Bachelor of Arts in History
Fairfax, USA
DURATION
4 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline *
EARLIEST START DATE
Aug 2024
TUITION FEES
USD 4,897 / per semester **
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* for International student | Domestic student is 1st of February
** in-state tuition full-time (12-15 credits); USD 16,980 - out-of-state tuition full-time (12-15 credits); USD 1,803 - mandatory student fee
Introduction
Studying history helps you understand the range of human experiences: how people have lived in the past, how they live and coexist in the present, and the links between the two. As a history major, you can study a variety of time periods and places, from Greek and Roman antiquity to twentieth-century Asia. You will learn to interpret the past by examining a variety of original sources: newspapers, letters and diaries, literature, government records, images, films, oral interviews, and more.
The study of history will hone your skills in collecting, interpreting, and communicating information. It will give you a broader perspective on the contemporary world and the events that shape it.
We have faculty members who are specialists in every region of the globe, teaching and writing about military, political, social, and cultural history. Our department is internationally known for cutting-edge work on the use of technology in the study of history. Through the Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media, Mason has long been at the forefront of digital and public-facing history, recognizing that new technologies and methods bring together multiple voices and diverse audiences in an ever-changing world.
Because our department is one of the few in the country that is combined with art history, art is incorporated into the teaching and research of many faculty members. There are few places in the United States where history is more valued than the Washington, DC area. Its wealth of museums, historic sites, rare book libraries, archives, and government agencies offers abundant opportunities for learning, internships, and careers. The flexibility of our program allows students to incorporate experiences into their degrees such as studying abroad and research with faculty members.
Program Outcome
- Research. History majors will demonstrate historical thinking skills, including the ability to find appropriate historical evidence, evaluate evidence, synthesize evidence, and critically read and evaluate both primary and secondary sources.
- Written communication. History majors will develop the skills necessary to communicate the findings of their research. Through a curriculum that emphasizes progressively longer and more sophisticated writing projects, History majors will become proficient at effective written communication in general as well as in the specific disciplinary requirements of History.
- Oral communication. In almost all cases, students in History classes are called on to defend historical conclusions aloud. History majors will learn to give organized, clear presentations in which they both offer complicated historical analysis aloud and defend their conclusions in front of an audience.
- Digital literacy. History majors will learn to apply the tools and methods of the digital humanities for historical research and for the communication of the fruits of historical research.
- Synthesis. History majors are taught how best to combine the different elements of the skillset they have built up in the program. Students in the program pull together a variety of sources, analyze and weigh evidence to make an argument, situate that argument within the relevant scholarly literature, connect it to important social concerns, and then communicate all this clearly and effectively both in person and in print.
Career Opportunities
History majors have gone on to careers in government, law, and management, as well as teaching and graduate study. A number of our graduates have focused on public history as their career choice, working with museums, archives, historic sites, and the National Park Service.
Curriculum
Degree Requirements
Total credits: minimum 120
Before registering, students should see an advisor to help plan their history program to meet Mason Core and college-level requirements. The advisor also can help students choose electives or a minor.
Major without Concentration
- HIST 300 Introduction to Historical Method (Mason Core) 3
- HIST 499 RS: Senior Seminar in History (Mason Core) 3
Total Credits 6
U.S. History
Select two courses from the following: 6
- HIST 121 Formation of the American Republic (Mason Core)
- HIST 122 Development of Modern America (Mason Core)
- HIST 335 The African American Experience in the United States: African Background to 1885
- HIST 334 American Scriptures (Mason Core)
- HIST 336 The African American Experience in the United States: Reconstruction to the Present
- HIST 339 History of Baseball
- HIST 340 Basketball and the American Experience
- HIST 341 History of Sport in the United States
- HIST 342 History of the Olympics and the United States
- HIST 343 Women during the Enslavement Era
- HIST 344 Black Social Movements
- HIST 345 Women's Activism: From Jim Crow to Black Power
- HIST 350 U.S. Women's History
- HIST 351 History of the Old South
- HIST 352 The South since 1865
- HIST 370 War and American Society
- HIST 373 The Civil War and Reconstruction
- HIST 377 The Vietnam War
- HIST 378 History of Aviation
- HIST 380 Uncovering the U.S. Past Through Film
- HIST 389 Topics in U.S. History
- HIST 391 History of Virginia to 1800
- HIST 401 Colonial America
- HIST 403 Revolutionary Era in American History, 1763-1812
Total Credits 6
European History
Select two courses from the following: 6
- HIST 100 History of Western Civilization (Mason Core) 1
- HIST 101 Foundations of Western Civilization
- HIST 102 Development of Western Civilization
- HIST 301 Classical Greece
- HIST 302 Classical Rome
- HIST 304 Western Europe in the Middle Ages
- HIST 305 The Renaissance
- HIST 306 The Reformation
- HIST 307 Old Regime and Revolutionary Europe
- HIST 308 Nineteenth-Century Europe
- HIST 309 Europe in Crisis: 1914-1948
- HIST 312 Nationalism in Eastern Europe
- HIST 314 History of Germany
- HIST 321 Modern France
- HIST 322 Modern Britain
- HIST 326 Stalinism
- HIST 327 The Soviet Union and Russia Since World War II
- HIST 328 Rise of Russia (Mason Core)
- HIST 329 Modern Russia and the Soviet Union (Mason Core)
- HIST 388 Topics in European History
Total Credits 6
Global, Latin American, African, Asian, or Middle Eastern History
Approved courses in history are used to fulfill the Mason Core requirement in global understanding and the college-level requirement in non-Western culture may be used to fulfill this requirement.
Select two courses from the following: 6
- HIST 125 Introduction to World History (Mason Core)
- HIST 202 Freshman/Sophomore Seminar in Global History
- HIST 251 Survey of East Asian History (Mason Core)
- HIST 252 Survey of East Asian History (Mason Core)
- HIST 261 Survey of African History (Mason Core)
- HIST 262 Survey of African History (Mason Core)
- HIST 271 Survey of Latin American History (Mason Core)
- HIST 272 Survey of Latin American History (Mason Core)
- HIST 281 Survey of Middle Eastern Civilization (Mason Core)
- HIST 282 Survey of Middle Eastern Civilization (Mason Core)
- HIST 353 History of Traditional China
- HIST 354 Modern China (Mason Core)
- HIST 356 Modern Japan (Mason Core)
- HIST 357 Postwar Japan (Mason Core)
- HIST 358 Post-1949 China (Mason Core)
- HIST 360 History of South Africa (Mason Core)
- HIST 364 Revolution and Radical Politics in Latin America (Mason Core)
- HIST 365 Conquest and Colonization in Latin America (Mason Core)
- HIST 366 Comparative Slavery
- HIST 367 History, Fiction, and Film in Latin America
- HIST 384 Global History of Christianity (Mason Core)
- HIST 387 Topics in Global History (Mason Core)
- HIST 394 Globalization and History
- HIST 461 Arab-Israeli Conflict
- HIST 462 Women in Islamic Society (Mason Core)
- HIST 465 The Middle East in the 20th Century
Total Credits 6
Electives in the Major
Students may also meet the elective requirement by completing an optional concentration.
Select four electives in history 12
Total Credits 12
Major with Concentration
Available Concentrations
- Concentration in Digital History (HISD)
- Concentration in Public History (HISP)
- Concentration in Global History (HISG)
- Concentration in U.S. History (HISU)
- Individualized Concentration (IND)
Concentration in Digital History (HISD)
In this concentration, students explore and develop skills in using digital methods for the research, analysis, and presentation of history. Students interested in graduate education or careers in the digital humanities and new media or in working with digital methods in museums, archives, and other public history institutions should consider this concentration.
Core Courses
- HIST 300 Introduction to Historical Method (Mason Core) 3
- HIST 499 RS: Senior Seminar in History (Mason Core) 3
- HIST 390 The Digital Past (Mason Core) 3
Select three electives with at least 6 credits in HIST from the following: 9
- HIST 395 Topics in Digital History
- ENGH 375 Web Authoring and Design
- ENGH 376 Rhetoric and New Media
other coursework, including internships, approved by the program director
Total Credits 18
U.S. History
Select two courses from the following: 6
- HIST 121 Formation of the American Republic (Mason Core)
- HIST 122 Development of Modern America (Mason Core)
- HIST 334 American Scriptures (Mason Core)
- HIST 335 The African American Experience in the United States: African Background to 1885
- HIST 336 The African American Experience in the United States: Reconstruction to the Present
- HIST 339 History of Baseball
- HIST 340 Basketball and the American Experience
- HIST 341 History of Sport in the United States
- HIST 342 History of the Olympics and the United States
- HIST 343 Women during the Enslavement Era
- HIST 344 Black Social Movements
- HIST 345 Women's Activism: From Jim Crow to Black Power
- HIST 350 U.S. Women's History
- HIST 351 History of the Old South
- HIST 352 The South since 1865
- HIST 370 War and American Society
- HIST 373 The Civil War and Reconstruction
- HIST 377 The Vietnam War
- HIST 378 History of Aviation
- HIST 380 Uncovering the U.S. Past Through Film
- HIST 389 Topics in U.S. History
- HIST 391 History of Virginia to 1800
- HIST 401 Colonial America
- HIST 403 Revolutionary Era in American History, 1763-1812
Total Credits 6
European History
Select two courses from the following: 6
- HIST 100 History of Western Civilization (Mason Core) 1
- HIST 101 Foundations of Western Civilization
- HIST 102 Development of Western Civilization
- HIST 301 Classical Greece
- HIST 302 Classical Rome
- HIST 304 Western Europe in the Middle Ages
- HIST 305 The Renaissance
- HIST 306 The Reformation
- HIST 307 Old Regime and Revolutionary Europe
- HIST 308 Nineteenth-Century Europe
- HIST 309 Europe in Crisis: 1914-1948
- HIST 312 Nationalism in Eastern Europe
- HIST 314 History of Germany
- HIST 321 Modern France
- HIST 322 Modern Britain
- HIST 326 Stalinism
- HIST 327 The Soviet Union and Russia Since World War II
- HIST 328 Rise of Russia (Mason Core)
- HIST 329 Modern Russia and the Soviet Union (Mason Core)
- HIST 388 Topics in European History
Total Credits 6
Writing-Intensive Requirement
The university requires all students to complete at least one course designated as "writing intensive" in their majors at the 300 level or above. Students majoring in history may fulfill this requirement by successfully completing:
- HIST 300 Introduction to Historical Method (Mason Core) 3 or HIST 499 RS: Senior Seminar in History (Mason Core)
Total Credits 3
Upper-Level Requirement
Students seeking a bachelor’s degree must apply at least 45 credits of upper-level courses (numbered 300 or above) toward graduation requirements.
Additional Electives
Any remaining credits may be completed with elective courses to bring the degree total to 120.
College Level Requirements for the BA Degree
In addition to the Mason Core program, students pursuing a BA degree must complete the coursework below. Except where expressly prohibited, a course used to fulfill a college-level requirement may also be used simultaneously to satisfy other requirements (Mason Core requirements or requirements for the major).
- Philosophy or Religious Studies
- Social and Behavioral Sciences
- Foreign Language
- Non-Western Culture
Mason Core
Some Mason Core requirements may already be fulfilled by the major requirements listed above. Students are strongly encouraged to consult their advisors to ensure they fulfill all remaining Mason Core requirements.
Foundation Requirements
- Written Communication (ENGH 101) 3
- Oral Communication 3
- Quantitative Reasoning 3
- Information Technology and Computing 3
Exploration Requirements
- Arts 3
- Global Understanding 3
- Literature 3
- Natural Science 7
- Social and Behavioral Sciences 3
- Western Civilization/World History 3
Integration Requirements
- Written Communications (ENGH 302) 3
- Writing-Intensive 3
- Synthesis/Capstone 3
Total Credits 40
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