Learning Outcomes

1. Students will locate and incorporate relevant historical sources in writing an assignment. 
2. Students will analyze the main points of a primary source (whether textual or non-textual), assess its nature or bias(es), and reach sound conclusions.
3. Students will construct a historical argument with a clear thesis and sustain it over the length of a substantial essay or assignment.
4. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the mechanics of historical writing and analysis, including proper grammar, syntax, sentence structure, and paragraph structure. 

Admissions

Entrance Requirements

New freshmen who meet University admissions standards are eligible for admission to degree programs offered by the college. A student who wishes to enter the College of Arts and Sciences from another college on the Columbia campus must be in good standing and have a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or higher. A student who wishes to enter the College of Arts and Sciences from another USC campus must fulfill one of the following requirements:

1. Be in good standing, meet the admission requirements for a baccalaureate degree on the Columbia campus, and have a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or higher.
2. Be in good standing and have completed 30 semester hours with a GPA of 2.00 or higher on a USC campus.

Some programs in the College of Arts and Sciences have special admission requirements established by the department or committee that supervises the specific degree program, for example, Cardiovascular Technology, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Economics, Environmental Science, the Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies, and the Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies. These requirements are listed in the sections of this bulletin that describe department and special degree programs.

Degree Requirements (120 hours)

Program of Study

Founding Documents Requirement

All undergraduate students must take a 3-credit course or its equivalent with a passing grade in the subject areas of History, Political Science, or African American Studies that covers the founding documents including the United State Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation and one or more documents that are foundational to the African American Freedom struggle, and a minimum of five essays from the Federalist papers.  This course may count as a requirement in any part of the program of study including the Carolina Core, the major, minor or cognate, or as a general elective.  Courses that meet this requirement are listed here.

Requirements (120 hours)

¹

Must be passed with a grade of C or higher.

²

Carolina Core Stand Alone or Overlay Eligible Requirements — Overlay-approved courses offer students the option of meeting two Carolina Core components in a single course. A maximum of two overlays is allowed. The total Carolina Core credit hours must add up to a minimum of 31 hours. Some programs may have a higher number of minimum Carolina Core hours due to specified requirements.

³

Students may take up to 6 hours of History courses at the 200 level to fulfill major requirements; all the rest of their course hours in History must be taken at the 300 level or higher.

⁴

Students should take HIST 300 as soon as possible after declaring their history major.

⁵

The same courses that fulfill these requirements may also fulfill other major requirements.

⁶

Students may not use the same course to count for both of these chronological categories.

⁷

Honors Thesis may substitute if this thesis is directed by a member of the history faculty.

⁸

It is optional for 6 of the 12 credit hours to be at the 200 level; all the rest of their course hours in electives must be taken at the 300 level or higher. The Assistant Chair and Undergraduate Director will determine into which groups specific History courses fall in consultation with the faculty member teaching the class. The Undergraduate Committee of the History Department must approve exceptions to the distribution requirements.

B.A. with Distinction (36 hours)

Students who fulfill the requirements for the general major may earn a B.A. with Distinction upon the completion of the following additional requirements:

• Declare their intention to pursue a degree with distinction before the beginning of their senior year, that is, before they have begun the last 30 units of their undergraduate degree.
• Have a minimum 3.60 GPA in the major and 3.50 overall GPA at the time of declaration of intent and maintain these GPA requirements.
• Complete an additional 9 hours of History courses at the 200-level or higher (only 6 hours of 200-level History courses may count towards the requirements for the major and graduation with distinction).
• Notify the professor of their Senior Seminar or Thesis course in writing by the end of the first week of class that they intend to pursue a degree “with distinction” and complete to the professor’s satisfaction the additional research necessary for work “with distinction.”
• Public presentation of their research at Discovery Day.

Note: Students who want a degree “with distinction” from the History Department and a degree “with honors from the South Carolina Honors College” must complete two separate research projects.

The Warwick Exchange Program

Selected history majors spend the junior year at the University of Warwick, Coventry, England, and maintain normal progress toward graduation.

Major Map

A major map is a layout of required courses in a given program of study, including critical courses and suggested course sequences to ensure a clear path to graduation.

Major maps are only a suggested or recommended sequence of courses required in a program of study. Please contact your academic advisor for assistance in the application of specific coursework to a program of study and course selection and planning for upcoming semesters.

History, B.A.

¹

Regardless of individual course grades, students must maintain a minimum 2.000 cumulative GPA. 

²

Some colleges require a minimum GPA for major courses.  Courses indicated in this column are included in the major GPA for this program of study. 

³

Students in the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences are required to demonstrate proficiency in one foreign language equivalent to the 122 course through course credit or the corresponding foreign language placement score. 

⁴

The Carolina Core provides the common core of knowledge, skill and academic experience for all Carolina undergraduate students. 

⁵

The McCausland College of Arts and Sciences requires one U.S. History and one non-U.S. History course, both of which must be chosen from the approved Carolina Core GHS courses.  Whichever is not fulfilled through the Carolina Core GHS requirement must be fulfilled through this college requirement. 

⁶

The cognate is intended to support the course work in the major.  The cognate must consist of twelve hours of courses at the advanced level, outside of, but related to the major.  In place of a cognate, a student may choose a minor consisting of at least 18 credit hours of courses concentrated in one area that follow a structured sequence.  A second major eliminates the minor/cognate requirement. 

⁷

History major courses include:

• 1 course from U.S. History 300-level or above (3 hours)
• 1 course from European History 300-level or above (3 hours)
• 1 course from World History 300-level or above (3 hours) –Select from African, Middle Eastern, Asian, or Latin American History Chronological Breadth (overlay: the same courses that fulfill these requirements may also fulfill other major requirements)
  • 1 course that substantially covers pre-modern societies (3 hours)
  • 1 course that substantially covers modern societies (3 hours)
• Senior Seminar or Thesis (3 hours): HIST 497 – Senior Seminar, HIST 498 – Senior Seminar, or HIST 499 – Senior Thesis (SCHC 499 Honors Thesis may substitute if this thesis is directed by a member of the history faculty)
• 4 additional history electives 200-level or above (12 hours): The Assistant Chair and Undergraduate Director will determine into which groups specific History courses fall in consultation with the faculty member teaching the class.  The Undergraduate Committee of the History Department must approve exceptions to the distribution requirements. 

⁸

No courses of a remedial, developmental, skill-acquiring, or vocational nature may apply as credit toward degrees in the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences.  The McCausland College of Arts and Sciences allows the use of the Pass-Fail option on elective courses.  Further clarification on inapplicable courses can be obtained from the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences. 

Program Notes:

• All undergraduate students must take a 3-credit course or its equivalent with a passing grade that covers the founding documents. This course may fulfill any requirement in the program of study. Courses that meet this requirement are listed in the academic bulletin.
• Students who fulfill the requirements for the general major may earn a B.A. with Distinction upon the completion of the following additional requirements: 1) Declare their intention to pursue a degree with distinction before the beginning of their senior year (before beginning the last 30 units of the undergraduate degree); 2) Have a minimum 3.60 GPA in the major and 3.5 overall GPA at the time of declaration of intent and maintain these GPA requirements; 3) Complete an additional 9 hours of History courses at the 200-level or higher (only 6 hours of 200-level History courses may count towards the requirements for the major and graduation with distinction); 4) Notify the professor of their Senior Seminar or Thesis course in writing by the end of the first week of class that they intend to pursue a degree “with distinction” and complete to the professor’s satisfaction the additional research necessary for work “with distinction”; 5) Public presentation of their research at Discovery Day.  (Students who want a degree “with distinction” from the History Department and a degree “with honors from the South Carolina Honors College” must complete two separate research projects).
• The last 30 credit hours toward your degree must be earned in residence at the University of South Carolina-Columbia.