History Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the major qualification requirements for history?
The history major does not have any qualification requirements! All students are eligible to declare the history major, and are encouraged to do so early in their academic careers. Students are advised, but not required, to complete at least one lower-division history course (HIS 1 - 99) before declaring.
May courses completed with a Pass (P) grade be applied to history major requirements?
A maximum of two Pass (P) courses may be applied to the history major, with the exception of the comprehensive requirement, which must be taken for a letter grade. Students are encouraged to consult the university’s Pass/No Pass policy before deciding to take courses on a Pass/No Pass basis.
I passed the European, United States, and/or World History Advanced Placement Exams (AP). Do AP Exam scores satisfy any of my history major requirements?
The university grants credit for College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations on which a student scores 3, 4, or 5. This credit is applied toward the 180 credit graduation requirement, and in some cases also satisfies general education requirements. AP scores do not satisfy history major requirements.
I completed history courses before transferring to UCSC. How do I know which of my transfer courses satisfy history major requirements?
You may apply a maximum of three history courses completed at a California community college (or other domestic university) to your history major requirements. Community college courses all count for lower-division credit. Consult Applying Transfer Courses to the History Major for more information.
I'm a transfer student interested in declaring the history major, but I didn't complete any history courses prior to transferring. Am I eligible for this major, and can I still graduate within two years?
Yes and yes! Transfer students are eligible to declare the history major, regardless of what preparatory history courses they have, or have not, completed prior to transferring. The 12 courses required for the standard history major can be readily completed within a typical two year academic plan, just so long as you start taking history courses by your second UCSC quarter.
How many history courses should I take per quarter?
No more than 2 of your 3 courses each quarter should be history. History courses are fairly rigorous and require a lot of reading, so you'll want to balance your quarterly course load by taking at least one non-history course. You have plenty of time to complete your history major requirements over the next 2-4 years, so you don't need or want to commit yourself to an unnecessarily difficult workload!
How many lower-division courses may be applied to the history major?
A maximum of four lower-division history courses may be applied to concentration and/or breadth requirements, including the region of concentration introductory survey requirement. For example, You may apply two lower-division courses—including the introductory survey—to your concentration requirements, and your two remaining lower-division courses to any of your four breadth requirements. Alternatively, you may apply three lower-division courses to your breadth requirements, and one lower-division— the introductory survey—to your concentration.
While you may apply up to four lower-division courses to your history major, you are not required to. Some students prefer to take upper-division history courses, and that's OK! The only lower-division course you are required to take is your introductory survey requirement.
Do I have to complete specific lower-division history courses or requirements before I can take upper-division history courses?
You may take lower-division and upper-division history courses simultaneously. Most upper-division history courses (HIS 100 - 189) do not have any lower-division prerequisites or enrollment restrictions. Consult the History Course Catalog for specific course prerequisites.
When should I begin taking upper-division history courses?
You may start taking upper-division history courses as soon as you believe you're ready to do so. If you're consistently doing well in your lower-division history courses, you're probably ready to attempt an upper-division course. Many students find it helpful to first take HIS 100, Historical Skills and Methods, before taking other upper-division history courses.
Most four-year students begin taking upper-division history courses in their second year. Some four-year students are prepared to start taking upper-division history courses in the spring quarter of their first year.
Junior transfers should start taking upper-division history courses in their first UCSC term.
When should I take HIS 100, Historical Skills and Methods?
Students who enter UCSC as frosh are expected to complete HIS 100 by the end of their second year. Transfer students are expected to complete HIS 100 no later than their second quarter of enrollment at UCSC.
How do I know which courses apply to the introductory survey requirement?
Courses approved to satisfy the introductory survey requirement for each concentration are listed on the Americas and Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and Europe and the Mediterranean World webpages. All students are required to complete at least one approved survey course for their chosen region of concentration.
I completed an introductory survey course, but then I changed my mind about my concentration. Can I still apply the survey course approved for my old concentration to my history major requirements?
Survey courses approved for geographic regions that are not your concentration may be applied to your breadth requirements. You will still need to complete at least one survey approved for your chosen region of concentration.
Some students find it beneficial to take one introductory survey course for each of the three regions of concentration by the end of their first year. Taking multiple survey courses can be especially helpful if you're unsure or undecided about which region you'll select as your concentration. By doing so you'll satisfy the survey requirement for whichever concentration you eventually choose, plus two breadth requirements.
May history courses completed at a California community college (or other domestic university) satisfy the introductory survey course requirement?
Transfer courses may or may not be applied to the introductory survey course requirement for your chosen region of concentration. If you think you’ve completed a course at a community college that might satisfy the introductory survey course requirement, contact the history major undergraduate program coordinator.
I can't decide which geographic region to concentrate in! Is it possible to earn two history degrees if I fulfill the requirements for multiple regions of concentration?
All history majors earn the same degree, regardless of their chosen region of concentration. Concentrations provide a framework that help students focus their area of research and course selection, but are not considered to be unique or different degrees. In other words, you can't graduate with a History B.A. and a History B.A.!
Students who are interested in multiple regions of concentration and would like to take more than the standard 12 courses required for the major are encouraged to consider the intensive history major option.
I've already declared my history major, but I'd like to change my concentration. Is that OK?
Absolutely! As long as changing your concentration doesn't delay your graduation, you're welcome to change your concentration. Meet with the history major undergraduate program coordinator to update your academic plan and change your declared concentration.
How do I know what geographic regions of concentration and/or chronological distribution requirements my history courses satisfy?
The History Catalog of Course Requirements indicates what region(s) of concentration and what chronological distribution requirement(s) individual history courses may apply toward.
Some history courses are approved for multiple regions of concentration. Does this mean I can apply a singular course to multiple history major requirements?
You are required to apply unique courses to each of your concentration, HIS 100, breadth, and elective requirements. For example, you can't apply the same course to both a concentration and a breadth requirement. Remember: the standard history major requires 12 unique courses, and the intensive history major requires 15 unique courses.
The 12 or 15 history courses applied to your concentration, breadth, and elective requirements MAY, however, also apply to your pre-600 and pre-1800 C.E. chronological distribution requirements. For example, HIS 110A, Colonial America, 1500-1750, may be applied to an Americas and Africa breadth requirement AND a pre-1800 C.E. requirement.
What are the chronological distribution requirements, and how are they satisfied?
Your three chronological distribution requirements are a subset of requirements fulfilled by the same courses applied to your concentration, breadth, or elective requirements. At least one of the courses applied to your concentration, breadth, or elective requirements must be set in a period prior to 600 C.E. At least two additional courses applied to your concentration, breadth, or elective requirements must be set in periods prior to 1800 C.E.
If you take a second or third pre-600 C.E. course, they may be applied to your pre-1800 C.E. requirements.
Do my chronological distribution requirements have to be satisfied by courses from my region of concentration? Do they have to be satisfied by upper-division history courses?
Your chronological distribution requirements may be satisfied by lower- and/or upper-division history courses, and may be from any of the three geographic regions. Most students satisfy their chronological distribution requirements with courses applied to their concentration and breadth areas.
Should I be learning a foreign language?
The standard history major does not have a language requirement. The intensive history major requires one year (or equivalent) of non-English language study.
Proficiency in a foreign language is strongly recommended for all history students and is essential for those who plan to pursue graduate studies. Many Ph.D. programs in history require applicants to read one or two additional languages besides English.
