The History Major

The major in history provides an opportunity to examine the evolution of past civilizations and to evaluate and understand the institutions, achievements, ethics and values of mankind through the ages.  History majors learn to evaluate ideas critically: to sift evidence, to draw conclusions and to express their conclusions clearly and concisely.  A clear understanding of the events of the past provides a more acute awareness of contemporary issues and problems, as well as a context and a process for evaluating those problems.  The program includes introductory courses on the values and ideas of Western civilization and on the historical role of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.  Majors will select upper-division courses from four of the following fields: American history, European history, non-Western history, naval and military history, or interdisciplinary or thematic history.  A bachelor of science degree is awarded.

In addition to the three history courses in the core curriculum (HH104, HH215, HH216), each history major will also take Perspectives on History (HH262) and a Seminar in Advanced Historical Studies (HH462).  These courses introduce the students to historiography and the techniques of historical research and writing and enable them to pursue a historical issue in depth.  The department also requires each history major to take at least one American history course, one European course, one cross-national course and one regional course from among those listed in the course offerings.

Curriculum Requirements (In addition to the requirements of plebe year)

Professional: NE203, NL302, NL400, NN204, NS310, NS40X

Mathematics: SM223; plus either SM230 or SM212

Science: SP211, SP212

Humanities: HH215, HH216 and two electives outside the major including one at the 300/400 level

Language: Four semesters of a foreign language

Engineering: EN200, EM300, EE301, EE302, ES419 and a free elective

Major: HH262, HH462, and eight major electives