History

Our undergraduate curriculum offers a variety of courses in American, European, Latin American, Middle Eastern, Asian, and African history. Faculty are committed to excellence in teaching and research and continue to contribute to historical discourse through presentations and publications. 

Learning Outcomes:

As a History major at Duquesne University, you will gain strength in the following areas:

  • History: Learn a basic narrative of historical events in the United States of America.  
  • Critical Reading: Understand and evaluate historical ideas, theories, conspiracies, arguments, and points of view.
  • Research: Gather historical research and assess evidence.
  • Communication: Present clear and compelling arguments, and effectively communicate your interpretations in written essays and/or other media. 

 

Program Type

Major, Minor

Degree

Bachelor's

School

McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts

Duration

4-year

Required Credit Hours

30

Program Requirements

All students are required to take six credits of surveys.

  • HIST 203 US History to 1877 OR HIST 213 Western Civilization I
  • HIST 204 US History since 1877 OR HIST 214 Western Civilization II
Students are required to take six credits that add a wider worldview to their curriculum, including courses that cover Latin American, Asian, African, or Middle Eastern history.

Common world history courses include, but are not limited to:
  • HIST 161 Latin American Civilization
  • HIST 231 Pre-Colonial Africa
  • HIST 254 History of the Modern Middle East
  • HIST 291 History of Japan
Students are required to take two courses that are writing intensive so they can build their writing skills while furthering their studies in historical events, traditions, and themes.

  • HIST 311W Writing History
  • Any 400-level Writing Intensive course - examples include - 
    • HIST 401W Medieval Europe
    • HIST 411W Early Modern Europe
    • HIST 433W Gender in US History
    • HIST 448W World at War
Students are required to take a course in Public History, which provides more diverse perspectives than learning the details of historical events themselves. You will have the opportunity to pick from a number of courses in Public History, with a few of them being:
  • PHST 206 Introduction to Oral History
  • PHST 215 Introduction to Archives
  • PHST 223 Practice of Public History
Lastly, students can fill the remainder of their program with electives of their choosing. All electives must be at least at the 200-level or above to count as an elective towards their major. 

There are dozens of interesting and exciting courses offered each semester out of our History department, so we strongly encourage students to get creative with their selections!

Minoring in History (15 credits)

Minoring in History is a great way for you to pursue interests in past historical events and have a basic foundation of historical processes. Students who minor in History will take a total of 15 credits in the following subject areas:

  • US History or Western Civilization (6 credits)
  • Latin American, Asian, or African History (3 credits)
  • Two electives at the 300 or 400-level (3 credits)

History: A great pairing with other Liberal Arts programs!

As History and English are closely allied disciplines, and as a double major program may result in a more coherent course of study, the departments created some options for students wishing to concentrate in both fields. 

Students have the option to complete the double major with History as their primary major or with English as their primary major.

As the constant demand for secondary teachers well trained in both pedagogy and content areas increases, one way to prepare for a career in education is to get both a B.A. in History and a B.S. in Secondary Education.  The Department has put together a program, in conjunction with the School of Education, which will allow you to receive both degrees. The credits for the joint program will total 128 to 136 credit hours, depending on the number of credits required to complete the College’s language requirement. 
Combining History with Business offers excellent career preparation in that the combination provides a breadth of business skills and a liberal arts education. There are a number of Business Certificates available through our Palumbo-Donahue School of Business that students can add to their curriculum.

The School of Law has a 3/3 program that allows qualified students to earn both an undergraduate degree in History and a law degree in six years. It is a highly competitive program to which students must apply in their junior year. Students apply for this program during the fall semester of their junior year. The Department offers a series of law-related courses and recommends that majors who plan to apply to law school select from one or more of these classes.