History (B.A., B.S.)

Unlock Your Future by Studying the Past

History majors explore the past, and that's just the beginning—majoring in history will help students master the skills they need to thrive in the future. In a world driven by rapid change and complex challenges, employers are seeking critical thinkers, effective communicators, and problem-solvers. That's what a history degree delivers.

Learn to dissect information, identify patterns, and apply historical insights to today’s pressing problems. Craft compelling narratives, engage diverse audiences, and translate complex ideas into clear, persuasive arguments—all while examining the tapestry of human experience across time and space.

A history degree from Nebraska Wesleyan equips graduates with the transferable skills that employers value most, especially in fields including public history, museums and libraries, law, business, government, information management, teaching, insurance, and publishing.

Departments/Programs

History

History Major (B.A. or B.S.**, 36-37 hours)
Core Courses	12 hours
HIST 1010FYW Topics in United States History to 1877 or HIST 1020FYW United States Society and Culture Since 1877	4 hours
HIST 1110 World Civilizations	4 hours
HIST 2170 Body, Mind, Spirit: The Understanding of the Self in Western Culture or HIST 2180 Science and Religion in Western Tradition	4 hours

Research Methods	4 hours
HIST 2800 Historical Methods	4 hours

History Electives	16 hours
Students must take 16 credit hours of history electives. Select 8 credit hours from each of the two skill concentrations listed below (Analysis & Application; Commuinication & Curation). At least 8 hours of elective credit must be taken at the 4000-level, and students must take at least one elective each from the US and Global lists.
Analysis & Application U.S. HIST 2370 History of Women in the United States HIST 2410 Racial Justice in Twentieth Century America HIST 2420 Liberalism & Conservatism In Amer Hist HIST 2540 African-American History HIST 3550/HIST 4550 Gender & The Wild West Global HIST 2110 Introduction to Latin America HIST 2560 Indigenous History HIST 2810 Introduction to East Asian History HIST 2830 Modern Chinese History HIST 3030/HIST 4030 Founding of the Americas HIST 3220/HIST 4220 The Ancient World HIST 3230/HIST 4230 The Middle Ages HIST 3540/HIST 4540 History of Sexualities HIST 3700/HIST 4700 Revolutions in Latin America HIST 3840/HIST 4840 Meiji - The Making of Modern Japan HIST 3850/HIST 4850 Twilight of the Samurai: Early Modern Japan	8 hours
Communication & Curation U.S. HIST 2200 Race & Ethnicity at NWU HIST 2610 Environmental History HIST 3110/HIST 4110 American Presidency HIST 3130/HIST 4130 The Cold War and Modern America HIST 3450/HIST 4450 Interrogate American History Through Artifacts HIST 3650/HIST 4650 Topics in Nebraska History Global HIST 2660 Disease in History HIST 2820 Introduction to Japanese History HIST 3100/HIST 4100 Pirates, Corsairs, And Buccaneers HIST 3140/HIST 4140 Biography in History HIST 3350/HIST 4350 Nazi Germany HIST 3530/HIST 4530 Queens, Crusaders, and Wonder Women HIST 3860/HIST 4860 Japanese Popular Culture, Past and Present	8 hours

History Electives

16 hours

Students must take 16 credit hours of history electives. Select 8 credit hours from each of the two skill concentrations listed below (Analysis & Application; Commuinication & Curation). At least 8 hours of elective credit must be taken at the 4000-level, and students must take at least one elective each from the US and Global lists.

Analysis & Application

U.S.

Global

8 hours

Communication & Curation

U.S.

Global

8 hours

Capstone Courses	4-5 hours
HIST 4940 History Capstone and HIST 4970 History Internship or HIST 4940 History Capstone and HIST 4980 Introduction to Senior Thesis and HIST 4990 Senior Thesis or Students seeking secondary education endorsement must take HIST 4650 Topics in Nebraska History and HIST 4940 History Capstone and complete their student teaching in history.

**A History major customarily earns a B.A. or B.S. degree. However, if a student has a first major that is associated with a different baccalaureate degree, the History major may serve as a second major for the degree associated with the first major (B.F.A., B.M., or B.S.N.).

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Departments/Programs