History

Overview

Graduates from the History Program, having received a quality liberal arts education, are prepared to enjoy successful and gratifying careers in many fields. In fact, no other course of study provides students with the broad base of knowledge so necessary to be competitive in today’s global marketplace, whether those career goals include law, government service, theology, teaching, or business.

The program provides opportunities for students to participate in conferences, internships, interdisciplinary and international studies, and undergraduate research. The History Program also offers an internship in History for up to six credit hours. Contact Dr. Clark Hultquist (hultquic@montevallo.edu) for further details.

The University of Montevallo is the top public university in Alabama for history majors, according to the recently released Niche.com 2022 Best Colleges rankings. The Best Colleges rankings were based on key statistics such as graduation rate, program demand, faculty-to-student ratio, student reviews and data from the U.S. Department of Education.

Why History at UM?

Junior and senior level courses are taught in classes with limited numbers, promoting class discussion and individual attention.
Emphasis is on written and oral communication, research, and critical thinking skills.
The program prepares students to be informed citizen leaders.
Career opportunities in education, law, and academia abound.
Internship opportunities are available.

Theta Iota Chapter of Phi Alpha Theta

UM’s Theta Iota Chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, International History Honor Society, has been recognized repeatedly as an outstanding chapter by the international organization. In addition to recognizing academic excellence in the field of History, Phi Alpha Theta offers occasions for students and faculty to socialize and to share their work and ideas. Dr. Grace London serves as the advisor for the society; contact her (glondon@montevallo.edu) for more information.

Degree/Course Requirements

History Major Requirements (33 hours)

Major Course Requirements (33 hours)

HIST 101 or HIST 103 (History of World Civilizations I) (3)

HIST 102 or HIST 104 (History of World Civilizations II) (3)

HIST 211 – History of the United States (3)

HIST 212 – History of the United States (3)

HIST 310 – Introduction to Historical Study (3)

HIST 492 – History Capstone (3)

HIST 300/400 elective (15 credit hours)

General Education Core (54-59 hours)

First-Year Seminar….……………………………………………………………………………………………. 3 hours
- Choose: UM 101, ED 101, GB 101, or HNRS 101
Written Composition……………………………………………………………………………………………. 6 hours
- Choose: ENG 101 or 103 (Composition I)
- Choose: ENG 102 or 104 (Composition II)
Humanities & Fine Arts…………………………………………………………………….………….……… 18 hours
- Choose one Literature: ENG 231 or 233 (Global Literature I) * or ENG 232 or 234 (Global Literature II) Students must take at least one six-hour sequence in Literature or History. Students may take both sequences.
- Choose Communications: COMS 101 or 102 (Foundations in Oral Communication)
- Choose one Fine Art: ART 100, 120, 218, 219, 220; MC 100, 325; MUS 121 or 122, 125, 211, 240, 255, 342; THEA 120 or 122, 123
- Choose one Humanity: AAS 200, FRN 101, 102 or 150, 201, 202 or 250; GER 101, 102, 201, 202; PHIL 110 or 111, 180,
- 220 or 221, 230, 280, 290; REL 110; SPN 101 or 103, 102 or 104 or 150, 201, 202 or 250
- Choose two additional Literature, Humanity or Fine Arts courses not used above: AAS 200, ART 100, 120, 218, 219, 220;
- ENG 231 or 233, 232 or 234; FRN 101, 102 or 150, 201, 202 or 250; GER 101, 102, 201, 202; MC 100, 325; MUS 121/122,
- 125, 211, 240, 255, 342; PHIL 110 or 111, 180, 220, 221, 230, 280, 290; REL 110; SPN 101 or 103, 102 or 104 or 150, 201,
- 202 or 250; THEA 120 or 122, 123
Natural Sciences & Mathematics…………………………………………………………………………. 11 hours
- Choose two lab sciences. Must be from two different disciplines: BIO 100, 105 or 107, 106; CHEM 100, 101, 102, 121, 122; ESCI 100; GEOL 110, 115 PHYS 100, 201, 241
- Choose one Mathematics: MATH 144, 147, 149, 150, 154 or 155, 157, 170
History, Social & Behavioral Sciences………………………………………….…..……………….…. 12 hours
- Choose HIST 101 or 103 (World Civilization I) *
- Choose HIST 102 or 104 (World Civilization II)
- Choose two of the following: EC 231, 232; FCS 291, 302; GEOG 231; POS 200, 250; PSYC 201, 202; SOC 101/102; SWK 203, 260, 322
Personal Development ……………………………………………………..……….………………..…..….. 3 hours
- Choose one of the following: ART 250, 255; CS 161; ED 427, 447; ES 200; EXNS 120; FCS 281; MATH 261; MIS 161; MUS 228

Additional requirements for degree (7-12 hours)

Additional Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree…..……….………………..…..….12 hours

Complete the second-year sequence of a world language (201 and 202 or 250): ASL, FRN, GER, SPN. OR complete the first-year sequence of two different world languages.

Additional Requirements for the Bachelor of Science………………………..7 hours

Choose an additional 7 hours in mathematics and/or science not used towards requirement #3 above.

General Electives (28-33 hours)

History majors must take 28-33 credit hours in general electives comprised of courses of their choosing. These hours can be counted toward a minor or a double major.

History Minor Requirements (18 hours)

HIST 211 History of the United States (3)

HIST 212 History of the United States (3)

HIST electives (12 hours)

Career Opportunities

Career-Ready Graduates

A History degree from UM equips students with a versatile set of skills that translate across a wide range of professional fields. The skills honed through your coursework — research, analysis, argumentation, and contextual reasoning — are valued by employers in law, business, government, education, and beyond. Far from limiting graduates to a single career path, a history degree serves as a launching pad for virtually any profession that demands thoughtful, articulate, and analytically minded individuals.

Some of our recent graduates have jobs in:

Education (both secondary and post-secondary)
Law
Public History
Archives
Museums

Overview

Why History at UM?

Theta Iota Chapter of Phi Alpha Theta

Degree/Course Requirements

Career Opportunities

Career-Ready Graduates

Scholarships & Aid

Student Aid

Scholarships

You may also be interested in:

Discover Your Future in History at Montevallo