Program Overview

The discipline of history lies at the core of a liberal education.  Students of history learn and analyze the major social, political, and economic forces that have caused change over time with an eye to understanding the present in the light of the past. Drake’s History Department courses focus mostly on the modern period (c.1500 to the present), have a world historical emphasis, and investigate those ideas and institutions by which people have shaped and ordered their world.

At a time when the average college graduate will work in four or more different professions during their lifetime, the History Department’s program prepares and empowers students with modular and transferable skills. Our curriculum helps students to think clearly; to research, analyze, and interpret a broad range of materials available across multiple media; and to express themselves cogently both orally and in writing. With these skills, students are prepared to pursue careers in business, industry, government service, numerous professions, and the advanced study of history.

B.A. Degree Requirements

The B.A. in History requires 37 credit hours. Students can obtain these credits by taking all history courses or by doing the 28+9 cross disciplinary option for double majors. These two options are described below.

For the history major, at least 15 hours must be completed at Drake.

All History Courses Option

This option requires students to complete the major by taking 37 credit hours of History classes.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
HIST 003	INTRODUCING HISTORY	1
Introductory-level courses (004-099)		6
HIST 100	DOING HISTORY: HISTORIAN'S CRAFT	3
Advanced Level Courses (102-195) 1		15
Select one of the following:		3
HIST 197	RESEARCH CAPSTONE SEMINAR IN US HISTORY
HIST 196	RESEARCH CAPSTONE IN EUROPEAN HISTORY
Select nine credits in HIST at any level		9
Total Hours		37

¹

Distribution must include at least one U.S., one European and one Asian/African/Latin American/World History course.

28+9 Option

This option involves taking 28 credit hours of history classes and counting 9 credit hours (100 level classes) from a second related major towards the B.A. in History. Approved majors for this option include: Politics, International Relations, LPS, Philosophy, English, Sociology, Anthropology & Sociology, Economics, Art History, Journalism, and Education. Consult with your advisor to determine other disciplines that may qualify. For example, students with majors in Biology, Psychology, Environmental Science and Environmental Science have also designed interdisciplinary Double Majors in History with their advisor’s approval.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
HIST 003	INTRODUCING HISTORY	1
Introductory-level courses (004-099)		6
HIST 100	DOING HISTORY: HISTORIAN'S CRAFT	3
Advanced Level Courses (102 - 195) 1		15
Select one of the following:		3
HIST 196	RESEARCH CAPSTONE IN EUROPEAN HISTORY
HIST 197	RESEARCH CAPSTONE SEMINAR IN US HISTORY
Electives - 100-level courses from a single related major.		9
Total Hours		37

¹

Distribution must include at least one U.S., one European and one Asian/African/Latin American/World History course.

In addition to programmatic requirements, students are responsible for satisfying all requirements of the Drake Curriculum, including Areas of Inquiry (AOI)

Student must also satisfy university graduation requirements for all undergraduate students..