Majors & Minors

B.A. in Sociology/Anthropology
Minor in Sociology/Anthropology
Minor in Women's Studies

B.A. in History
B.A. in History with Secondary School Teacher Certification in Social Studies
Minor in History

B.A. in Psychology
Minor in Psychology

Minor in Asian Studies

Bachelor of Arts in Sociology/Anthropology
Students in the program gain access to a diverse faculty with varied background, as well as growing travel opportunities and block courses to study social environments locally and abroad. Students receive a high level of personal attention and self-direction in conducting research, which integrates the specialties of sociology and anthropology for a broader more diverse look at human society, cultures, and patterns of development.

• Students in the Sociology/Anthropology major will:
• Become acquainted with the major theoretical approaches in sociology and anthropology.
• Gain working familiarity with research methods in sociology and anthropology.
• Understand the role of ethics in sociological and anthropological research.
• Be aware of the causes and consequences of human inequalities in social class, gender, and race/ethnicity.
• Integrate the study of biology and culture, thus forming a biocultural perspective, for the broadest patterns of human experience.
• Apply critical concepts in sociology and anthropology to contemporary global issues and problems.
• Develop a comparative perspective across space and time on human culture, i.e., one that is comparative cross-culturally (across space) and examines physical and social evolution (through time).
• Conduct self-designed research and communicate results clearly in written products and oral presentations.
• Participate in a field placement involving service to other people, applying experiences and skills learned in the classroom.
• Majors in the field may minor in psychology, history, women's studies, economics, and environmental studies, among others.

Download the degree requirements (PDF format)

Bachelor of Arts in History
The Bachelor of Arts degree in history involves a wide range of classes in American, European and World history that broaden our students' knowledge of human society and culture. Learning goals in individual history courses are listed in more detail in their respective syllabi. More generally, in lower division courses the learning goals are focused on content. Students are introduced to some basic concepts of historical study: among these are an awareness that patterns of change and continuity occur over time and are rooted in specific contexts; and that history is interpretive and there may be a variety of ways of seeing and understanding the past. They will also be introduced to the various dimensions of history-political, social, economic and cultural. The below learning outcomes are gauged by a student's performance on tests, in classroom discussions, and in written work.

Goals for History majors
After completing a lower division course students should be able to:

• Read, comprehend, recall and discuss historical interpretation and data
• Place events and the interpretation of those events in their appropriate time and place
• Compare historical developments across cultural and geographical boundaries
• Students also will be expected to have a grasp of the relevant geography

Upper-division courses in the history major seek not only to develop a fairly complex understanding of the content of each course, but also to provide an awareness of history as a discipline. Generally, upper division courses will focus much more than lower divisions courses on reading, researching, and writing skills essential to the discipline of history.

• After completing an upper division course students should be able to:
• Effectively utilize library and electronic research resources
• Gauge the quality and appropriateness of source material
• Evaluate and critique different historical perspectives and explanations
• Organize information and ideas in support of their written arguments
• Properly document sources and effectively use them in support of interpretations and arguments

The critical thinking and communication skills developed in the study of history translate into success in a wide variety of venues, and several professions recognize the value of historical training. Consequently, a history degree provides excellent preparation for those pursuing careers in museum and archival work, law, government/politics, international service, journalism, public relations, and business. The history major is an important foundation for those in training for a teaching career, and especially for those pursuing a secondary education teaching certificate in social studies. It is also valuable for those who intend to enroll in a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree after graduation, and in general for those who are seeking a career in higher education.
Download the degree requirements (PDF format)

Bachelor of Arts in History with Secondary School Teacher Certification in Social Studies
This degree allows students to get licensed to teach Social Studies in grades 7-12. Students complete the B.A. in History with the modifications described below. In addition, they complete a sequence of study and field experiences in Education. For details on the Education component of the program, refer to the Secondary Education Program on the Education page.
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Departmental Honors
The history faculty may invite qualified and interested majors during their junior year to consider writing an honors thesis in history. Successful completion of the thesis will result in graduation with departmental honors in history. Candidates for honors must have a 3.0 or above overall grade point average with a 3.3 grade point average at the end of the first semester of the junior year in the major. Candidates for honors must form a committee of three faculty, one of whom must be drawn from the Department of History who shall chair the Honors Committee.

The name of each thesis candidate and the working title of the thesis must be submitted to the Department Chair by September 15 for May graduates and April 15 for students completing in December. If honors candidates are to graduate in the semester they are enrolled in Honors Seminar (HIS 4002), all requirements for the completion of HIS 4002 must be completed one week before the deadline for the submission of graduating senior grades. Honors theses in history must conform to the Turabian/Chicago Manual of Style.

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
Psychology students study both classical and contemporary theories in psychology and become acquainted with original research in the topic area of all courses. Over the course of completing a Psychology degree, students develop expertise in the design of research proposals and projects, design and conduct original research projects, and find opportunities for practical applications of their learning.
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Sociology/Anthropology Minor
The 18-credit sociology/anthropology minor is available to all bachelor degree candidates. It enables students in other majors to demonstrate coursework and competencies in sociology/anthropology to potential future employers without double majoring. For those applying to interdisciplinary graduate school programs, a sociology/anthropology minor provides an attractive complement to other majors. In particular, the minor could exhibit familiarity with human dimensions of environmental issues.
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Minor in Women's Studies
The Women's Studies program offers a cross-disciplinary minor. The program is designed to assess and address, in an objective manner, women's experience, needs, and achievements. Historically, the significant contributions and experiences of women in Western societies have been under-represented or assumed to be the same as men's. In recent decades a reassessment of women's roles, achievements, and potential has occurred, coinciding with actual and perceived changes of the place of women in society. The objective of the Women's Studies minor is to provide students an opportunity to explore different dimensions of women's experience and place in society. A goal of the program is to enhance self-discovery and mutual understanding. The minor in Women's Studies is open to all bachelor degree candidates. It requires a total of 18 credit hours, consisting of two core courses and four electives. Students should consult course descriptions for prerequisites and cross-listing information.
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History Minor
The history minor is available to all bachelor’s degree candidates. Students must complete 18 to 19 credits in history. Nine credits must be at the 3000 level or above. Three credits may be selected from the courses designated above as cross-listed. The Department strongly recommends taking the senior seminar in history. Download the degree requirements (PDF format).

Psychology Minor
The 18-credit psychology minor is available to all bachelor degree candidates. The minor provides a broad orientation to the discipline with the opportunity for upper-level electives to deepen the student's background according to her or his interests.
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Asian Studies Minor
Well over half the human population lives in Asia. An interdisciplinary understanding of the history, culture, and contemporary practices of Asian countries will enrich any college major. The Asian Studies minor offers students opportunities to develop a more inclusive, globally informed, and ecologically sustainable outlook and way of life. The program emphasizes critical comprehension of alternative perspectives and frameworks through global engagement that is richly responsible to cultural traditions and political complexities. This minor encourages the exploration of the complex challenges of modern Asia, in part as a means to learning how to best face our challenges at home.

While students in this minor can choose from the following list of regularly offered courses, they may also choose from one-time offerings designated as Asian Studies courses (AST) or they may request that other courses (including travel courses and independent studies) be approved by the Asian Studies Program Director. For example, some recent courses with significant Asian Studies content include Women Across Cultures: Japan and Korea; Sociology of Asian Women: Work, Sexuality, and Reproductive Rights in Japan, Thailand and the Philippines; Study in China; Anthropology of East Asia; Asian Art; and Cross-Cultural Human Development: Japan as Area Study.
Download the degree requirements (PDF format)