The Historical Studies Option (HSO) helps students develop the disciplinary frameworks, research methodology, and historical knowledge necessary to analyze social groups, societies, and issues as an historian. Students will explore and analyze various societies and the experiences of ordinary people, with particular attention to the effects of class, race, ethnicity, and gender norms. In addition to learning about different geographical areas of the world, students will also encounter essential and significant questions that humans have explored for millennia, and do so while learning about competing schools of historical thought and practice. Students will develop the skills to ask critical questions, improve their reading comprehension, research and write as historians, and become better problem solvers, which are marketable skills for a wide variety of careers and academic majors.

A multi-dimensional perspective on historical processes across time and space could help students transition into the following academic majors: History, Political Science, Pre-Law, Education, and Ethnic Studies; as well as into a variety of careers, including: Education, Politics, International Affairs, Educational or Political Consulting, Manuscript Editing, Public History, Museum Curation, creative fields, and others that value strong reasoning and writing skills.

In addition to any courses taken as part of the Common or Flexible Core, students must complete two (2) of the six (6) historical sequences listed below. At least one of the sequences must be from Tier 1: the Required Sequences. Students will be permitted to either complete both of their sequences from Tier 1 or they can take one sequence from Tier 1 and one sequence from Tier 2.

Tier 1
Required Sequences: Students must complete at least one (1) sequence.

1. HIS 201—World History to 1500 (3 credits) AND HIS 202—World History: 1500 to the Present (3 credits)
2. HIS 210—US History through the Civil War (3 credits) AND HIS 211—US History: Reconstruction to the Present (3 credits)
3. BLS 114—The African American Experience (3 credits) AND HIS 214—Modern African American History (3 credits)

Tier 2
Optional Sequences: Students can choose to complete one (1) of the three (3) sequences below

1. BLS 110—African Civilizations I (3 credits) AND BLS 112—African Civilizations II (3 credits)
2. LAC 109—Latin American History I (3 credits) AND LAC 110—Latin American History II (3 credits)
3. LAC 108—History of the Caribbean (3 credits) AND LAC 106—History of the Dominican Republic (3 credits)