 |
| HIST 363 | Civil War & Reconstruction 1850-1877 | 3 |
| HIST 366A | World War I and American Culture | 3 |
| HIST 367 | United States from Great Depression to Recession | 3 |
| HIST 369 | 20th Century Popular Culture | 3 |
| HIST 370 | American Business, Wealth, and Inequality | 3 |
| HIST 372 | American Constitutional & Legal History to 1865 | 3 |
| HIST 373 | US Law & Public Policy | 3 |
| HIST 373A | Crime and Punishment | 3 |
| HIST 374 | Black Politics | 3 |
| HIST 375 | Digital History | 3 |
| HIST 376 | History of the American Frontier Movement | 3 |
| HIST 376A | History of the American Indian | 3 |
| HIST 377 | African American Women's History | 3 |
| HIST 378 | Latina/o History | 3 |
| HIST 379A | Italian Americans in World War II | 3 |
| HIST 379B | History of Italians in Chicago | 3 |
| HIST 380 | Introduction to African-American History | 3 |
| HIST 380A | Islam in the African-American Experience | 3 |
| HIST 381 | Rebels & Reformers in U.S. History | 3 |
| HIST 382 | Teaching Race, Class, and Gender | 3 |
| HIST 384 | Irish Diaspora in America | 3 |
| HIST 385 | Chicago in America | 3 |
| HIST 386 | Creation the American Metropolis | 3 |
| HIST 388 | U.S. Wars | 3 |
| HIST 388A | Vietnam War | 3 |
| HIST 389B | Topic: Gender, Race, & Class in US History | 3 |
| HIST 389C | Gender Benders | 3 |
| HIST 389F | The Sixties | 3 |
| HIST 389K | Autobiography and Memoir in Recent US History | 3 |
| HIST 389N | Anti-Immigrant Politics in U.S. History | 3 |
| HIST 389W | Races to the White House: Presidential History | 3 |
| ECON 327 | American Economic & Business History | 3 |
Optional Concentrations
History Majors have the option to declare a concentration, an area of interest. A concentration consists of at least three courses focused on a particular theme. Concentrations include: War & Peace; Law & Government; Gender, Sexuality, & Race; Teaching History; Globalization, Social Justice, & Human Rights; and Cultural & Intellectual History Students may also build their own geographic or period-based concentration in consultation with their departmental adviser.
Portfolio
Every history major must build a portfolio over the course of his/her undergraduate studies. The student must upload the two required documents listed below to a History Department website by Friday of the last week of classes prior to graduation. For more information, please contact the History Department Undergraduate Program Director. The required documents are:
- A historiographical essay (typically a paper from HIST 299 Historical Methods). This paper must both summarize and evaluate historians’ principal arguments about a particular topic.
- A 300-level Research Paper with a bibliography. This paper --- a minimum of 12-15 pages, usually from a 300-level course --- makes use of both primary and secondary sources to prove a historical thesis. All good historical writing has a thesis that the author seeks to establish through interpretation of the primary source evidence. In lieu of uploading a 300-level research paper, students have the option of submitting a platform appropriate project such as a public history or digital history project that makes an analytical argument based on both primary and secondary sources to prove a historical thesis.
Students should submit papers or projects that showcase their best work.
Suggested Sequence of Courses
The below sequence of courses is meant to be used as a suggested path for completing coursework. An individual student’s completion of requirements depends on course offerings in a given term as well as the start term for a major or graduate study. While there is no set sequence of classes, students are encouraged to take at least two Introductory (Core) Courses before taking upper division classes. It is strongly suggested that students take HIST 299 Historical Methods at the end of their sophomore or beginning of their junior year. Once students have declared the major, they are encouraged to contact their History Advisor or the History Department’s Undergraduate Program Director, Kelly O'Connor at kocon6@luc.edu for further guidance on how best to progress with their studies.
| Freshman | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| Foundational Historical Knowledge Course | 3 | |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Spring | ||
| Tier 2 Historical Knowledge Course | 3 | |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| Fall | ||
| Upper-level US History Course (see course list below) | 3 | |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Spring | ||
| HIST 299 | Historical Methods | 3 |
| History Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Junior | ||
| Fall | ||
| Upper-level World History (see course list below) | 3 | |
| History Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| Upper-level Pre-Modern History (see course list below) | 3 | |
| History Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Senior | ||
| Fall | ||
| Upper-Level Modern Europe (see course list below) | 3 | |
| History Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| History Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 36 | |
Residency Requirements
- At least 6 courses for this major must be successfully completed in residence at Loyola University Chicago.
- At least 4 300-level courses for this major must be successfully completed in residence at Loyola University Chicago.
College of Arts and Sciences Graduation Requirements
All Undergraduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences are required to take two Writing Intensive courses (6 credit hours) as well as complete a foreign language requirement at 102-level or higher (3 credit hours) or a language competency test. More information can be found here.
Additional Undergraduate Graduation Requirements
All Undergraduate students are required to complete the University Core, at least one Engaged Learning course, and UNIV 101. SCPS students are not required to take UNIV 101. Nursing students in the Accelerated BSN program are not required to take core or UNIV 101. You can find more information in the University Requirements area.
Learning Outcomes
- Produce analytical arguments by using evidence and facts to interpret past events, behavior and processes in their own historical writing and projects.
- Identify the arguments put forth by historians in order to compare, evaluate and criticize different interpretations of the past. In doing so, our graduates will be able to evaluate the adequacy of evidence (including a variety of sources: documents, films, diaries, images, oral and digital histories, etc.) that historians use to make truth claims about the past.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the processes of historical change and be able to discuss and evaluate causes, complexities and consequences of change over time in relationship to historical events and processes.
- Demonstrate an understanding that human values and beliefs are shaped by historical context and they will gain the capacity to make informed judgements about past and present behavior and ideas with a goal of fashioning a more just world. In this endeavor, students will gain an understanding of the ethical practices and standards for historical research and writing.